Finding Aid to the Joaquín Nin-Culmell Papers ARCHIVES NIN-CULMELL 1

Manuel Erviti
Hargrove Music Library
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720-6000
music_reference@berkeley.edu


Language of Material: English
Contributing Institution: Hargrove Music Library
Title: Joaquín Nin-Culmell papers
creator: Nin-Culmell, Joaquín
Identifier/Call Number: ARCHIVES NIN-CULMELL 1
Physical Description: 2.92 Linear Feet 7 legal document boxes
Date (inclusive): 1929-1999
Abstract: Primarily fair copies of autograph musical compositions, encompassing works from every period in the life of Joaquín Nin-Culmell, as well as transcriptions, arrangements, and other projects, along with musical sketch material and a comparatively small amount of professional papers from limited periods—concert programs, correspondence, and photographs. The collection includes autograph works by other composers, some with personal dedications to Nin-Culmell.
Language of Material: English, Spanish, French

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in four series, the first of which further arranged in three subseries: Series 1: Musical Compositions and Projects (arranged by musical genre) Subseries 1: Stage (arranged chronologically) Subseries 2: Vocal (arranged chronologically) Subseries 3: Instrumental (arranged chronologically) Series 2: Musical Sketches (chronological) Series 3: Professional Papers (chronological) Series 4: Musical Compositions by Other Composers (alphabetical by composer surname)

Biographical / Historical

Joaquín Maria Nin-Culmell (Berlin, 5 September 1908—14 January 2004, Berkeley), pianist, composer, and music pedagogue was the youngest child of Cuban singer Rosa Culmell and Spanish-raised composer Joaquín Nin. After his parents separated, his mother moved Nin-Culmell, his sister Anaïs and brother Thorvald, from Barcelona to New York City where they lived for nine years (1914-1924). At age fifteen, Nin-Culmell and his family moved to Europe (1924-1938). He began his musical studies in Barcelona with Conchita Badia, student of Enrique Granados, and later studied piano in Paris at the Schola Cantorum (1925-1930), and privately with Alfred Cortot and Ricardo Viñes, then harmony, counterpoint, and fugue with Jean and Noel Gallon, and composition with Paul Dukas at the Conservatory (1932-1935). During the summers of 1930, 1932, and 1934 he studied with Manuel de Falla in Granada.
In 1939, Nin-Culmell moved to the United States, where he taught at Middlebury College, Vermont before joining the music faculty of Williams College in Williamstown, MA (1940-1950), then the Music Department faculty at the University of California, Berkeley (1950-1974). Throughout his career, Nin-Culmell performed in concerts throughout Europe and the United States. While at Berkeley, he conducted the University of California Symphony Orchestra and appeared as a pianist with numerous musical groups in the San Francisco Bay Area. After retiring from UC Berkeley, he continued to compose and perform. Many of his musical compositions are based on folkloric materials, often with changed rhythm, mode or melodic contour of traditional melodies.
Sources:
Diccionario de le música española e hispanoamericana, vol. 7, p. 1040 (Ana V. Casanova Oliva) New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, vol. 17, p. 926 (Carol A. Hess)

Custodial History

Retrieved from the Berkeley, California home of Joaquín Nin-Culmell by Matthew Weber, Music Library staff, about June 2002

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Joaquín Nin-Culmell Papers, ARCHIVES NIN-CULMELL 1, Music Library, University of California, Berkeley.

Related Materials

Papers of Joaquín Nin-Culmell are also preserved at the Biblioteca de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain and at the University of California, Riverside, part of the “Joaquín Nin-Culmell and José Joaquín Nin y Castellanos family papers." An oral history with Joaquín Nin-Culmell, conducted in 2002, is preserved by the Regional Oral History Office, Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.

