Inventory of the Naoum and Eugenia Blinder Papers, 1909-1988
Processed by John Emerson, revised by Judy Tsou; machine-readable
finding aid created by Xiuzhi Zhou
Music Library
Hargrove Music Library
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California, 94720-6000
Phone: (510) 642-2623
Email: music_reference@berkeley.edu
URL: https://guides.lib.berkeley.edu/music_library_archives
© 1997
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Inventory of the Naoum and Eugenia Blinder Papers, 1909-1988
Collection number: ARCHIVES BLINDER 1
The Music Library
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California
Contact Information
- Hargrove Music Library
- University of California, Berkeley
- Berkeley, California, 94720-6000
- Phone: (510) 642-2623
- Email: music_reference@berkeley.edu
- URL: https://guides.lib.berkeley.edu/music_library_archives
- Processed by:
- John Emerson (1982?)
- Revised by:
- Judy Tsou
- Date Completed:
-
April 1991
- Encoded by:
- Xiuzhi Zhou
© 1996 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Naoum and Eugenia Blinder Papers,
Date (inclusive): 1909-1988
Collection number: ARCHIVES BLINDER 1
Creator: Blinder, Naoum, 1889-1965
Extent: Number of containers: 1 carton, 1 oversize folder
Linear
feet: 1.25
Repository: The
Music Library
Berkeley, California 94720-6000
Shelf location: For current information on the location of these
materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Language:
English.
Administrative Information
Acquisition
The papers were given to the Music Library in three installments--September, 1981;
October, 1981; and August, 1989.
Provenance
The first two installments of the Blinder Papers were from Mrs. Eugene Blinder; the last
installment from the estate of Mrs. Eugene Blinder via the San Francisco Symphony.
Access
Collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in
writing to the Head of The Music Library.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Naoum and Eugenia Blinder Papers, ARCHIVES BLINDER 1, The Music
Library, University of California, Berkeley.
Biography
Naoum Blinder, violinist and teacher, was born in Lutsk, Russia in 1889. He graduated
from the Imperial Conservatory of Odessa at 14, where he studied with Alexander Fiedeman.
From 1910 to 1913, he attended the Royal Manchester College of Music, where he studied
with Adolph Brodsky. After graduation, he took up a teaching post at his alma mater, the
Imperial Conservatory of Odessa, and remained there until 1920.
Blinder embarked on a concert tour in 1921. He gave concerts in the Ukraine, Turkestan,
Leningrad, Moscow, and other cities. In 1926, Blinder went on a more extensive tour which
included the Republic of Turkey, and Palestine, and returned to Russia by way of Siberia
in January of 1927.
In 1928 Blinder (later joined by his wife and daughter) went on a concert tour in Japan
which included 7 concerts in Tokyo alone, and 23 concerts in other cities of Japan.
Instead of returning to Russia, he went to the United States (via Honolulu and San
Francisco) to record for Columbia Records in New York. The Blinders remained in New York;
Naoum taught at the Juilliard School between 1929 and 1931. It was around this time that
his only daughter contracted tuberculosis and died at 13 years of age.
At the invitation of Issay Dobroven, Blinder accepted the concertmaster position at the
San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, where he played under Pierre Monteux and Enrique Jorda
in addition to Dobroven. Blinder remained with the orchestra until 1957, when his failing
eyesight forced him to retire. During his years with the SFSO, he was soloist with many
orchestras around the country. He was one of the founders of the San Francisco String
Quartet (1935), which was comprised of members of the orchestra, including his cellist
brother, Boris.
Blinder was a dedicated teacher as well. His most noted student was Isaac Stern. At one
time, he had 17 students in the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, and all the members of
the first violin section of the Oakland Symphony Orchestra were Blinder students as well.
Other noted students were David Abel, Austin Reller, and Glenn Dicterow, who was the
concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic. Blinder died on November 21, 1965, of heart
failure. He was 76 years old.
Scope and Content
This collection contains materials for both Naoum and Eugenia Blinder; however, the
majority of the materials concerns Naoum and his concert career. The types of materials
include newspaper clippings of concert reviews, concert programs and posters, photographs
of many professional musicians of his day, biographical documents such as naturalization
papers, and a concert tape. The collection also includes photocopies of Blinder materials
presently held at the American Jewish Archives. Some of the materials are duplicates of
our holdings.
