Inventory of the Gastone Usigli memorabilia and musical compositions, 1932-1956

Processed by John A. Emerson; machine-readable finding aid created by Xiuzhi Zhou
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 Gastone Usigli Memorabilia and Musical Compositions, 1932-1956

Collection number: ARCHIVES USIGLI 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:
John A. Emerson
Date Completed:
Nov. 1986
Encoded by:
Xiuzhi Zhou
© 1998 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

Descriptive Summary

Title: Gastone Usigli Memorabilia and Musical Compositions,
Date (inclusive): 1932-1956
Collection number: ARCHIVES USIGLI 1
Creator: Usigli, Gastone, 1897-1956
Extent: Number of containers: 2 boxes
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

Provenance

Donor:
Mrs. Elizabeth (Philip) Harsh, formerly Mrs. Gastone Usigli, San Francisco.
Date of gift:
March 18, 1987.

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], Gastone Usigli memorabilia and musical compositions, ARCHIVES USIGLI 1, The Music Library, University of California, Berkeley.

Compositions of Gastone Usigli performed in California

1930. Symphonic Scherzo Don Quixote.

San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, Alfred Hertz, conductor. Curran Theatre, San Francisco, January 24 and 26, 1930. Gastone Usigli, guest conductor. Other performances: San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, July 6 and 8, 1930, Bernardino Molinari, conductor. Awarded the Ricordi Prize in Composition, 1924.
1931. Tone Poem Song of a River in a Night of War (Canto del fiume in una notte de guerra).

San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, Issay Dobrowen, conductor. Tivoli Opera House, San Francisco, December 11 and 13, 1931. Gastone Usigli, guest conductor. Sketches, 1917; finished, 1920; re-orchestrated 1921. Other performances: III Festival Internazionale di Musica, La Fenice opera house, Venice, September 8, 1934. Gastone Usigli, conductor.
1934. Tone Poem Flight.

San Francisco Chamber Orchestra, Gastone Usigli, conductor. Veterans' Auditorium, San Francisco, March 27, 1934.
1934. Prelude for String Orchestra.

String Orchestra of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Gastone Usigli, conductor. Gold Ballroom of the Palace Hotel, San Francisco, May 20, 1934. "Written expressly for his students at the San Francisco Conservatory of music."
1935. String Serenade.

State Emergency Relief Administration of California [S.E.R.A.] Chamber Orchestra of San Francisco, Kajetan Attl, conductor. Veteran's Auditorium, San Francisco, April 4, 1935. Gastone Usigli, guest conductor.
1936. Tone Poem Humanitas.

W.P.A. Federal Symphony Orchestra of Oakland, Gastone Usigli, conductor. Oakland Auditorium, Oakland, October 11, 1936. Other performances: San Francisco, December 14, 1936; Los Angeles, March 3 and April 22, 1937; Santa Barbara, August 1, 1937; Greenbrae (Marin County), February 14, 1954.
1942. Symphonic Poem Prometheus Unbound.

San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, Pierre Monteux, conductor. Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, January 13, 1942. Gastone Usigli conductor.
1950. Passacaglia and Fugue.

San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, Pierre Monteux, conductor. Opera House, San Francisco, February 2, 3, and 4, 1950. Gastone Usigli, guest conductor.
1956. Rondeau Serenade.

Symphony Guild Orchestra of Marin, Gastone Usigli, conductor. Angelico Hall, Dominican College, San Rafael, February 29, 1956 (premiere, eight days before his death on March 8, 1956).

 

Section 1: Biographical materials:

Box Box 1, Folder 1.

Scrapbook containing mostly newspaper reviews dating from 1932 to 1942. The major source of information concerning Usigli's musical activities. 33 leaves contain clippings.

Folder 2.

Obituaries. Folder of loose clippings dating about March 8, 1956. About 30 items.

Folder 3.

Memorial editorial published by the Independent Journal of Marin County, California, recalling Usigli's contributions.

