Arthur C. Edwards papers, 1840s-1989

Finding aid prepared by UCLA Library Special Collections staff, 2002. Reprocessed in 2015 by Lori Dedeyan; machine-readable finding aid created by Caroline Cubé.
UCLA Library Special Collections
Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1575
(310) 825-4988
spec-coll@library.ucla.edu
Finding aid last modified on 31 March 2016.


Title: Arthur C. Edwards papers
Collection number: PASC-M 91
Contributing Institution: UCLA Library Special Collections
Language of Material: English
Physical Description: 6.0 linear ft. (14 document boxes and 1 flat box)
Date (bulk): Bulk, 1941-1989
Date (inclusive): 1840s-1989
Abstract: This collection contains the papers of ethnomusicologist Arthur C. Edwards. It consists of collected folk music scores, manuscript notes, and, to a lesser extent, original compositions by Edwards, as well other material relating to his professional career.
Language of Materials: Materials are in multiple languages.
Physical Location: Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact the UCLA Library Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
creator: Edwards, Arthur C.

Restrictions on Access

COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Open for research. Advance notice required for access. Contact the UCLA Library Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.

Restrictions on Use and Reproduction

Property rights to the physical object belong to the UCLA Library Special Collections. Literary rights, including copyright, are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

COLLECTION CONTAINS AUDIOVISUAL MATERIAL: Use of materials requires production of access copies. Please notify the UCLA Library Special Collections Reference Desk in advance of your visit.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Arthur C. Edwards Collection of Musical Compositions and Research (Collection PASC-M 91). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, UCLA.

UCLA Catalog Record ID

UCLA Catalog Record ID: 4232972 

Provenance/Source of Acquisition

Gift of Miriam Edwards, 1990.

Biography/History

Arthur C. Edwards was a music teacher, composer, and ethnomusicologist. He taught on the faculty of the University of Illinois School of Music, Urbana, from 1928 to 1945, and at UCLA from 1950 until his retirement in 1966. As an ethnomusicologist, he extensively studied folk music from around the world. His book, The Art of Melody, was pubished in 1956. He lived in Los Angeles and pursued various research projects until his death.

Scope and Content

This collection consists largely of collected folk music scores and songbooks from around the world, Edwards' manuscript notes and music sketches, typescripts for various essays, seven original compositions, and a few materials relating to Edwards' professional career.

Organization and Arrangement

This collection has been arranged into the following series:
  • Series 1. Original compositions
  • Series 2. Research material
    • Subseries 2.1. Collected scores
    • Subseries 2.2. Notes
  • Series 3. Professional material

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Edwards, Arthur C.--Archives.
Composers--United States--Archives.
Folk music--Research.
Folk songs--Research.
Melody--Research.
Music--Manuscripts.
Musicologists--United States--Archives.

 

Series 1. Original compositions. circa 1941-1953.

Scope and Content

This series contains original compositions by Edwards.
Box 1, Folder 1

Concerto for Orchestra in Three Movements. full score. undated.

Box 1, Folder 2

Etude for Piano. piano score. 1953 February 25.

Box 1, Folder 3

John Bunyan Suite- First Movement. full score. 1950 August 23.

Box 1, Folder 4

Paul Bunyan Suite. piano score. undated.

Box 1, Folder 5

Piece for Symphonietta. full score. circa 1941 April 6.

Box 1, Folder 6

Suite for Orchestra. full score. undated.

Box 1, Folder 7

Suite in Modern Style for Woodwin Quartet. parts. undated.

 

Series 2. Research material. 1840s-circa 1979.

Scope and Content

This series contains material relating to Edwards' work in ethnomusicology; it consists of published folk music scores from various countries and Edwards' notes on the scores and song structures.
 

Subseries 2.1. Collected scores. 1840s-circa 1979.

Scope and Content

This subseries contains photocopied scores of folk music, which are arranged by region and country. It also contains full books and songbooks, which are indicated separately.
Box 2, Folder 1

Africa. undated.

Box 2, Folder 2

Albania. undated.

Box 2, Folder 3

Americas. undated.

Box 2, Folder 4

Angola. circa 1963.

Box 2, Folder 5

Argentina. undated.

Box 2, Folder 6

Australia. undated.

Box 2, Folder 7

Cambodia. undated.

Box 2, Folder 8

China. undated.

Box 2, Folder 9

Czechoslovakia. circa 1956.

Box 2, Folder 10

El Salvador. undated.

Box 2, Folder 11

Europe. circa 1972.

Box 2, Folder 12

Ghana. undated.

Box 2, Folder 13

Greece. undated.

Box 2, Folder 14

India. undated.

Box 2, Folder 15

Indonesia. undated.

