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Guide to the Kurt Sober Papers, 1913-1920
PA Mss 21  
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Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • 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
    Santa Barbara, CA 93106
    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.