Collection Guide
Collection Title:
Collection Number:
Get Items:
Clifford Vaughan Papers: Finding Aid
mssVaughan papers
View entire collection guide
Search this collection
Table of contents
Title: Clifford Vaughan Papers
Dates (inclusive): 1909-2003
Bulk dates: 1925-1926
Collection Number: mssVaughan papers
Creator:
Vaughan, Clifford, 1893-1987.
Extent: 324 items.
Repository:
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens.
Manuscripts Department
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2191
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
Abstract: The majority of the collection deals with the trip of
American composer Clifford Vaughan (1893-1987) to Asia (chiefly Japan, India and
Indonesia) with Ruth St. Denis, Ted Shawn and the Denishawn Dancers in 1925.
Language: English.
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services
Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to
quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such
activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is
one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
[Identification of item]. Clifford Vaughan Papers, The Huntington Library, San
Marino, California.
The collection is made up of several gifts from Margaret Vaughan Meyer, 1998 to
2003.
Clifford Vaughan was born in Bridgeton, New Jersey, in 1893. He started studying
piano at the age of seven and made his debut at the age of twelve, playing with the
Philadelphia Orchestra. At the age of fifteen, he began advanced study at the
Philadelphia Conservatory of Music. In 1925 Vaughan accepted Ruth St. Denis’ offer
to accompany the Denishawn Dancers as Musical Director on their tour of Asia,
Canada, and the United States. After the trip, he returned to New York and was
commissioned by Doris Humphrey to write the score for her ballet “Color Harmony.” He
also worked at the Criterion and Capitol Theaters at NBC.
During the Great Depression, he moved to Hollywood and free-lanced as a composer and
orchestrator at the major studios. In 1943, Vaughan turned his attention back to the
organ and composed over two hundred works for that instrument. He served as the
organist for seventeen years at Mt. Hollywood Congregational Church. He died in 1987
at the age of ninety-four.
The majority of the collection deals with Vaughan’s trip to Asia with Ruth St.
Denis, Ted Shawn and the Denishawn Dancers in 1925. Boxes 1 and 2 contain the
following kind of material: Clifford Vaughan’s music notebooks, photographs,
postcards, booklets, maps, programs and ephemera all regarding the trip. Also
included is some ephemera about Clifford Vaughan (a biography of Vaughan, written
after his death, and order forms for his music on CDs) and the Denishawn Dancers,
mostly clippings, several publications owned by Vaughan, probably purchased during
the trip, as well as programs for the Denishawn Dancers and a Tribute to Ruth St.
Denis and Ted Shawn by “H. H.”
Box 1 also contains a folder of modern letters regarding the Denishawn Dancers and
their history; these are between Jane Sherman Lehac, Margaret Vaughan Meyer, and
Michelle Mathesius.
Box 3 contains copies of CDs of Clifford Vaughan music as well as three record
Albums, “Oriental Translations I-VI.”
Box 4 contains 31 pieces of sheet music, arranged alphabetically by title. The
majority of these are also from the trip to the Asia (1926); some of these are
photocopies. It also contains the 10 oversize programs from Box 2.
Related Materials in the Huntington Library
- Ruth St. Denis Papers and Addenda (Call number: mssSt. Denis papers)
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the
Huntington Library's Online Catalog.
Shawn, Ted,
1891-1972.
St. Denis, Ruth,
1880-1968.
Vaughan, Clifford,
1893-1987 -- Archives.
Denishawn
Dancers.
Denishawn Repertory
Dancers.
Composers -- United States --
Archives.
Dancers -- United States.
Music -- United States -- 20th
century.
India -- Description
and travel.
Japan -- Description
and travel.
Java (Indonesia) --
Description and travel.
Clippings -- 20th century.
Compact discs -- United States.
Ephemera -- 20th century.
Ephemera 21st century.
Letters (correspondence) -- United
States -- 20th century.
Letters (correspondence) -- United
States 21st century.
Offprints India -- 20th century.
Phonograph records -- United States --
20th century.
Photographs -- 20th century.
Picture postcards -- 20th century.
Programs (documents) -- 20th century.
Sheet music -- United States -- 20th
century.
Mathesius, Michelle.
Sherman, Jane, 1908-2010.