Herbert Nanney organ collection ARS.0236
Finding aid by Benjamin E. Bates
Archive of Recorded Sound
2023
soundarchive@stanford.edu
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
Archive of Recorded Sound
Title: Herbert Nanney organ collection
Creator:
Nanney, Herbert,
1918-1996
Identifier/Call Number: ARS.0236
Physical Description:
3.83 Linear Feet
: (7) box(es)
Date (inclusive): 1935-1996
Access
Open for research; material must be requested at least five business days of intended use.
Contact the Archive of Recorded Sound for assistance.
Source of acquisition
The Herbert Nanney Organ Collection was donated to the Stanford Archive of Recorded Sound
by Duncan Nanney in 2018.
Biography
Herbert Boswell Nanney (1918-1996), professor emeritus of Music at Stanford University, is
best known for his role as University Organist and Director of Music for Stanford Memorial
Church for nearly four decades until his retirement in 1985. During his tenure at Stanford
University, Nanney divided his time as a regular performer at venues throughout the United
States and Europe, organized a doctoral program at the Stanford campus in organ performance
practice, and oversaw the construction of the Baroque-style Fisk-Nanney organ installed at
Stanford Memorial Church in 1984. In his early years, Nanney studied organ at the University
of California Los Angeles with Alexander Schreiner, earned his AB degree in Music from
Whittier College, and served in World War II with the 203rd General Hospital Battalion in
England and in France. While in Paris, Nanney was organist-director of the American
Cathedral and studied with Marcel Dupré at the Conservatoire national de musique et d'art
dramatique (also known as the Paris Conservatory of Music).
Cite as
Herbert Nanney Organ Collection, ARS-0236. Stanford Archive of Recorded Sound, Stanford
University Libraries, Stanford, CA.
Related materials
A more extensive collection of audio recordings capturing Herbert Nanney and Stanford
Memorial Church performances can be found in the Stanford Recital Tape Collection (ARS-0021)
at the Stanford Archive of Recorded Sound. Other programs, news clippings, correspondence,
photographs, audio recordings, music scores, and miscellaneous materials which document
Herbert Nanney can be found in the Herbert Nanney Papers at Stanford University's Department
of Special Collections and University Archives (SC0920).
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of audio recordings, concert programs, manuscripts, photographs,
and other materials collected by the Nanney family pertaining to the career of Herbert
Nanney, University Organist and Director of Music for Stanford Memorial Church at Stanford
University. The audio recordings are in most cases personal copies made from master tapes,
radio broadcasts, and other sources for home use by Herbert Nanney. Among the other items
found in this collection are Stanford Memorial Church concert programs, materials
documenting American Guild of Organists 1984 Convention, and manuscript scores created by
Nanney during his early years of study in music.
Restrictions
Property rights reside with the creators or their heirs. To obtain permission to publish or
reproduce, please contact the Head Librarian of the Archive of Recorded Sound.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Organists -- California.
Stanford Memorial
Church
Stanford University.
Department of Music
Audio recordings
Processing Information
A significant portion of the sound recordings held in this series lack descriptive
labeling. Therefore, a partial listing has been created at the box level to highlight
the more easily identifiable recordings with dates of creation. A separate box has also
been created for audiocassttes with unknown contents. Further research is needed for a
more complete listing within the series.
Box 1
Audiocassettes ars0236_b01
1971-1983
Physical Description: 18
audiocassette(s)
Scope and Contents
Partial listing: Program of 17th and 18th century music, October 24, 1971 -- Founders
day, January 27, 1980 -- Herbert Nanney on organ at Dinkelspiel, July 19, 1981 --
Organ recital, Holy Trinity Church, Gosport, England, October 3, 1981 -- Herbert
Nanney at Notre Dame, Paris, June 1982 -- Herbert Nanney Christmas recital, Stanford
Memorial Church, December 11, 1983.
Box 2
Audiocassettes ars0236_b02
1984-1987
Physical Description: 17
audiocassette(s)
Scope and Contents
Partial listing: Dedication of the Fisk organ, Stanford Memorial Church, May 6, 1984
-- Herbert Nanney farewell recital, August 4, 1985 -- Newton's Nugetts, organ concert,
Robert Newton, organist, August 11, 1985 -- Herbert Nanney and Robert Bates, organs,
Stanford Memorial Church, March 22, 1987 (2 audiocassettes).