Content Description

The bulk of the collection is found in Series I and contains primarily autograph musical compositions in fair copies, encompassing works from every period in the life of Joaquín Nin-Culmell, as well as transcriptions, arrangements, and other projects. Series II gathers musical sketch material from disparate periods that didn't appear together with a project or completed work. A comparatively small amount of professional papers from various limited periods—concert programs, correspondence with publishers and others concerning a small number of particular works, and photographs—comprise the third series. The final series features a collection of autograph works by other composers, some with personal dedications to Nin-Culmell, and includes six pieces written on the death of Paul Dukas.

Conditions Governing Use

Some materials in these collections may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition, the reproduction of some materials may be restricted by terms of University of California gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and publicity rights, licensing and trademarks. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from, or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted to the Curator of Music Collections, Hargrove Music Library, University of California, Berkeley 94720-6000.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

University of California, Berkeley -- Faculty.
Composers -- United States
Nin-Culmell, Joaquín

 

Series I: Musical Compositions and Projects

 

Sub-Series A: Stage

Box 1, Folder 1

Yerma (incidental music, F. Garcia Lorca), 1956-1988

Box 1, Folder 2

El burlador de Sevilla (ballet, T. de Molina), full orchestra score, 1957-1965

Box 1, Folder 3

El burlador de Sevilla (ballet, T. de Molina), full orchetsra score, copy, 1957-1965

Box 1, Folder 4

El burlador de Sevilla (ballet, T. de Molina), piano score, 1957-1965

Box 1, Folder 5

La Celestina (opera, F. de Rojas), libretto, undated

Box 1, Folder 6

La Celestina (opera, F. de Rojas), Romance de Melibea, voice and piano, 1965

Box 1, Folder 7

La Celestina (opera, F. de Rojas), Duo final, voice and piano, 1965

Box 1, Folder 8

La Celestina (opera, F. de Rojas), Fanfare, brass and percussion, 1997

Box 1, Folder 9

Le rêve de Cyrano (ballet), piano score, photocopy, 1978

 

Sub-Series B: Vocal

Box 2, Folder 1

2 Poems (J. Manrique), voice and string quartet, 1934-1936

Box 2, Folder 2

3 Poems (G. Vicente), voice and piano, 1950

Box 2, Folder 3

Navidad (J. Guillén), voice and piano, 1951

Box 2, Folder 4

12 Popular Songs of Catalonia, voice and piano, 1952–53

Box 2, Folder 5

Traditional American Songs of the 19th century, voice and piano, 1959 and undated

Box 2, Folder 6

4 Popular Songs of Andalusia, voice and piano, undated (1959–61)

Box 2, Folder 7

4 Popular Songs of Catalonia, voice and piano, undated

Box 2, Folder 8

4 Popular Songs of Salamanca, voice and piano, undated

Box 2, Folder 9

Mass in Honor of St. Rose, chorus and brass, 1963

Box 2, Folder 10

Cantata (J. Pradas), voice, string orchestra, keyboard, 1965

Box 2, Folder 11

Mass for St Mary’s Cathedral, San Francisco, chorus, organ, 1965–1966

Box 2, Folder 12

Mass for St Mary’s Cathedral, San Francisco, early versions, chorus, organ, 1965–1966

