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Guide to the Gordon Playman Papers, 1947-2002
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Table of contents What's This?
  • Descriptive Summary
  • Access
  • Publication Rights
  • Preferred Citation
  • Acquisition Information
  • Biography / Administrative History
  • Scope and Content of Collection
  • Arrangement
  • Indexing Terms

  • Descriptive Summary

    Title: Gordon Playman papers, 1947-2002
    Dates: 1947-2002
    Collection Size: 20 boxes 10 linear feet
    Repository: University of California, Santa Barbara. Library. Dept. of Special Collections
    Santa Barbara, CA 93106
    Abstract: Papers of composer Gordon Playman, including manuscript scores, research files, correspondence, clipping and recordings of his compositions. Playman wrote several large-scale orchestral works, including four symphonies, all of which were performed. Organized into the following series: I.Musical scores, II.Sound recordings, III.Research Files, IV.Correspondence, and V.Clippings
    Physical location: For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the library's online catalog.
    Languages: Languages represented in the collection: English

    Access

    None.

    Publication Rights

    Copyright has not been assigned to the Department of Special Collections, UCSB. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Department of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained.

    Preferred Citation

    Gordon Playman papers, 1947-2002. Department of Special Collections, University Libraries, University of California, Santa Barbara.

    Acquisition Information

    Donated by Wendy Gonzalez, October 2004.

    Biography / Administrative History

    Gordon Playman (1922-2004?) studied composition at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, though he left the university to serve in the Marine Corps as a torpedo bomber pilot in the South Pacific during WWII. After the war ended, he resumed his studies, graduating in 1947. The same year he won a John Hancock composition scholarship at Tanglewood, Lenox, Massachusetts studying there with Arthur Honegger, Aaron Copland and Samuel Barber.
    In 1948 he joined the FBI as a special agent, a position he held for 24 years. After retiring in 1972 he moved to Southern California, where he devoted his time to composing. His works include: four symphonies, a clarinet concertino, a ballet score, two essays, a set of variations for orchestra, as well as pieces for string orchestras, solo voice, choral groups and chamber groups.

    Scope and Content of Collection

    The Gordon Playman Papers contain a number of his scores in various stages of production and audio recordings of his work. Also present are small amounts of research files, correspondence and clippings. The scores are among the most interesting of these sections since frequently works can be tracked from sketches and vellum to performance copies and arrangements. The papers range in date from 1947 to 2002 and are predominantly in English. They are organized into the following series: I.Musical scores, II.Sound recordings, III.Research Files, IV.Correspondence, and V.Clippings.

    Arrangement

    Organized into the following series: I.Musical scores, II.Sound recordings, III.Research Files, IV.Correspondence, and V.Clippings

    Indexing Terms

    The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
    Composers -- Archives
    Scores
    Sound Recordings