Edgar Rotschy papers,

Transcription

1 Overview of the Collection Creator Rotschy, Edgar Title Edgar Rotschy papers Dates (inclusive) Quantity 1.05 cubic feet (3 boxes) Collection Number 3298 (Accession No ) Summary Papers of an Swiss-American amateur composer who homesteaded near Yacolt, Washington Repository University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections Special Collections University of Washington Libraries Box Seattle, WA Telephone: Fax: Access Restrictions Open to all users. Languages Sponsor English Funding for encoding this finding aid was partially provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Biographical Note James Edgar Rotschy, known as Edgar, was a Swiss-American self-taught amatuer composer who resided near Yacolt, Washington. Rotschy was born August 29, 1868 in Geneva, Switzerland, where his father owned a music school. Having been told that he had no musical talent and discouraged from a career in music, Rotschy trained as a photographer, specializing in retouching and printing. Rotschy arrived in the United States in September 1889 and, after working as a photo finisher in New York, worked his way west with friends from Switzerland. In July 6, 1891 he filed for a homestead overlooking the Chelatchie Prairie near the town of Yacolt in Clark County. In 1894 he married the sister of a fellow homesteader, Madeleine de Niederhausern, with whom he had nine children between 1895 and Rotschy worked at various jobs including laborer at the Long Bell Paper Mill, cook at a Civilian Conservation Corps camp, and fire watch at the Greenleaf logging camp. In1898 Rotschy began to compose music. His compositions are conservative in style, emphasizing melody and simple harmonic accompaniments. Several fugues display a didactic style imitative of the Baroque. His music is characterized by the lack of dynamic and articulation markings. He felt that the meaning of his music should be clear to any "good" musician and that each musician was free to supply his own expression markings. 1

2 Edgar Rotschy donated music manuscripts to the Libraries on several occasions between 1938 and He also presented Hazel Kinsella music for the American Music Center in the Music Library. On his trips to Seattle, Rotschy discussed his music with George McKay, professor of theory and composition in the School of Music, who arranged for a reading of his string quartets. According to his journal this was the most satisfying time in his musical life. In 1920 Rotschy moved to Vancouver, Washington, where he died in Content Description The Rotschy papers contain original musical compositions, musical writings, journals and correspondence. The journals, which include drawings, serve as a first hand account of the historic Yacolt Burn of 1902 and that of a working man's life in logging camps and saw and paper mills in the 1920s and 1930s. The correspondence with the Libraries details the nature of his gifts to the Libraries. Use of the Collection Restrictions on Use Creator's literary rights not transfered to the University of Washington Libraries. Preferred Citation Edgar Rotschy papers, Special Collection Division, University of Washington Libraries Administrative Information Custodial History Most of the Edgar Rotschy papers were transferred from the University of Washington Music Library. Acquisition Information Gift of Edgar Rotschy to the Libraries between 1938 and Some music was given to Hazel Kinsella of the School of Music and transferred to Manuscripts Division in 1983 from the Music Library. Correspondence with Samuel Rotschy given to Libraries by John Gibbs in Processing Note Processed by John R. Gibbs; processing completed in Detailed Description of the Collection Musical compositions 2

3 Symphonic works 1/1 Symphony 13, for strings undated 1/2 Wind band National Suite for Harmony Band undated Easter Prelude and March 1922 Chamber music for strings 1/3 String trios String trio number 3 String trio number 5 String trio V 1945 February 19 undated 1952 December 27 String trio VI 1953 January 13 String quartets 1/4 String quartet number January 1/4 String quartet number December 4 1/4 String quartet number May

4 1/5 String quartet number November 12 1/5 String quartet number May 11 1/5 String quartet number June 15 1/6 String quartet number July 31 1/6 String quartet number September 20 1/6 String quartet number December 29 1/6 Recreation number 2 (for string quartet) 1949 November 2 1/7 String Quintets (with double bass) String quintet, G major String quintet, g minor 1946 September December 24 Chamber music for winds alone and with strings 1/8 Woodwinds and strings Old days at Fort Vancouver: Centennial Suite /9 Woodwind quintets Aubade undated Musical Evening at Monticello 19?? July 3 Concert for Mr. Thomas Jefferson 1941 May

5 1/9 Flute trios Flute trio, C major 1944 October 31 Suite, G major 1945 January 1 1/10 Saxophone quartets Saxophone quartet number February 21 Saxophone quartet number 4 "Popular" 1952 Saxophone quartet number May 2 4 pieces for Saxophone quartet undated 1/10 Clarinet sonata 1948 April 13 1/11 Chamber music with piano Viola and piano Sonata IV 1945 May 25 Sonata V 1954 May 7 Sonata VI 1954 May 7 Violin and piano Sonata May 26 Sonata January 31 Sonata September 13 Sonata January