Box 2, Folder 13

5 Traditional Spanish Songs, voice and piano, 1971

Box 2, Folder 14

The Spanish Choral Tradition, chorus, 1978-1980

Box 2, Folder 15

2 Songs from Shakespeare’s Cymbeline, voice and guitar, 1981

Box 2, Folder 16

Untitled (6 Popular Sephardic Songs), voice and piano, 1982

Box 2, Folder 17

6 Popular Sephardic Songs, definitive version, voice and piano, 1982

Box 2, Folder 18

6 Popular Sephardic Songs, orchestra, undated

Box 2, Folder 1

6 Popular Sephardic Songs, orchestral parts, undated

Box 3, Folder 2

3 Traditional Cuban Songs, chorus and percussion, 1984-1985

Box 3, Folder 3

La má Teodora Project, voice and piano, 1984

Box 3, Folder 4

Evocaciones Cubanas, voice, chorus, and piano, 1985

Box 3, Folder 5

Afro-Cuban Lullaby, voice and piano, 1985–1990

Box 3, Folder 6

Pregón santiaguero, voice and piano, photocopy, 1985-1990

Box 3, Folder 7

¡10 de octubre! (J. Martí), choral part, 1985-1990

Box 3, Folder 8

2 Songs (J. Martí), voice and piano, 1985–1990

Box 3, Folder 9

Hispano-Arabic Songs Project, voice and piano, 1986

Box 3, Folder 10

Ragpicker’s Song (A. Nin), chorus, piano, 1988-1995

Box 3, Folder 11

Voici l’Alliance éternelle, voice and accompaniment, 1993

Box 3, Folder 12

Canciones de La Barraca, voice and piano, 1997

Box 3, Folder 13

Te Deum, chorus and organ, cymbals, 1998-1999

Box 3, Folder 14

Missa brevis, Sanctus, chorus, organ , 1998

Box 3, Folder 15

Cantata Project (Astorga, 12 cantatas), voice and piano, undated

Box 3, Folder 16

Encina Projects, chorus, undated

Box 3, Folder 17

Villancicos Project, chorus, undated

Box 3, Folder 18

3 Villancicos, chorus, undated

 

Sub-Series C: Instrumental

Box 4, Folder 1

Canción y danza (La Matilde y el Emilio), guitar, 1929

Box 4, Folder 2

3 Homenajes, piano, 1929–1990

Box 4, Folder 3

Sonatina, piano, 1930-1931

Box 4, Folder 4

Piano Quintet, bound, undated

Box 4, Folder 5

Piano Quintet, 1934–1936

Box 4, Folder 6

Homenaje a Falla, orchestra, 1934-1990

Box 4, Folder 7

3 Impressions, No. 1, orchestra, 1936

Box 4, Folder 8

6 Variations on a Theme of Luis Milán, guitar, 1945

Box 4, Folder 9

Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, 1946

Box 4, Folder 10

2 Cuban Dances of Ignacio Cervantes, guitar, undated (1947)

Box 4, Folder 11

Fanfare for a Festive Occasion, brass and percussion, 1954

Box 4, Folder 12

3 Pieces by Joaquín Nin y Castellanos, orchestra, 1957 and 1962

Box 4, Folder 13

Tonadas, vol. 1, piano, 1955-1956

Box 4, Folder 14

Tonadas, vol. 2, piano, 1957

Box 4, Folder 15

Tonadas, selections, piano, 1957

Box 4, Folder 16

Tonadas, vol. 3, piano, 1958-1961

Box 5, Folder 1

Tonadas, vol. 4, piano, 1958-1961

Box 5, Folder 2

Tonadas, vols. 1-4, selections, wind quintet, undated

Box 5, Folder 3

Violoncello Concerto (after A. Viola), orchestral score and piano reduction, 1962

Box 5, Folder 4

Diferencias sobre un tema, piano, 1962

Box 5, Folder 5

Suite for Violoncello, 1964

Box 5, Folder 6

Suite from El burlador de Sevilla, guitar, 1970-1983

Box 5, Folder 7

…et lux perpetua luceat eis…, string quartet and bells, 1981

Box 5, Folder 8

Alejandro y Luis, piano, 1983

Box 5, Folder 9

6 Variations on a Theme of Bach (Ein feste Burg), organ, 1987

Box 5, Folder 10

Berceuse, harp, 1989

Box 5, Folder 11

Symphony of the Mysteries, organ, 1992-1993

Box 5, Folder 12

3 Sonatas after José Herrando, guitar, 1994

Box 5, Folder 13

Tiento de falsas (after Cabanilles), string quartet, 1994

Box 5, Folder 14

Guitar Concerto (after A. Viola), solo guitar part, undated

Box 5, Folder 15

Diferencia, No. 10, orchestra, undated

Box 5, Folder 16

Unidentified Orchestral Fragment, undated

 