The materials are largely acquired in three installments. Two portions were acquired in
the fall of 1981, donated by Eugenia Blinder. Eugenia Blinder left the San Francisco
Symphony Orchestra her estate at her death in 1989. The San Francisco Symphony Orchestra
subsequently donated more papers to the Music Library in August, 1989. (See Series I,
folder 1 for more information.)
Numerous items have received conservation treatment. Newspaper clippings have been
photocopied onto acid-free paper, scrapbooks are also dismantled and photocopied (though
the original order was retained), photographs were also treated, and some items were
encapsulated.
The collection is divided into ten series, housed in one archival record storage box and
an oversized phase box. The folder numbers with an "a" indicate that the materials are in
the oversized phase box.
Series I: Acquisition Correspondence.
Scope and Content Note
Arrangement
Letters chronicling the acquisition of the collection, arranged in chronological order.
Series II: Biographical Materials.
Scope and Content Note
Includes naturalization papers and supporting documents, Manchester metrials, obituaries,
publicity press releases and other biographical documents such as awards.
Series III: Concerts.
Scope and Content Note
This series includes many newspaper clippings of concert reviews from Russia, Japan,
Turkey, Israel, and the United States. The scrapbooks are also filled with newspaper
reviews. (See also Series X).
Series IV: Correspondence.
Scope and Content Note
Letters from friends and colleagues.
Series V: Blinder's students and friends.
Scope and Content Note
Letters, newspaper clippings, and photographs of friends and students, including star
pupil Isaac Stern.
Series VI: Blinder's violin.
Scope and Content Note
Appraiser's reports and photographs.
Series VII: Photographs.
Scope and Content Note
This series is divided into:
Naoum Blinder
Scope and Content Note
Includes studio pictures as well as snapshots; all alone except one.
Pierre Monteux
Scope and Content Note
Includes pictures of the Monteux school in Hancock, Maine, and family members of Monteux.
Signed studio pictures from friends and students.
Scope and Content Note
If the only material on a student are pictures, they are arranged in this series.
However, if there are letters as well as photographs, they are arranged under the series
"Blinder's Students and Friends."
Other miscellaneous pictures.
Series VIII: Blinder's music
Scope and Content Note
One score with his fingerings.
Series IX: Eugene Getzeld Blinder.
Scope and Content Note
Includes an autobiography, various citizenship papers, photographs, and letters.
Series X: American Jewish Archives.
Scope and Content Note
Photocopies of materials from AJA, mostly newspaper clippings.
Series 1: Acquisition Correspondence
Folder 1
Acquisition Correspondence
Physical Description: Correspondence regarding the acquisitions of various portions of the collection.
Physical Description: 22 letters and memos
Physical Description: 1 newspaper clipping
Physical Description: 2 other items
Series 2: Biographical Materials
Folder 1
Immigration, 1928-1930
Physical Description: 3 items
A statement (in English translation) from Moscow Conservatory stating that he was a professor of violin there from 1923 to September 1, 1927.
A letter from the Dean of the Juilliard School to the American Consul in Montreal, Canada.
A statement of his activities in the United States from January, 1928 to June, 1930.
Folder 2
Manchester
Physical Description: 7 items
4 documents (1910-1913) from The Royal Manchester College of Music pertaining to his studies there.
"Extracts from student register of (the) Royal Manchester College of Music"
History of the Royal Manchester College of Music (excerpts), mentioning Naoum Blinder.
"Extract from Annual Report of Royal Manchester College of Music, 1914."
Folder 3
Other Biographical Materials
Physical Description: 20 items
The Frank Mancini Music Teaching Award Certificate
A publicity release (biographical sketch)
Press Release No. 2, and No. 4
A script from KCBS radio station (San Francisco), dated July 26, 1957, announcing the retirement of Naoum Blinder from the San Francisco Symphony. Includes biographical sketch.
"Naoum Blinder -- His Career"
From
Famous Jewish Musicians (p.321-322)
International Musician (January, 1947) --
Additional Note
Cover photo and article on Blinder
Incomplete clipping of article on Blinder. "The Remarkable Record fo the Symphony's Violin Teacher,"
San Francisco Sunday Chronicle (This World), January 14, 1962, page 26.
8 clippings from magazines and newspapers about Blinder.
Folder 3a
Other Biographical Materials (Oversize) Ministere de l'Education Nationale Certificate
Folder 4
Obituaries (4 pages): Newspaper clippings.