6 Sonata June 2 Violoncello and piano Sonata, D major 1947 February 19 1/12 Piano trios Recreation IV "France" 1930 August 15 Recreation V "18e siecle" 1930 October 31 Trio, G major 1931 Trio number 10 "Anecortes" 1949 July 5 Trio number 10, g minor 1948 February 8 Trio number June 17 1/13 Piano sonatas Sonata number July 7 Sonata number August 19 Sonata number January 8 Sonata number July 20 Sonata number March 9 Sonata number 21 Sonata number November December 21 1/14 Piano four hands 6

7 Sonata undated Organ sonatas 2/1 Sonata II 1927 October 12 2/1 Sonata III 1928 May 1 2/1 Sonata IV 1928 August 15 2/1 Sonata V 1928 October 3 2/1 Sonata VI 1929 May 16 2/1 Sonata VII undated 2/2 Sonata number June 8 2/2 Sonata II (second series) 1935 March 11 2/2 Sonata IV (second series) 1936 March 17 2/2 Sonata VI (second series) 1936 October 27 2/2 Sonata number 7 (second series) 1937 February 17 2/2 Sonata 8 (second series) 1937 August 24 2/3 Sonata, E major (second series) 1942 July 31 2/3 Sonata, Bb major (second series) 1943 July 7 2/3 Sonata, a minor(second series) 1945 October 1 2/3 Sonata number January 11 2/3 Sonata number May 33 2/3 Sonata number October 9 7

8 2/3 Sonata, F major(second series) 1950 October 21 Organ sonatas transcribed for strings 2/4 Sonata, F major, transcribed for strings 1945 August 29 2/5 Sonata number February 3 2/5 Sonata number 2 undated 2/5 Sonata number April 22 2/5 Sonata number May 22 2/5 Sonata number July 9 2/5 Sonata number September 8 2/5 Sonata, D major 1955 November 24 2/5 Sonata, Ab major 1956 February 3 Organ toccatas 2/5 Toccata, D major undated Organ preludes 2/6 Prelude and Fugue, g minor 1951 September 12 2/6 Prelude and Fugue, c minor 1951 October 30 2/6 Prelude and Valse

9 2/7 16 Preludes and 16 Postludes Organ hymns 2/8 Hymns, Book VIII /8 Hymns, Book IX /8 Hymns, Book X /8 Hymns, Book XI /8 Hymns, Book XII /9 Hymns, Thankgiving 1933 December 8 2/9 Hymns January 12 2/9 Easter Hymns (I) /9 Easter Hymns (II) /9 Hymns August 2/9 Hymns 1935 (II) 1935 December 6 2/9 Hymn 1935 December 6 2/9 Hymns /9 Hymns, Sept October 9 2/9 Hymns March 2/9 Christmas

10 2/9 3 Hymns 1936 December 20 2/10 Hymns for Passion Friday 1937 April 6 2/10 Easter Hymns April 6 2/10 3 Hymns in minor July 9 2/10 6 Hymns in major July 9 2/10 4 Hymns in major Dec December 6 2/10 Christmas /10 4 Hymns in minor 1937 December 23 2/10 Hymns for Easter 1938 undated 2/10 3 Hymns in minor Passion April 2 2/10 Christmas music /10 Hymn 1938 December 23 2/10 Hymns Dec January 2 2/10 Hymns in minor /10 Passion music April 10 2/11 Easter music April 22 2/11 Hymns for Easter /11 6 Hymns in major 1939 October 2/11 Xmas music December

11 2/11 Easter music April 19 2/11 6 Hymns in minor and major, August September 26 2/11 5 Hymns Christmas December 30 2/11 Christmas music December 21 2/11 Easter music 1941 Passion 1941 March 22 2/11 Easter music April 3 2/11 3 Hymns in minor 1941 September 5 2/11 Hymns Oct. Nov November 16 and 25 2/11 Christmas music December 16 2/11 A Hymn (with Psalm 143) 1942? 2/11 Easter music April 17 2/11 Passion music April 29 2/11 Easter music 1943 Passion 1942 March 16 2/11 Easter music 1943 Easter day 1943 May 5 2/12 Xmas music /12 Hymns 1950 April 10 2/12 5 Hymns May 7 2/12 Easter music, Passion March 15 2/12 Easter music II 1953 April

