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Edwin Franko Goldman papers

 Collection 0020-SCPA
Edwin Franko Goldman (1878-1956), a founder of the American Bandmasters Association and its first president, was a composer, scholar, and prominent conductor. In 1911 he formed his own band which began a summer concert series, later know as the Guggenhiem Memorial Concert Series, in New York City in 1918; this tradition continued under other directors including Goldman's son, Richard Franko Goldman, who led the band from 1956-1979. Goldman championed the performance of neglected band music and gave the American premieres of a number of important works, including commissioned pieces from many contemporary composers including Ottorino Respighi, Percy Grainger, Morton Gould, and Virgil Thomson. The collection contains press-books of clippings, programs, press releases, correspondence, memorabilia, and photographs related to the Goldman Band's annual summer concerts in New York, NY; and correspondence, articles, administrative records, conference programs, committee reports, and memorabilia related to Goldman's tenure as president of the American Bandmasters Association.

Dates

  • 1895-c.1977
  • Majority of material found within 1919-c.1977

Use and Access to Collection

Because of the fragile nature of parts of this collection, please consult the curator regarding access and handling.

Duplication and Copyright Information

Materials from this collection must be used in the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library's Irving and Margery Morgan Lowens Special Collections Room, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Contact the curator for an appointment: http://www.lib.umd.edu/scpa/contact

Extent

18.50 Linear Feet

Additional Description

Scope and Content of Collection

The Edwin Franko Goldman papers cover the period from 1895 to c.1977; the bulk of the materials date from 1919 to c.1977. The papers contain press-books of clippings, programs, press releases, correspondence, memorabilia, and photographs related to the Goldman Band's annual summer concerts in New York, NY; and correspondence, articles, administrative records, conference programs, committee reports, and memorabilia related to Goldman's tenure as president of the American Bandmasters Association.

Biography

Edwin Franko Goldman (1878-1956), a founder of the American Bandmasters Association, was born in Louisville, Kentucky on 1 January 1878. Taken to New York to study music, he was eventually enrolled at the National Conservatory where he studied cornet and was a composition student of Antonand#237;n Dvoand#345;and#225;k. From 1899 to 1909 Goldman was solo cornetist with the Metropolitan Opera orchestra. In 1911 he formed his own band which began a summer concert series in New York City in 1918 and was later renamed the Guggenheim Memorial Concert Series; this tradition continued under other directors including Goldman's son, Richard Franko Goldman, who led the band from 1956-1979. The band ceased operations in 2005.

Goldman championed the performance of neglected band music and gave the American premieres of a number of important works, including Berlioz's Symphonie funebre et triomphale. Goldman believed strongly in the need for new music to enrich the repertoire of the band, and commissioned many contemporary composers including Ottorino Respighi, Percy Grainger, Morton Gould, and Virgil Thomson to write for the medium. He composed over one-hundred marches including On the Mall (1923), and wrote several books, including The Goldman Band System (1935).

In addition to being a founder, Goldman was the American Bandmasters Association's first president, and second honorary life president. He died on 21 February 1956 in New York, leaving behind an unpublished autobiography, Facing the Music, the manuscript of which is in the Library of Congress.

Arrangement

This collection has been divided into nine series.
  1. Series 1: Pressbooks
  2. Series 2: Programs
  3. Series 3: Published Scores
  4. Series 4: Articles and Addresses
  5. Series 5: Press Releases, Brochures, and Souvenir Programs
  6. Series 6: American Bandmaster Association
  7. Series 7: Correspondence
  8. Series 8: Memorabilia
  9. Series 9: Photographs

Custodial History and Acquisition Information

The bulk of this collection was given to the ABA Research Center by Edwin Franko Goldman's son, Richard Franko Goldman on 13 August 1975.

Existence and Location of Copies

Pressbooks and correspondance are available on Microfilm.

Related Material

This collection is part of the American Bandmasters Association Research Center; related collections include the Victor Zajec Papers and the American Bandmasters Association Archives

Additional correspondence from Percy Grainger to Goldman dated 1940-1941 is available in the Lowens Manuscript Collection-- Fireproof Cabinet and#35;2, Drawer and#35;3, Box: Oversize MSS A-K

Manuscript of E.F. Goldman's upublished autobiography, Facing the Music and Richard Franko Goldman Collection, The Library of Congress, Music Division (Performing Arts Reading Room)

Edwin Franko Goldman Autograph Collection, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan

The Goldman Band Performance Library, University of Iowa Bands

Richard Franko Goldman Collection, Peabody Conservatory of Music

For other related archival and manuscript collections, please see the following subject guides.

Topics

Administrative Information

Title
Edwin Franko Goldman papers: A Finding Aid
Status
edited-full-draft
Author
Bradley Mariska, September 2003. Revised by Colleen McKnight, August 2007
Date
2007-08-02
Description rules
dacs
Language of description
Finding aid written in English

Revision Statements

  • 2007-08-02: EAD markup checked and verified using JEdit software by Jennie A. Levine, August 2007.
  • 2007-08-22: EAD markup checked and verified using JEdit software by Jennie A. Levine, August 2007.
  • 2008-01-28: EAD markup checked and verified using JEdit software by Jennie A. Levine, January 2008
  • 2008-05-06: EAD markup checked and verified using JEdit software by Jennie A. Levine, May 2008.
  • 2008-06-19: EAD markup checked and verified using JEdit software by Jennie A. Levine, June 2008.
  • 2013-10-25: EAD markup validated using Oxygn software by Nicole Horstman, October 2013.

Library Details

Library Details

Part of the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library Library

http://www.lib.umd.edu/mspal
Contact:
University of Maryland Libraries
8270 Alumni Drive
College Park MD 20742 United States

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