Folder 1
Programs and Reviews, Russia, 1923-1926
Physical Description: 4 items
Physical Description: 2 originals
Folder 1a
Programs and Reviews, Russia
Physical Description: Oversize, 2 items
Folder 2
Programs and Reviews, Tel Aviv, 1926
Physical Description: 2 items
Physical Description: 1 original
Folder 3
Programs and Reviews, Turkey, 1926-1927
Physical Description: 3 items
Physical Description: 2 originals
Folder 4
Programs and Reviews, Japan, 1927
Physical Description: 17 items
Physical Description: 10 originals
Folder 5
Programs and Reviews, United States
Physical Description: Includes programs for San Francisco String Quartet. Also includes English translations of
Foreign Press Reviews.
Physical Description: 20 items
Physical Description: 12 originals
Folder 5a
Programs and Reviews, United States
Physical Description: Oversize, 2 items
Folder 6
Scrapbook 1. Reviews of concerts from various stages of Blinder's career.
Physical Description: Includes an autographed program by Alexander Glazunov; an article on Pierre Monteux in
the May, 1975 San Francisco Symphony Orchestra program.
Physical Description: 59 pages of acid-free photocopies
with 2 original inserts
Folder 7
Original of scrapbook 1 without inserts.
Folder 8
Scrapbook 2 -- Original and acid-free photocopy (22 pp.)
Folder 9
Tapes (3)-- Concert tapes with Fresno Philharmonic
Series IV: Correspondence
A. Letters from Isaac Stern
Physical Description: (3 letters)
12-30-1939.
Physical Description: 2 pp. typescript.
11-9-1955.
Physical Description: 2 pp. typescript.
No date. Hobart, Tasmania.
Physical Description: 7 pp.
B. From others
Physical Description: (19 items)
Bloch, Ernest. 3-3-1945.
Physical Description: 2 pp.
Bobchinsky, Isaac and Shura. Telegram. 2-5-1958.
Busse, Phyllis. 1-13-1946.
Physical Description: 1 p.
Forbes, Robert J. 11-24-1925.
Physical Description: 4 pp.
Forbes, Robert J. 1-24-1930.
Physical Description: 10 pp.
Forbes, Robert J. 9-3-1950.
Physical Description: 2 pp.
Gaucheron, Roger. 12-1-1938.
Physical Description: 1 p.
Hapgood, Elizabeth. 3-30-1928.
Physical Description: 1 p.
Monteagle, Kenneth. 12-18-1957. 1 p. And reply from Blinder. 12-27-1957.
Physical Description: 1 p. (and acid-free xerox)
Monteux, Pierre. 3-6-1958.
Physical Description: 2 pp.
[Monteux, Pierre.] Letter from Charlotte, sister of Mrs. Monteux, describing the last illness of Pierre Monteux. [June 1964]
Physical Description: 3 pp.
Nimitz, Admiral Chester W. 4-20-1963.
Physical Description: Card.
Oistrakh, David. 2-1-1960. 2 pp. In Russian
Oistrakh, David. 6-23-1962.
Physical Description: Post card. In Russian.
Schumann-Heink, Henry. 2-23-1949.
Physical Description: 1 p.
Scope and Content Note
With a copy of a letter from Howard Skinner to Schumann-Heink, complimenting Naoum
Blinder. 2-23-1949. 1 p.
Shostakovich, Dmitri. 1-7-1961.
Physical Description: 2 pp. In Russian.
Spitalny, Leopold. No date.
Physical Description: 2 pp.
Scope and Content Note
Copy of text of a telegram, with text of the reply from Blinder.
Series V: Blinder's Students and Friends
Folder 1
General
Physical Description: 2 photocopies
Physical Description: 2 originals
Physical Description: 1 photograph
Physical Description: 4 snapshots
Folder 2
Brown, William Howard -- A log of his Russian tour August-September, 1960.
Physical Description: 27 pp.
Folder 3
Dicterow, Glenn
Physical Description: 3 photocopies of newpaper
items
Physical Description: photograph of Blinder and
Dicterow.
Folder 4
Mana-Zucca
Physical Description: 1 recording
Physical Description: 1 autographed printed score
Folder 5
Reller, Austin
Physical Description: 1 recording
Physical Description: 1 newspaper clipping
Physical Description: 1 signed photograph
Folder 6
Sheinfeld, David
Physical Description: 1 score, 30 pp. Sonata for
violin alone.
Folder 7
Stern, Isaac
(1950s to 1989)
Article on Stern in
Horizon, outside folder 7.