12 Organ hymns, transcribed 2/12 Hymns in minor (numbers 15 and 16 from Book XII) 1932 January 2/12 Prelude and 4 Hymns 1951 September 28 2/12 Three[sic] Hymns and Choral Fugue 1956 February 20 Miscellaneous keyboard works 2/13 Chansons November 2/13 Chansons undated 2/14 Choral works The 18th Choral in major May Comes Laughing Reveille (male quartet) Ruth and Naomi 1942 December 25 undated undated undated Xmas music 1955 Nativity according to Luke Choral works, psalms 2/15 Psalms 23 and March 12 2/15 Psalms 28, 29, 32 and Festival Hymn 1936 January

13 2/15 Psalm December 29 2/15 Psalm December 26 2/15 Psalm 65 Thanksgiving 1937 December 2/15 Psalm 65 Thanksgiving November 6 2/15 Psalm January 6 2/15 Psalm January 21 2/16 Psalm January 28 2/16 Psalm February 2 2/16 Psalm February 28 2/16 Psalms 87 and March 6 2/16 Psalm January 9 2/16 Psalm March 10 2/16 Psalm March 20 2/16 Psalm March 23 2/16 Psalm November 14 2/16 Psalm 103 Thanksgiving December 3 2/16 Psalm November 17 2/16 Psalm 120 undated 13

14 2/16 Psalms 124 and 125 undated 2/16 Psalm January 20 2/16 Psalm January 14 2/16 Psalm January 31 2/16 Psalm January 232 2/16 Psalm January 13 2/16 Psalm January 19 2/16 Psalms 145 and January Songs 2/17 The Brook. Tennyson undated 2/17 Home is best undated 2/17 Blow, blow through winter's wind undated 2/17 The Kitten and the prince undated 2/17 A Song of little Japanese girls undated 2/17 Lullaby, heard by Mr. L Hearm from an Oki mother, Japan undated 2/17 Bantu cradle song undated 2/17 St. Kevin's lied. Lake Glendalaugh undated 2/17 The Old black bull undated 2/17 Old Scotch ballad. From Bracebridge Hall 1941 March 24 2/17 Tircis. Souvenier de J.J.Rousseau 1941 June

15 2/17 Two songs of early settlers undated 2/17 Civil War song undated 2/17 A Little song from Will. Blake undated 2/17 For a' that and a' that undated 2/17 The Spring of love undated 2/17 The Babie undated 2/17 Constancy undated 2/17 The Splendor falls undated Autobiography: "Edgar Rotschy My Life" Box-folder3/1 Journals Container(s) Description Dates 3/2 "Journal from June 24, 1925 to October. Working for the Long Bell Company. Working at the Paper mill, Camas April 5 to July 10, Working with the C.C.C.Camp in the Columbia Nat'l Forest May 23 to Nov. 2, 1933" 3/2 "Working with the C.C.Corps. Aug. 22 to Nov. 3, 1933 Journal II" 3/2 "Three months with the Timber buffaloes[sic]. Notes and reflexions[sic] from a Loging camp in 1929" Notebooks Container(s) Description Dates 15

16 3/3 "Music; Recollections and apologies" undated 3/3 "The Philosophy in Music" undated 3/4 "Extracts and Notes from the New Jerusalm and its Heavenly Doctrines by Swedenborg" 3/4 "Extracts and remarks from Divine Providence by Emanuel Swedenborg" undated 1917 Work lists Container(s) Description Dates 3/5 "List of Works sent to the Library of the University of Washing, [sic]with some remarks" 3/5 "List of manuscripts remitted to the Library of the University of Washington, August 19th 1939" 3/5 "List of musical compositions sent to the Library of the University of Washington. Nov " 1938 October /5 "Music manuscripts, June 25,1943" 1943 Photographs, 1892, 1894, 1911, 1913, undated Box-folder3/6 Eleven black and white photographs of Edgar Rotschy, his family and his homestead. Newpaper clipping Box-folder3/7 Container(s) Description Dates Anacortes American 1951 June 21 Correspondence 16

17 3/8 Edgar Rotschy with University of Washingon Libraries, and Hazel Kinsella /9 Samuel Rotschy to John Gibbs 1983 Names and Subjects Subject Terms : Composers--Washington (State)--Archives Frontier and pioneer life--washington (State)--Clark County Personal Names : Kinscella, Hazel Gertrude--Correspondence Rotschy, Edgar--Archives Form or Genre Terms : Autobiographies Correspondence Diaries Notebooks Scores Occupations : Composers Names and Subjects Subject Terms : Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington) 2007 (Last modified: 4/18/2018) About Creative Commons Licenses in Archives West: