Guide to the Henry Eichheim papers, 1900-1930s
Processed by David Seubert;
Department of Special Collections
Davidson Library
University of California, Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA 93106
Phone: (805) 893-3062
Fax: (805) 893-5749
Email: special@library.ucsb.edu
URL: http://www.library.ucsb.edu/speccoll/speccoll.html
© 2003
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Guide to the Henry Eichheim papers, 1900-1930s
Collection number: PA Mss 52
Department of Special Collections
Davidson Library
University of California, Santa Barbara
Contact Information:
- Department of Special Collections
- Davidson Library
- University of California, Santa Barbara
- Santa Barbara, CA 93106
- Phone: (805) 893-3062
- Fax: (805) 893-5749
- Email: special@library.ucsb.edu
- URL: http://www.library.ucsb.edu/speccoll/speccoll.html
- Processors:
- David Seubert
- Date Completed:
- July 16, 2003
- Encoded by:
- David Seubert
© 2003 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Henry Eichheim Papers,
Date (inclusive): 1900-1930s
Collection number: PA Mss 52
Creator:
Eichheim, Henry.
Extent:
3 linear feet
3 boxes
Repository:
University of California, Santa Barbara. Library.
Dept. of Special Collections
Abstract: Papers of composer Henry Eichheim.
Physical location: For current information on the location of these materials,
please consult the library's online catalog.
Language:
English.
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions
None.
Publication Rights
Copyright has not been assigned to the Department of Special Collections, UCSB. All requests for permission to publish or
quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given
on behalf of the Department of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply
permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained.
Preferred Citation
Henry Eichheim papers, PA Mss 52, Department of Special Collections, University Libraries, University of California, Santa
Barbara.
Acquisition Information
Transferred to the Library from the UCSB Department of Music, July 2003 by Dolores M. Hsu. Originally was given to UCSB as
part of the Eichheim Collection of Musical Instruments by the Santa Barbara Museum of Art in 1982 and 1984.
Biography
Henry Eichheim (b Chicago, 3 Jan 1870; d Santa Barbara, CA, 22 Aug 1942). American composer, violinist and conductor. A graduate
of the Chicago Musical College, he went on to play with the Theodore Thomas Orchestra (1889) and the Boston SO (1890-1912).
Thereafter, he devoted himself to composition, chamber music and conducting, making his reputation as an early champion of
works by Debussy, Ravel and Fauré. Trips to Japan, Korea and China prompted intensive study of Asian music with Hisao Tanabe
(Japan), Yang Yinliu (China) and Jaap Kunst (Java). During the first of four such trips (1915), Eichheim transcribed the sounds
around him in notebooks that have, unfortunately, been lost. Photographs of musical performances throughout Asia do survive,
however. Stokowski, a close friend, who performed the premières of many of his works, travelled with him to Bali (1928) and
India (mid-1930s). After 1922 Eichheim settled in Santa Barbara.
Eichheim's greatest contribution rests upon his pioneering efforts to combine the timbres of Asian instruments with those
of the Western orchestra. Convinced that the introduction of Asian instruments would greatly enrich the range of sonorities
available to Western composers, Eichheim was an avid collector. He lectured widely on the rhythmic and melodic elements of
Asian music and often incorporated indigenous melodies into his compositions. The early piano piece Gleanings from Buddha
Fields (1906), inspired by the writings of Lafcadio Hearn, reflects Eichheim's growing interest in East Asia. Oriental Impressions
(1919-22), a suite of seven sketches, is based on transcriptions of a Korean street labourer's song, a blind shakuhachi player's
melody and the sound of tuned bells hanging under the roof of the Imperial Temple, Bangkok. Large orchestral works, such as
Java (1929) and Bali (1933), achieve new orchestral effects through the use of gamelan instruments. Throughout his career,
Eichheim also composed songs; Yeats was his favourite poet, but in later years he also set Shakespeare, Tennyson and translations
of Chinese poetry.
-Dolores M. Hsu, from "New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians," 2nd ed.
Collection Scope and Content Summary
Papers of composer Henry Eichheim. The collection contains photographs of Eichheim, photos of two of Eichheim's productions,
"The Rivals" and "Burmese Pwé," and photos taken by Eichheim including his series of portaits of musicians and other artists,
and his photos of Mexico, India and South-East Asia. The collection also contains one oil and one charcoal portrait of Eichheim.
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Subjects
Composers -- Archives.
Genres and Forms of Material
Photographs.
Programs.
Related Collections
The Eichheim Collection of Music Instruments is in the Music Department at UCSB.
Eichheim's scores are at the Newberry Library in Chicago.
1
Photographs
Scope and Content Note
Photographs of Eichheim, photos of two of Eichheim's productions, "The Rivals" and "Burmese Pwé," and photos taken by Eichheim
including his series of portaits of musicians and other artists, and his photos of Mexico, India and South-East Asia.
Box 1: 1
Henry Eichheim photographs
Box 1: 2
Instruments (including instruments in Santa Barbara schools)
Box 2: 2
Instruments, oversized photographs
Box 1: 3
Adolph Bolm in HE's "The Rivals" (A Chinese legend)
Box 1: 4
HE's "Burmese Pwé" Neighborhood Playhouse, New York. Produced by Irene Lewisohn, photographed by Florence VanDamm, 3/16/1926
Box 1: 5
HE as conductor of California All College Symphony, 1930s
Box 1: 2
All College Symphony, Oversized
Box 2: 2
Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. William M. Paxton
Box 2: 3
India and South-East Asia photographs, 1930s
Box 3: 1
Portraits of artists and musicians, mounted 11 x 14 b and w prints
Box 3: 1
Helenka [or Helena?] Adamowska
Box 3: 1
Manuel De Falla, musician
Box 3: 1
Eugene Goossens, musician
Box 3: 1
Leopold Godowsky, musician
Box 3: 1
William M. Paxton, painter
Box 3: 1
William M. Paxton, painter
Box 3: 1
Gregor Piatiagorsky, musician
Box 3: 1
Ottorino Resphigi, musician
Box 3: 1
[Savely] Sorine, painter.
2
Framed artwork
Scope and Content Note
Two portraits of Eichheim by William Paxton and Ethel Wack.
Othertype R0001
Portrait of Henry Eichheim, charcoal on paper, XX x XX, by William M. Paxton, n.d.
Othertype R0002
Portrait of Henry Eichheim, oil on canvas, XX x XX, by Ethel Wack, n.d.