Folder 4.

Program of Usigli's final concert in honor of Giovanni Gronchi, President of Italy, San Francisco, March 7, 1956.

Folder 5.

Portrait painting of Usigli. An undated newspaper article.

Folder 6.

Mrs. Elizabeth Usigli (later Mrs. Philip Harsh). Newspaper articles concerning her activities.

Folder 7.

Mrs. Elizabeth Usigli: correspondence concerning the death of her husband, Gastone Usigli.

Folder 8.

Gastone Usigli: professional promotional notices. 7 items.

Folder 9.

Visit to Venice, 1948. Newspaper reviews of Usigli's activities.

Folder 10.

Visit to Venice, 1951. Newspaper reports and a program.

 

Section 2: The Musical Compositions of Gastone Usigli.

Box Box 1, Folder 11.

List of musical compositions by Gastone Usigli and performances in California. Compiled by John A. Emerson, September 21, 1986.

Folder 12.

Musical compositions: recording of Humanitas and Prometheus Unbound issued after Usigli's death by his friends. Newspaper review by Alexander Fried, December, 1956.

Folder 13.

Tone poem Don Quixote. Newspaper reviews.

Folder 14.

Tone poem Flight. Newspaper reviews.

Folder 15.

Tone poem Humanitas. Newspaper reviews.

Folder 16.

Passacaglia and Fugue. Newspaper reviews.

Folder 17.

Prelude for String Orchestra. Newspaper reviews.

Folder 18.

Tone poem Prometheus Unbound. Newspaper reviews.

Folder 19.

Tone poem Song of the River. Newspaper reviews.

Folder 20.

String Serenade. Newspaper reviews.

Folder 21.

Various songs for voice and piano. Newspaper review.

 

Section 3: Musical organizations conducted by Gastone Usigli.

Box Box 1, Folder 22.

San Francisco Chamber Symphony. About 20 reviews.

Folder 23.

Los Angeles Conservatory of Music. Three notices.

Folder 24.

Marin Symphony Orchestra. Programs.

Folder 25.

San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Reviews.

Folder 26.

San Jose Symphony Orchestra. Reviews.

 

Section 4: Special performances.

Box Box 1, Folder 27.

Le bourgeois gentilhomme.

Folder 28.

California Civic Opera, Berkeley.

Folder 29.

Faust. Pacific Opera Company.

Folder 30.

Ford Bowl, San Diego.

Folder 31.

Hansel and Gretel. Pacific Opera Company.

Folder 32.

"Monster Concert" with Alfred Hertz.

Folder 33.

Rigoletto. Hollywood Grand Opera Company.

Folder 34.

Temple Emanu-el concerts.

Folder 35.

La Traviata. California Civic Opera Company.

Folder 36.

Woodminster concerts, Oakland.

 

Section 5: W.P.A.: Oakland (December 1935-January 1937).

Box Box 1, Folder 37.

Activities, Dec. 1935-June 1936. Nespaper clippings.

Folder 38.

Activities, July 1936-January 1937. Newspaper clippings.

Folder 39.

Federal Symphony Orchestra of Oakland performance in San Francisco, July 24, 1936.

Folder 40.

Federal Symphony Orchestra of Oakland performance in San Francisco, Sept. 15, 1936.

Folder 41.

Federal Symphony Orchestra of Oakland. Concert programs of 1936. Xerox copies from the History Room, Oakland Public Library.

Folder 42.

Usigli conducts W.P.A. Federal orchestras in Los Angeles while associated with the Oakland Project. 1936.

Folder 43.

W.P.A. Oakland Project concerts. Undated reviews.

Folder 44.

Tord Benner succeeds Usigli at the W.P.A. Oakland Project.

 

Section 6. W.P.A. Los Angeles Music Project (February, 1937-July, 1939).

Box Box 1, Folder 45.

Concert reviews of 1937. Dated.

Folder 46.