Series II: Musical Sketches

Box 7, Folder 1

Bocetas (Sketchbooks), 3 vols., 1931-1933

Box 7, Folder 2

Bound Sketchbook, 1978-1999

Box 7, Folder 3

Black Sketchbook, 1992-1996

Box 7, Folder 4

Musica Sketchbooks, 2 vols., 1997 and undated

Box 7, Folder 5

Du-o-Ring Sketchbooks, 2 vols., undated

Box 7, Folder 6

Loose-leaf Pages of Musical Sketches, undated

 

Series III: Professional Papers

Box 7, Folder 7

Concert Programs, 1938-1999

Box 7, Folder 8

Correspondence, 1952-1998

Box 7, Folder 9

Photographs, 1996 and undated

Box 7, Folder 10

Research Notes, Music and Text, undated

 

Series IV: Musical Compositions by Other Composers

Box 6, Folder 1

José Ardévol, Tres pequeños preludios, piano, 1945

Box 6, Folder 2

Claude Arrieu, Gigue, piano, undated

Box 6, Folder 3

Tony Aubin, Lent (Le sommeil d'Iskender, Le tombeau de Paul Dukas), piano, 1936

Box 6, Folder 4

Elsa Barraine, Hommage à Paul Dukas, undated

Box 6, Folder 5

Arthur Benjamin, Elegiac Mazurka, piano, 1941

Box 6, Folder 6

Salvador Contreras, Suite para orquesta de cámara, 1938

Box 6, Folder 7

Charles Cushing, Phrygian Toccata, piano, 1952

Box 6, Folder 8

Jean Yves Daniel-Lesur, Suite française, piano, 1934

Box 6, Folder 9

Manuel de Falla, Fanfare, brass & percussion, 1936

Box 6, Folder 10

C. Foster, Protest, Suite for piano, 1933

Box 6, Folder 11

Hilario González Íñiguez, Sonata en la menor, piano, 1942

Box 6, Folder 12

Ernesto Halffter, La lanza blanca, voice and piano, 1932

Box 6, Folder 13

Robert Helps, Fantasy, piano, 1952

Box 6, Folder 14

Jean-Dominique Krynen, La noche oscura, voice, chorus and organ, photocopy, 1993

Box 6, Folder 15

Olivier Messiaen, Pièce de piano pour le tombeau de Paul Dukas, undated

Box 6, Folder 16

Darius Milhaud, L’enfant aime… / A Child Loves…, piano, 1948

Box 6, Folder 17

Darius Milhaud, Sonatine pour violon at violoncelle, 1953

Box 6, Folder 18

Frederic Mompou, 5me prélude, piano, undated

Box 6, Folder 19

Enric Morera, Ballet popular, piano, 1898

Box 6, Folder 20

Julián Orbón, Sonata para clavicembalo o piano, Homenaje “sobre la tumba de padre Soler,” 1942

Box 6, Folder 21

Émile Passani, Airs a danser, piano, 1926

Box 6, Folder 22

Juan Carlos Paz, Diez piezas sobre una serie en los doce tonos, piano, 1936

Box 6, Folder 24

(Joaquín Rodrigo), Andante sostenuto, (Sonada de adios: Homenaje a Paul Dukas), piano, undated

Box 6, Folder 25

Jerome Rosen, The Friendly Beasts, chorus, 2 clarinets, 1953

Box 6, Folder 26

Louis Saguer (Wolfgang Simoni), Five Songs of Spain (G. Chase), orchestra short scores, undated

Box 6, Folder 27

Louis Saguer (Wolfgang Simoni), Daybreak in Alabama (L. Hughes), voice and piano, 1968-1969

Box 6, Folder 28

Florent Schmitt, A la mémoire de Paul Dukas, piano, 1936

Box 6, Folder 29

Roger Sessions, Sonata for Violin, unaccompanied, 1953

Box 6, Folder 30

Halsey Stevens, Ostinato (photocopy with signature), piano, 1941

Box 6, Folder 31

Joaquín Turina, El Cristo de la calavera, piano, 1924

Box 6, Folder 32

Ricardo Viñes, Thrénodie: à la mémoire d’Erik Satie, piano, 1927