Inventory of the Derrick Norman Lehmer musical compositions, 1926-1937
Processed by The Music Library staff; machine-readable finding aid
created by Xiuzhi Zhou
Music Library
Hargrove Music Library
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California, 94720-6000
Phone: (510) 642-2623
Email: music_reference@berkeley.edu
URL: https://guides.lib.berkeley.edu/music_library_archives
© 1998
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Inventory of the Derrick Norman Lehmer Musical Compositions, 1926-1937
Collection number: ARCHIVES LEHMER 1
The Music Library
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California
Contact Information
- Hargrove Music Library
- University of California, Berkeley
- Berkeley, California, 94720-6000
- Phone: (510) 642-2623
- Email: music_reference@berkeley.edu
- URL: https://guides.lib.berkeley.edu/music_library_archives
- Processed by:
- The Music Library staff
- Encoded by:
- Xiuzhi Zhou
© 1998 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Derrick Norman Lehmer Musical Compositions,
Date (inclusive): 1926-1937
Collection number: ARCHIVES LEHMER 1
Creator:
Lehmer, Derrick Norman, 1868-1938
Extent: Number of container: 1 box
Repository: The
Music Library
Berkeley, California 94720-6000
Shelf location: For current information on the location of
these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Language:
English.
Administrative Information
Donor:
Mrs. Helen H. Berryhill, Berkeley
Access
Collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in
writing to the Head of the Music Library.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Derrick Norman Lehmer musical compositions, ARCHIVES LEHMER 1,
The Music Library, University of California, Berkeley.
Obituary
(from the Berkeley Gazette, September 8, 1938).
Dr. Derrick Norman Lehmer, professor of mathematics emeritus of the University of
California at Berkeley, poet and composer, died at his home, 2736 Regent Street, this
morning after an extended illness. He retired from the University on July 27, 1937 after
a service of 37 years as instructor, assistant professor, and professor.
Dr. Lehmer was born on July 27, 1867 at Somerset, Indiana, the son and grandson of
Pennsylvania pioneers and the great grandson of a Hessian tropper who later joined the
Continental Army and settlted in Pennsylvania. His mother was Isabel Smith Perry, born in
1823 in Covington, Kentucky.
His primary education was received in the schools of Nebraska and he received his A.B.
degree from the University of that State in 1893. His master's degree followed from the
same institution in 1896, and he received his doctorate at the University of Chicago in
1900, in which year he came to the University of California as instructor in mathematics.
In the same year he married Eunice Mitchell at Decatur, Illinois.
Professor Lehmer's talents as poet and composer matched his skill as a mathemetician.
While achieving a high place in the world of mathematics, he also held membership in the
Poetry Society of London and the Poetry Society of America and wrote numerous poems and
sonnets that won wide recognition. His production of the Indian opera "The Necklace of
the Sun" was seen twice in Oakland and once in San Francisco, and his songs, particularly
those taken from Indian lore were well received everywhere.
Memberships in distinguished societies included Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma Epsilon, American
Mathematical Society, Circolo Refinconti de Palermo, Mathematical Association of America
and member of its executive council; American Geographical Society, American
Anthropological Society, Poetry Society of America, Poetry Society of London, California
Writers' Club, Bookfellows, Nebraska Writers Guild, League of Western Writers. He was
also a fellow of the American Association of the Advancement of Science.
During his service at the University of California at Berkeley, Dr. Lehmer also filled
the position of fellow in mathematics at the University of Nebraska, University of
Chicago and research assistant at the Carnegie Institution.
Professor Lehmer is survived by his widow, Mrs. Eunice Mitchell Lehmer, and by four
daughters and sons: Mrs. Charles Henry Blake of Lincoln, Mass., Mrs. Henry Colman Coffee
of Berkeley, Prof. Derrick H. Lehmer of Lehigh University and Stephen M. Lehmer of
Mountain View. He also leaves four grandchildren.
Scope and Content
Collection includes various Indian lore songs, and songs from Lehmer's opera The harvest,
as well as a folder of biographical notices.
Professor Lehmer also wrote a second opera which is not represented in the UCB Music
Library's archives:
Opera The Necklace of the Sun: (A Mayan Drama). Premiere: Scottish
Rite Auditorium, Oakland, February 28, 1935. Produced by the Chamber Opera Company Under
the direction of Dr. Ian Alexander.
The Music Library also lacks the following compositions:
- 1. Songs from the
Mesas (1932)
- 2. Songs from the Tundras (1932).
- 3. The Ballad of
San Francisco Bay (1937).
- 4. Five Little songs (1937).
Folder 1.
Down the stream and other Indian songs.