Box 2, Folder 16

Iran. undated.

Box 3, Folder 1

Japan. undated.

Box 3, Folder 2

Korea. circa 1959.

Box 3, Folder 3

Laos. undated.

Box 3, Folder 4

Lapland. undated.

Box 3, Folder 5

Malaysia. undated.

Box 3, Folder 5

Mexico. circa 1951.

Box 3, Folder 7

Mongolia. circa 1961.

Box 3, Folder 8

Panama. undated.

Box 3, Folder 9

Poland. undated.

Box 3, Folder 10

Russia. circa 1975.

Box 3, Folder 11

Slavonic. undated.

Box 3, Folder 12

Slovakia. undated.

Box 3, Folders 13-14

Turkey. circa 1979.

Box 4, Folder 1

Ukraine. circa 1961.

Box 4, Folder 2

Venezuela. undated.

Box 4, Folder 3

Vietnam. 1961.

Box 4, Folder 4

Various countries. undated.

Scope and Content

Manuscripts in these folders are intermixed and pertain to many of the countries above.
Boxes 10-15

Books and songbooks. 1840s-1960s.

Scope and Content

Books and folk music songbooks from Austria, Basque Country, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Peru, Russia, Spain, and Sweden. Publication dates range from the mid-19th to mid- 20th century.
 

Subseries 2.2. Notes. undated.

Scope and Content

This subseries contains manuscript notes and musical sketches relating to Edwards' analysis of folk music from various countries. Edwards' folder organization has been retained.
Box 4, Folder 5

Argentina, Italy. undated.

Box 4, Folder 6

Argentina. undated.

Box 4, Folder 7

Austria. undated.

Box 4, Folder 8

Brazil, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Basque. undated.

Box 4, Folder 9

Bohemia, Yugoslavia, Slovak. undated.

Box 4, Folder 10

Estonia, Greece, Rumania, Switzerland. undated.

Box 4, Folder 11

Estonia, Norway, Slovakia. undated.

Box 4, Folder 12

Hungary, Poland, Russia, Ukraine. undated.

Box 4, Folder 13

England. undated.

Box 4, Folder 14

France. undated.

Box 4, Folder 15

Iran. undated.

Box 4, Folder 16

Ireland, Mexico. undated.

Box 4, Folder 17

Norway, Finland. undated.

Box 4, Folder 18

Portugal. undated.

Box 4, Folder 19

Spain. undated.

Box 4, Folder 20

Wales, Finland, Guatemala. undated.

Box 5, Folders 1-8, Box 4, Folder 21

Various countries (1 of 2). undated.

Scope and Content

Manuscripts in these folders are intermixed and pertain to a large portion of the countries and areas included above.
Box 7, Folders 1-3, Box 6, Folders 1-5

Various countries (2 of 2). undated.

Scope and Content

Manuscripts in these folders are arranged in a specific order and pertain to France (particularly the Cantal region), Germany, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, and Russia.
Box 7, Folder 4

Bibliographies. undated.

 

Series 3. Professional material. 1954-1989.

Scope and Content

This series contains material related to Edwards' career, travels, and writing.
Box 8

Dictionaries and atlases. 1954-1974.

Scope and Content

Two world atlases and dictionaries in Finnish, Dutch, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Russian, and one "world-wide phrasebook". Dictionaries are largely published by Berlitz.
Box 9, Folder 1

Correspondence. 1965-1989.

Box 9, Folder 2

The Art of Melody- reviews and correspondence. 1956-1957.

Box 9, Folder 3

"The Analysis and Comparison of Folk Melodies" typescript. circa 1976.

Box 9, Folder 4

"German Folk Melodies: Their Characteristics and Organization" typescript and notes. undated.

Box 9, Folder 5

"A Re-examination of Melodic Structure" typescript. undated.

Box 9, Folders 6-7

"A System for Analyzing, Organizing, and Cataloguing Folk Melodies" typescript. circa 1976.

Box 9, Folder 8

Bulletin of the International Council for Traditional Music, No. LXIX-LXXIV. 1986-1989.

Box 9, Folder 9

Directory of Traditional Music. 1987, 1989.

Box 9, Folders 10-12

Yearbook for Traditional Music, Vol.18-21. 1986-1989.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Includes one compact audio cassette.
Use of audio material requires production of listening copies. Please notify the UCLA Library Special Collections Reference Desk in advance of your visit.
Box 9, Folder 13

Itinerary and bookseller's lists. circa 1975.

Box 9, Folder 14

Eulogy for memorial. undated.

Box 5, Folder 9

Untitled film. undated.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

16 mm film reel
Use of moving image material requires production of viewing copies. Please notify the UCLA Library Special Collections Reference Desk in advance of your visit.