Box 3
Audiocassettes ars0236_b03
1993-1996
Physical Description: 11
audiocassette(s)
Scope and Contents
Partial listing: Carmel Bach Festival, performance of J.S. Bach's Saint Matthew
Passion, recorded from KUSP radio, July 25, 1993 (2 audiocasettes) -- 9th Annual
Albert Schweitzer Concert, Saint Joseph's Cathedral, San Jose, November 14, 1993 --
James Welch, organ recital, Santa Clara University, February 3, 1995 -- Herbert Nanney
memorial organ concert, Stanford Memorial Church, September 30, 1996.
Box 4
Audiocassettes, Contents unknown ars0236_b04
Physical Description: 15
audiocassette(s)
Scope and Contents
Miscellaneous audio cassettes lacking suitable description or labeling. Further
reseach needed to identify the contents.
Box 5
Quarter-inch tapes ars0236_b05
1963-1984
Physical Description: 20 audiotape
reel(s)
Scope and Contents
Partial listing: Stanford-in-Britain, undated -- AGO Convention, June 1967 -- Organ
dedication recital, Saint Augustine's Church, January 12, 1969 -- Stanford Memorial
Church, January 27, 1980 -- Dinkelspiel Auditorium, July 19, 1981 -- Stanford Memorial
Church, January 23, 1983 -- Dedication of the Fisk Organ, May 6, 1984.
Box 6
Audio discs ars0236_b06
1951-1985
Physical Description: 13 audio
disc(s)
Scope and Contents
Box contents: [Instantaneous discs] KZSU radio broadcast organ recitals dated October
18, 1951 and November 15, 1951. [Vinyl discs] 1959 Summer Choir at Stanford University
-- American Guild of Organists Far Western Regional Convention 1963 -- Christmas Music
at Stanford Volume 2 -- Stanford Memorial Church Choral and Organ Music 1962 -- Winter
Festival Concert, February 24, 1974 at Stanford Memorial Church.
Box 7, folder 12
Manuscript music compositions by Herbert Nanney ars0236_b07_f12
1935-1940
Scope and Contents
Draft of Herbert Nanney's 1939 sonata (completed February 11, 1940) -- Variations I
and II -- Musical setting for Shakespeare's Macbeth -- Fantaisie -- Fantasie in C
minor -- Mendelssohn No. 12, flute and strings.
Box 7, folder 1
American Guild of Organists, National Convention ars0236_b07_f01
1984
Scope and Contents
Report of program committee -- Convention registrants list.
Box 7, folder 2
Biographical data, Herbert Nanney ars0236_b07_f02
Box 7
Herbert Nanney Scholarship in Organ, presentation book ars0236_b07
1985-1987
Box 7, folder 3
History of Stanford Memorial Church organs ars0236_b07_f03
1984
Scope and Contents
Letter from James Welch, organist, to Herbert Nanney -- Draft article titled 'The
Murray M. Harris Organ of Stanford University Memorial Church (26 pages) -- History of
Stanford organs (timeline) -- Miscellaneous notes.
Box 7, folder 4
List of reel tapes, LPs, and cassette tapes ars0236_b07_f04
undated
Scope and Contents
Handwritten inventory of recordings featuring Herbert Nanney.
Box 7, folder 14
Periodicals ars0236_b07_f14
1984-1996
Scope and Contents
The American organist, Special AGO convention issue, April 1984 -- The American
organist, December 1992 -- The diapason, March 1996.
Box 7, folder 5
Concert programs, Stanford Memorial Church 50th Anniversary Organ
Recital
ars0236_b07_f05
1953-01-22
Box 7, folder 6
Concert programs ars0236_b07_f06
1969-1979
Box 7, folder 7
Concert programs ars0236_b07_f07
1980-1986
Box 7, folder 13
News clippings ars0236_b07_f13
Box 7, folder 11
Stanford Memorial Church, Dedication to Herbert Nanney ars0236_b07_f11
1985-05-19
Box 7, folder 8
Photographs, Herbert Nanney ars0236_b07_f08
1975
Box 7, folder 9
Photograph, Murray Harris organ at Stanford Memorial Church ars0236_b07_f09
undated
Box 7, folder 10
Photocopies, Images of Herbert Nanney at the organ ars0236_b07_f10
undated
