Overview of the Collection Creator Rotschy, Edgar Title Edgar Rotschy papers Dates 1892-1983 (inclusive) 1892 1983 Quantity 1.05 cubic feet (3 boxes) Collection Number 3298 (Accession No. 3298-005) 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 352900 Seattle, WA 98195-2900 Telephone: 206-543-1929 Fax: 206-543-1931 speccoll@uw.edu 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 1909. 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. http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv11898 1
Edgar Rotschy donated music manuscripts to the Libraries on several occasions between 1938 and 1953. 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 1960. 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 1953. 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 2006. Processing Note Processed by John R. Gibbs; processing completed in 2007. Detailed Description of the Collection Musical compositions http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv11898 2
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 15 1944 January 1/4 String quartet number 16 1944 December 4 1/4 String quartet number 18 1947 May 12 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv11898 3
1/5 String quartet number 20 1947 November 12 1/5 String quartet number 21 1949 May 11 1/5 String quartet number 25 1953 June 15 1/6 String quartet number 26 1953 July 31 1/6 String quartet number 28 1955 September 20 1/6 String quartet number 29 1955 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 28 1946 December 24 Chamber music for winds alone and with strings 1/8 Woodwinds and strings Old days at Fort Vancouver: Centennial Suite 1926 1/9 Woodwind quintets Aubade undated Musical Evening at Monticello 19?? July 3 Concert for Mr. Thomas Jefferson 1941 May 21 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv11898 4
1/9 Flute trios Flute trio, C major 1944 October 31 Suite, G major 1945 January 1 1/10 Saxophone quartets Saxophone quartet number 3 1952 February 21 Saxophone quartet number 4 "Popular" 1952 Saxophone quartet number 6 1952 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 12 1944 May 26 Sonata 13 1945 January 31 Sonata 14 1947 September 13 Sonata 15 1948 January 17 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv11898 5
Sonata 16 1951 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 14 1955 June 17 1/13 Piano sonatas Sonata number 16 1945 July 7 Sonata number 17 1946 August 19 Sonata number 18 1947 January 8 Sonata number 19 1949 July 20 Sonata number 20 1951 March 9 Sonata number 21 Sonata number 22 1951 November 29 1951 December 21 1/14 Piano four hands http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv11898 6
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 8 1932 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 12 1939 January 11 2/3 Sonata number 13 1939 May 33 2/3 Sonata number 14 1939 October 9 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv11898 7
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 1 1953 February 3 2/5 Sonata number 2 undated 2/5 Sonata number 3 1953 April 22 2/5 Sonata number 4 1953 May 22 2/5 Sonata number 5 1953 July 9 2/5 Sonata number 6 1953 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 1921 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv11898 8
2/7 16 Preludes and 16 Postludes 1913-1924 Organ hymns 2/8 Hymns, Book VIII 1926-1927 2/8 Hymns, Book IX 1927 2/8 Hymns, Book X 1928 2/8 Hymns, Book XI 1930-1931 2/8 Hymns, Book XII 1932 2/9 Hymns, Thankgiving 1933 December 8 2/9 Hymns 1934 1935 January 12 2/9 Easter Hymns (I) 1935 2/9 Easter Hymns (II) 1935 2/9 Hymns 1935 1935 August 2/9 Hymns 1935 (II) 1935 December 6 2/9 Hymn 1935 December 6 2/9 Hymns 1936 1936 2/9 Hymns, Sept. 1936 1936 October 9 2/9 Hymns 1936 1936 March 2/9 Christmas 1936 1936 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv11898 9
2/9 3 Hymns 1936 December 20 2/10 Hymns for Passion Friday 1937 April 6 2/10 Easter Hymns 1937 1937 April 6 2/10 3 Hymns in minor 1937 1937 July 9 2/10 6 Hymns in major 1937 1939 July 9 2/10 4 Hymns in major Dec. 1937 1937 December 6 2/10 Christmas 1937 1937 2/10 4 Hymns in minor 1937 December 23 2/10 Hymns for Easter 1938 undated 2/10 3 Hymns in minor Passion 1938 1938 April 2 2/10 Christmas music 1938 2/10 Hymn 1938 December 23 2/10 Hymns Dec. 1938 1939 January 2 2/10 Hymns in minor 1939 2/10 Passion music 1939 1939 April 10 2/11 Easter music 1939 1939 April 22 2/11 Hymns for Easter 1939 2/11 6 Hymns in major 1939 October 2/11 Xmas music 1939 1939 December 13 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv11898 10
2/11 Easter music 1940 1940 April 19 2/11 6 Hymns in minor and major, August 1940 1940 September 26 2/11 5 Hymns Christmas 1940 1940 December 30 2/11 Christmas music 1940 1940 December 21 2/11 Easter music 1941 Passion 1941 March 22 2/11 Easter music 1941 1941 April 3 2/11 3 Hymns in minor 1941 September 5 2/11 Hymns Oct. Nov. 1941 1941 November 16 and 25 2/11 Christmas music 1941 1941 December 16 2/11 A Hymn (with Psalm 143) 1942? 2/11 Easter music 1942 1942 April 17 2/11 Passion music 1942 1942 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 1949 2/12 Hymns 1950 April 10 2/12 5 Hymns 1952 1952 May 7 2/12 Easter music, Passion 1953 1953 March 15 2/12 Easter music II 1953 April 4 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv11898 11
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 1936 1936 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 24 1934 March 12 2/15 Psalms 28, 29, 32 and Festival Hymn 1936 January 7 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv11898 12
2/15 Psalm 39 1936 December 29 2/15 Psalm 61 1937 December 26 2/15 Psalm 65 Thanksgiving 1937 December 2/15 Psalm 65 Thanksgiving 1951 1951 November 6 2/15 Psalm 67 1938 January 6 2/15 Psalm 70 1938 January 21 2/16 Psalm 77 1938 January 28 2/16 Psalm 81 1938 February 2 2/16 Psalm 84 1939 February 28 2/16 Psalms 87 and 93 1939 March 6 2/16 Psalm 90 1932 January 9 2/16 Psalm 96 1939 March 10 2/16 Psalm 98 1939 March 20 2/16 Psalm 100 1939 March 23 2/16 Psalm 101 1939 November 14 2/16 Psalm 103 Thanksgiving 1939 1939 December 3 2/16 Psalm 108 1939 November 17 2/16 Psalm 120 undated http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv11898 13
2/16 Psalms 124 and 125 undated 2/16 Psalm 124 1941 January 20 2/16 Psalm 126 1941 January 14 2/16 Psalm 135 1941 January 31 2/16 Psalm 137 1941 January 232 2/16 Psalm 138 1942 January 13 2/16 Psalm 143 1942 January 19 2/16 Psalms 145 and 147 1943 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 18 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv11898 14
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, 1926. 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" 1925-1933 1933 1929 Notebooks Container(s) Description Dates http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv11898 15
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. 30 1942" 1938 October 1939 1942 3/5 "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 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv11898 16
3/8 Edgar Rotschy with University of Washingon Libraries, and Hazel Kinsella 1938-1953 3/9 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) http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ About Creative Commons Licenses in Archives West: http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/cc-zero.shtml http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv11898 17