Physical Description: 6 photocopies of newspaper
clippings
Physical Description: 29 photograph/greetings cards
Physical Description: 9 small b/w photographs (smaller
than 4.5" x 6"), including 3 pictures of Blinder and Stern.
Physical Description: 1 medium photograph of Stern
and Blinder.
Physical Description: 4 large b/w photographs (some
with Blinder).
Physical Description: 3 color photographs of Stern
and Mrs. Blinder
Physical Description: 1 letter from San Francisco
Symphony thanking Mrs. Blinder for lending the Stern pictures for the May
1987 program.
Folder 7a
Stern, Isaac
Physical Description: Oversize, 1 item
Signed
photograph of a young Isaac Stern.
Series VI: Blinder's Violin
Folder 1
7 small and 3 large color photographs of the violin
9 documents regarding appraisals, etc.
Naoum Blinder-Some with Mrs. Blinder
Folder 1
Large Studio Portraits, 13, 1 with Mrs. Blinder
Scope and Content Note
Includes one early portrait from Odessa (mounted) Medium sized photographs (3)
Small b/w photographs of N. Blinder (4)
Small color photographs with Eugenia Blinder (3)
Pencil drawings of Naoum Blinder (2)
Oversized studio portrait of Naoum Blinder
Folder 2
San Francisco Quartet
Physical Description: 3 small photograph
Physical Description: 1 medium photographs
Physical Description: 8 large photographs
Folder 2a
San Francisco Quartet
Physical Description: 2 oversized caricatures
Folder 3a
San Francisco Sumphony Orchestra
Physical Description: 1 oversized photo
Signed Studio Photographs (29)
Joffa, Betty (2) (signed Kee Coleman)
Pierre Monteux
Scope and Content Note
Photographs of Pierre Monteux, his family, friends, and the Monteux School in Hancock,
Maine.
Medium photographs
Physical Description: (6 b/w, 2 color)
Scope and Content Note
Color pictures include Bruno Walter.
Small photographs --Monteux School.
18 photographs of Monteux School in Hancock, Maine.
6 photographs marked "On the way to Hancock, Maine"
Miscellaneous (small, 32 items)
Folder 6
7 items -- picture with brother Boris (a cellist), picture with Arthur Fiedler.
4 items -- picture with Howard Skinner and others Igor Stravinsky (1)
"George [Nugata?] and Margaret ..."
12 items of Eugenia Blinder and the scenery
Miscellaneous (10 large and 1 duplicate small picture)
Folder 7
Kimber Award (for best teaching)
With David Abel, Arthur Fiedler, etc. (3)
With Bruno Walter (1 large, 1 small)
With an unidentified person
Group picture (from Buenos Aires)
Folder 7a
Unidentified woman violinist
Physical Description: (oversize)
Folder 1
Music owned by Blinder
Scope and Content Note
A volume of Beethoven's violin sonatas with Blinder's fingerings.
Series IX: Eugenia Getzeld Blinder
Newspaper clipping on Mrs. Blinder and Isaac Stern
Daughter's (Yelena) birth certificate and synagogue doument (2)
Interview with George Hellyer, her attorney,
Physical Description: casette tape
Additional Note
See also letter in Acquisition File (I:1).
Photograph with Mrs. Chikaring
"Song"
Additional Note
(undated lyrics of a song)
2 unidentified studio portraits, possibly a young Eugenia Getzeld, or Yelena, their daughter.
Additional Note
One of the portraits was kept on the family piano.
Carmi, Celine (1) of Jerusalem Music Centre. 9-7-1980.
Commanday, Robert (1). 8-4-1980.
Stern, Isaac (2) 4-9-1985 regarding appraisal of Naoum Blinder's violin; and 5-16-1985 regarding his concert tours.
Stern, Vera (2) one note undated; one letter thanks Mrs. Blinder for attending Isaac Stern's birthday concert in Jerusalem in July 1980.
Postcard (1) from Margaret and Ken. Postmarked 2-28-89.
Postcards (11), miscellaneous.
Folder 4
Alexen, Vladimir and Tamara
Certificates of Citizenship (2)
Certificate of Marriage (1)
Certificate of Death (1) -- Vladimir Alexen
Folder 5
Photographs (5) Possibly photographs of family from Russia
Folder 6
Miscellaneous documents
Physical Description: (3 items [with 2 originals documents], and 2 photographs)-- folder originally
marked "Mrs. Blinder."
Series X: American Jewish Archives
Folder 1
Photocopies of the Blinder materials at the American Jewish Archives.