Descriptive Summary
Administrative Information
Biography
Scope and Content
Descriptive Summary
Title: Kurt Sober Papers,
Date (inclusive): 1913-1920
Collection number: PA Mss 21
Creator: Kurt Sober
Extent: 2 boxes, 1.25 linear feet
Repository:
University of California, Santa Barbara. Library.
Dept. of Special Collections
Shelf location: For current information on the location of these
materials, please consult the library's online catalog.
Abstract: Correspondence, manuscript scores, photographs, puzzles and poetry of pianist and conductor Kurt Sober dating from 1913 to
1920.
Language:
English.
Administrative Information
Provenance
Originally part of Community Development and Conservation Collection (CDCC), but it is not known when the collection was donated
to UCSB.
Restrictions
None.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Kurt Sober Papers, PA Mss 21,
Special Collections, University of California, Santa Barbara.
Biography
Kurt Sober, German-American conductor, pianist, accompanist and voice coach was born on May 15, 1899 in Hildesheim, Germany.
He graduated from the Royal Goethe Gymnasium at Hanover Germany. He studied with piano with Herman Dettmer and conducting
with Johannes Schueler. He left Germany in 1933 for Florence Italy and appeared throughout Italy as a conductor, pianist,
accompanist and teacher and lecturer. In 1939, Kurt Sober became the assistant director and later director of the National
Conservatory of Music at Cuenca, Ecuador. He came to the United States in 1941 and later to Ojai, California. He died on March
4, 1963.
Scope and Content
Series I, Compositions is arranged in chronological order. Unless otherwise indicated the compositions are for piano or piano
and voice. The title of the song in folder 8 is illegible.
Series II, Correspondence includes many letters to and from Lilo Stern, Sober's fiance. It also includes letters regarding
Sober's visa application to emmigrate from Italy to the United States when the Italian government forced Foreign Jews from
Italy in 1939. The letters are in English, Italian and German.
Series III, Photographs includes family photographs and photographs of Sober, including several professional promotional photos.
Series IV, Ephemera contains programs from many of Kurt Sober's performances throughout his carreer.
Series V, Puzzles, Poetry, Etc. contains poetry written by Kurt Sober and puzzles that were apparently written for an Ojai
Newspaper. Also included in this section are letters that Kurt Sober wrote to newspapers concerning typographical errors.
Sober seemed to have a fascintation with intellectual puzzles, cryptograms and the like.