Usigli conducts the W.P.A. Federal Orchestra in San Francisco, Sept. 18, 1937.

Folder 47.

Concert reviews of 1938. Dated.

Folder 48.

Concert reviews of 1939. Dated.

Folder 49.

Premieres of new works by the Federal Symphony Orchestra of Los Angeles. Reviews.

Folder 50.

Concert reviews, partially dated.

Folder 51.

Concert reviews, lack dates.

Folder 52.

Performances of Aida. Reviews.

Folder 53.

Performances of Boris Godounov. Reviews.

Folder 54.

Performances of Gettysburg. Reviews.

Folder 55.

Performances of Lohengrin. Reviews.

Folder 56.

Performances of Parsifal. Reviews.

 

Section 7. Carmel Bach Festival concerts (1938-1955). Reviews.

Box Box 1, Folder 57.

Festival no. 4, 1938. Reviews are lacking for 1938.

Folder 58.

Festival no. 6, 1940.

Folder 59.

Festival no. 7, 1941.

Folder 60.

Festival no. 8, 1945.

Folder 61.

Festival no. 9, 1946.

Folder 62.

Festival no. 10, 1947.

Folder 63.

Festival no. 11, 1948.

Folder 64.

Festival no. 12, 1949.

Folder 65.

Festival no. 13, 1950.

Folder 66.

Festival no. 14, 1951.

Folder 67.

Festival no. 15, 1952.

Folder 68.

Festival no. 16, 1953.

Folder 69.

Festival no. 17, 1954.

Folder 70.

Festival no. 18, 1955.

Folder 71.

Festival no. 19, 1956. Dedicated to the memory of Gastone Usigli.

Folder 72.

Unidentified and undated Carmel Bach Festival reviews.

Folder 73.

Festival no. 34, 1971. Program.

Folder 73A.

Festival no. 50, 1987.

 

Section 8. Miscellaneous materials.

Box Box 1, Folder 74.

Slenczynska, Ruth. Article from the New Yorker, Dec. 8, 1956.

Folder 75.

Various newspaper articles.

Folder 76.

Letter from Herbert Hoover to Mr. Hermann F. Frankel, Stanford University, dated Sept. 22, 1941.

 

Section 9. Musical scores of Gastone Usigli. (Transferred to Box 2, see register following for Box 2.)

Box Box 1, Folder 77.

Tone Poem Humanitas, Full score. Negative record print photo copies.

Folder 78.

Tone Poem Prometheus Unbound. Full score. Negative record print photo copies.

Folder 79.

Six Songs for Soprano and Orchestra. Piano-vocal scores of "Night" and "The Brooklet."

Folder 80

Notes from E. Harsh

Folder 81

Document: San Francisco

Folder 82

Program: Symphony Guild of Marin Feb. 29, 1956

Folder 83

Line drawing of Usigli

Folder 84

Photos: G. Usigli, including snapshots

Folder 85

Photos: WPA, Los Angeles

Folder 86

Photos: WPA, Hollywood Bowl

Folder 87

Photos: rehearsal of opera Gettysburg

Folder 88

Photos: Oakland concerts

Folder 89

Photos: San Francisco

Folder 90

Photos: Hansel and Gretel

Folder 91

Photos: Santa Barbara concert, 1938

Folder 92

Photos: Ford Bowl, San Diego

Folder 93

Photos: Carmel Bach Festival

Folder 94

Photos: Usigli's family home in Venice, Italy

 

Box 2: Musical scores of Gastone Usigli and Oversize Photographs

Box Box 2, Folder 77

Tone poem Humanitas. Full score; negative record print

Folder 77A

Humanitas, full score; pos. record print

Folder 78

Prometheus unbound, tone poem. Full score; negative record print

Folder 79

Six songs for soprano and orchestra. Vocal score of "Night" and "The Brooklet"

Folder 95

Photo: WPA director, N. Sokolov

Folder 96

Photo: Jacques Samossoud