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Berkowitz (Leonard) Collection
SC.LBC
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Contributing Institution:
Special Collections & Archives
Title: Leonard Berkowitz Collection
Creator:
Berkowitz, Leonard, 1919-2007
Identifier/Call Number: SC.LBC
Extent:
10.38 linear feet
Date (inclusive): 1914-2000
Date (bulk): 1963-1969
Abstract: The
Leonard
Berkowitz Collection
documents Berkowitz's musical and academic career during his
tenure at California State University, Northridge, from the mid-1960s through the early
1980s. The collection includes musical scores and audio recordings composed and produced by
Berkowitz, as well as works by other composers.
Language of Material: English
Leonard Berkowitz was born on February 8, 1919 in Woodbury County, Iowa, to parents David
and Anna (neé Kozberg) Berkowitz who emigrated from Russia to the United States in the first
decade of the twentieth century. Sometime between 1927 and 1930, his father passed away, and
Leonard, his mother, and sister relocated to Southern California, where he attended Los
Angeles High School, graduating in 1936. Following high school, Berkowitz attended Yale
University, and completed a bachelor's degree in music.
Berkowitz enlisted in the United States Army on October 9, 1941 and served until
discharged on September 12, 1945. After a brief visit to the Los Angeles area, he returned
to Yale and studied under famed German composer, musician, and conductor, Paul Hindemith. In
1948, Berkowitz completed a master's degree in Music Theory and Composition, and began
teaching at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.
In 1961, Leonard Berkowitz and his wife, Lucille, moved to the Southern California area
and settled in the San Fernando Valley, where he accepted an Associate Faculty position, in
the Department of Music at San Fernando Valley State College (now CSUN). In addition to
teaching, Berkowitz composed many musical scores and performed his works at CSUN and various
venues throughout Southern California. Following retirement in 1984, Berkowitz and his wife
relocated to the Seattle, Washington area where he continued to perform locally and pursued
an interest in fine art photography. Leonard Berkowitz passed away on September 16,
2007.
The
Leonard Berkowitz Collection documents Berkowitz's musical
and academic career during his tenure at California State University, Northridge, from the
mid-1960s through the early 1980s. The collection includes musical scores and audio
recordings composed and produced by Berkowitz, as well as works by other composers. The
collection has been divided into three series: Series I,
Musical Scores
by Leonard Berkowitz
(1956-1973, 2000), Series II,
Musical
Scores by Other Composers
(1914-1982), and Series III,
Audio
Recordings by Leonard Berkowitz
(1962-1998).
Series I, Musical Scores by Leonard Berkowitz, has been divided into three subseries.
Subseries A,
Ensembles of Six or More Instruments (1963-1967),
consists of conductor's scores and instrumental parts. His works are characterized by dense
harmonies and instrumentation to create dramatic textural contrasts. Berkowitz uses free
12-tone compositional style and bimodality, as well as passages derived from the octatonic
scale and other non-diatonic scales. Subseries B:
Ensembles of Five or
Less Instruments and Solo Works
(1956-1973, 2000), consists of largely contrapuntal
works, with strong rhythmic motives and disjunct melodies reminiscent of Paul Hindemith's
style. Subseries C:
Vocal Works (1964-1969), consists of
compositions influenced by Renaissance madrigals and the chorales of J.S. Bach. The syllabic
melodies of Berkowitz's vocal works are much more conjunct than those of his instrumental
works. Each subseries is arranged chronologically, with instrumental parts in score order.
Undated compositions are arranged alphabetically by composition title, and placed at the
rear of the series.
Series II,
Musical Scores by Other Composers, contains a small
selection of music with notes on compositional styles, harmonic and structural analysis, and
rehearsal notations penciled by Berkowitz. This series is arranged alphabetically by
composer.
Series III,
Audio Recordings, consists of the compositions of
Leonard Berkowitz in eight volumes. Dates in this series reflect the date of recording and
are arranged by volume number.
Series I: Musical Scores by Leonard Berkowitz, 1956-1973, 2000
Subseries A: Ensembles of Six or More Instruments, 1963-1967
Subseries B: Ensembles of Five or Less Instruments and Solo Works, 1956-1973,
2000
Subseries C: Vocal Works, 1964-1969
Series II: Musical Scores by Other Composers, 1914-1982
Series III: Audio Recordings, 1962-1998
The collection is open for research use.
Copyright for unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator(s) of
this collection has been transferred to California State University, Northridge. Copyright
status for other materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected
by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) 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 owners. Responsibility for any
use rests exclusively with the user.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Lucille Berkowitz, February 23, 2010.
For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style
manual, or see the
Citing Archival
Materials
guide.
Holli Teltoe, 2015
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Documents
Audiovisual materials