Scope and Content Note
Berkeley: D. N. Lehmer, 1927. 11 pp. with flute part.
e. "Song of the lonely trail."
Folder 2.
Fingers of the sun and other Indian songs from the Sierra slopes.
Scope and Content Note
Berkeley: D. N. Lehmer, December, 1931. 13 pp.
a. "The fingers of the sun."
b. "The calling of the waters."
e. "Winter in the valley."
f. "Sunset in the valley."
Folder 3.
Indian camp-fire songs. Easy four part arrangements of Indian songs for junior and senior high schools.
Scope and Content Note
Berkeley: D. N. Lehmer, February, 1930. 15pp. (2 copies).
a. "It's raining (Pomo air)."
b. "Serenade (Pomo air)."
c. "The sleeping valley (Miwok air)."
d. "When I am singing (Miwok air)."
e. "Beating the drum (Chippewa air)."
f. "Hunting song (Crow air)."
g. "Bring the days of summer (Eskimo air)."
h. "Invocation to the sun (Inca air)."
Folder 4.
Indian songs from the Northland.
Scope and Content Note
Berkeley: D. N. Lehmer, 1931. 13 pp.
b. "Like a mist upon the mountain."
Folder 4 1/2.
"The ballad of San Francisco Bay: A sea chantey for treasure Islanders."
Scope and Content Note
Berkeley: D. N. Lehmer, 1937.
(Found in the WPA California Folk
Music Project collection).
Remarks: The back page contains an advertisementlisting
the "Indian Art Songs" published by D. N. Lehmer
Folder 5.
Seven Indian Songs from the Yosemite Valley.
Scope and Content Note
Berkeley: The National Society of Colonial Dames, 1924. 18pp.
e. "The harvest of the pine nuts."
f. "As down from the mountain I go."
g. "Come back to Ahwahnee."
Folder 6.
Two Indian choruses.
Scope and Content Note
Berkeley: D. N. Lehmer, 1927. 7 pp.
a. "Buffalo song (Hopi air)."
b. "Invocation of the sun (Inca air)."
Part II: Songs in manuscript copy.
Folder 7.
"Bring in your days of summer."
Scope and Content Note
Ink. Words in typescript.
Dated: June 8th, 1926. No place.
Folder 8.
"Hopi Lullaby."
Scope and Content Note
Ink.
No place or date.
Inscription: Collected by the author in Oraibi, from
Herbert Yestewa."
Folder 9.
"Lonely is the hogan."
Scope and Content Note
Ink.
No place or date.
Remarks: Navajo air.
Folder 10.
"The lonely valley."
Scope and Content Note
Ink.
No date or place.
Remarks: Sioux air.
Folder 11.
"Sender of dreams."
Scope and Content Note
Ink.
No place or date.
Remarks:Chippewa air.
Folder 12.
"Spring on the mesa."
Scope and Content Note
Ink.
No place or date.
Remarks: Hopi air.
Folder 13.
"When it rains," for voice, flute, and piano.
Scope and Content Note
Ink.
No place or date.
Remarks: Hopi air.
Folder 14.
"Winter in the valley," for voice, flute, and piano.
Scope and Content Note
Ink.
No place or date.
Remarks: Miwok airs. "This is a combination of several
songs from the Miwok collected by Professor Gifford."
Folder 15.
"Winter on the praire."
Scope and Content Note
Ink.
No place or date.
Remarks: Chippewa air.
Folder 16.
[Opera, the Harvest]. (Apparently the follwing songs are taken from Lehmer's opera which was performed at the Little Theatre,
Palace of the Legion of Honor, San Francisco, on October 14 and 17, 1933).
Scope and Content Note
Ink.
No place or date.
a. Act II: "Come let us sing for the harvest of corn," song for bass voice. Bass voice part only.
b. Act II: "Whither away the birds of summer time," for soprano and piano.
Scope and Content Note
Inscription: "This is from a dance song said to be very ancient."
c. Act III: Famine "Over the ice and the snow." for soprano and piano.
Scope and Content Note
Inscription: "This song is made from two weather incantations."
d. Act III: "Hai-yee, out of the desert." Bass voice part only.
e. Act IV: Northern Lights "From our of the land of shadows," for soprano and piano.
Scope and Content Note
Inscription: "The theme for this song is taken from a dance song (pisik)."
f. Act IV: Spring song "The snow is going," for soprano and piano.
Scope and Content Note
Inscription: "The themes for this song are taken from a remarkable record of a Russian
song as sung by an Eskimo."
Folder 17.
Folder containing miscellaneous biographical notices added to the collection by John A. Emerson.
