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This collection was rehoused and a summary created with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities; this finding aid was created with support from NC ECHO.
Size | 27.5 feet of linear shelf space (approximately 3300 items) |
Abstract | Lamar Stringfield (1897-1959) of North Carolina was a composer of symphonic works based on American folklore, Pulitzer Traveling Fellowship winner, conductor, flutist, teacher, and promoter of local and regional musical groups, chiefly in North Carolina. The collection contains the papers of Stringfield including correspondence, mostly 1940-1956, with colleagues and friends, poets, and dramatists with whom he collaborated, publishers, pupils, and civic leaders and patrons of the arts in North Carolina and Tennessee; typed and mimeographed books of plays, historical operas, and other works for which he composed music; scrapbooks; photographs; and miscellaneous writings for articles, speeches, and lyrics. Correspondents include Robert Russell Bennett, William Berney, Percy Goetschius, Edwin Franke Goldman, Morton Gould, Paul E. Green, Thor Johnson, Richard Korn, Ernest La Prade, Geoffrey O'Hara, Winfred Overholser, Jan Peerce, John Powell, Howard Richardson, Arthur Shepherd, and Leopold Stokowski. Topics include the development of American music; the organization of local orchestras, music groups, and concerts; fair compensation to composers for the performance of their works, including his own; flute construction and repair, along with other woodwind instruments; Stringfield's appearance as a guest artist at arts festivals and concerts in North Carolina; the development of state and regional orchestras with government aid during the early 1930s; the performance of Stringfield's works by other conductors; efforts to have certain works performed by other conductors; financial problems; and illnesses and operations. Works represented include Carolina Charcoal, Mountain Song, Mountain Blood, Sodom, Tennessee, Born Climbin', and John Henry. |
Creator | Stringfield, Lamar. |
Curatorial Unit | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection. |
Language | English |
Processed by: SHC Staff
Encoded by: Noah Huffman, December 2007
Updated by: Adam Fielding, Kate Stratton, and Jodi Berkowitz, January 2011; Nancy Kaiser, May 2021
This collection was rehoused and a summary created with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
This finding aid was created with support from NC ECHO.
Back to TopThe following terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings suggest topics, persons, geography, etc. interspersed through the entire collection; the terms do not usually represent discrete and easily identifiable portions of the collection--such as folders or items.
Clicking on a subject heading below will take you into the University Library's online catalog.
Lamar Stringfield (1897-1959) of North Carolina was a composer of symphonic works based on American folklore, Pulitzer Traveling Fellowship winner, conductor, flutist, teacher, and promoter of local and regional musical groups, chiefly in North Carolina.
Stringfield studied the flute for a year in Asheville, N.C., and then in New York, where he studied under George Barrere, Percy Goetschius, Franklin Robinson, and George Wedge. He studied composition in Paris, France with Nadia Boulanger in 1928, and conducting with Chalmers Clifton and Henry Hadley. He received the Pulitizer Traveling Fellowship award for From the Southern Mountains in 1928; played and conducted with music ensembles and symphony orchestras in New York until 1930; promoted the organization of the Institute of Folk Music the University of North Carolina in 1930; organized and directed the North Carolina Symphony, 1932-1935; was associate conductor, Radio City Music Hall, 1938-1939; was a lecturer on American folk music at Juilliard Summer School, 1939-1941; taught composition and orchestration at Claremeont College, summer 1942; was musical director of the Knoxville Symphony, 1946-1947; was conductor of the Symphonette of Charlotte, 1948-1949; and was musical director of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, 1948-1949.
Back to TopThe collection contains the papers of Lamar Stingfield (1897-1959) including correspondence, mostly 1940-1956, with colleagues and friends, poets, and dramatists with whom he collaborated, publishers, pupils, and civic leaders and patrons of the arts in North Carolina and Tennessee; typed and mimeographed books of plays, historical operas, and other works for which he composed music; scrapbooks; photographs; and miscellaneous writings for articles, speeches, and lyrics. Correspondents include Robert Russell Bennett, William Berney, Percy Goetschius, Edwin Franke Goldman, Morton Gould, Paul E. Green, Thor Johnson, Richard Korn, Ernest La Prade, Geoffrey O'Hara, Winfred Overholser, Jan Peerce, John Powell, Howard Richardson, Arthur Shepherd, and Leopold Stokowski. Topics include the development of American music; the organization of local orchestras, music groups, and concerts; fair compensation to composers for the performance of their work, including his own; flute construction and repair, along with other woodwind instruments; Stringfield's appearance as a guest artist at arts festivals and concerts in North Carolina; the development of state and regional orchestras with government aid during the early 1930s; the performance of Stringfield's works by other conductors; efforts to have certain works performed by other conductors; financial problems; and illnesses and operations. Works represented include Carolina Charcoal, Mountain Song, Mountain Blood, Sodom, Tennessee, Born Climbin', and John Henry.
Back to TopArrangement: chronological.
The series contains correspondence of Lamar Stringfield, chiefly 1940-1956, with colleagues and friends, poets, and dramatists with whom he collaborated, publishers, pupils, and civic leaders and patrons of the arts in North Carolina and Tennessee. Correspondents include Robert Russell Bennett, William Berney, Percy Goetschius, Edwin Franke Goldman, Morton Gould, Paul E. Green, Thor Johnson, Richard Korn, Ernest La Prade, Geoffrey O'Hara, Winfred Overholser, Jan Peerce, John Powell, Howard Richardson, Arthur Shepherd, and Leopold Stokowski. Topics include the development of American music; the organization of local orchestras, music groups, and concerts; fair compensation to composers for the performance of their works, including his own; flute construction and repair, along with other woodwind instruments; Stringfield's appearance as a guest artist at arts festivals and concerts in North Carolina; the development of state and regional orchestras with goverment aid during the early 1930s; the performance of Stringfield's works by other conductors; efforts to get certain works performed by other conductors; financial problems; and illnesses and operations.
Folder 1a |
Original finding aid |
Folder 1 |
1921, 1926-1928 |
Folder 2 |
1931-1934 |
Folder 3 |
January-February 1935 |
Folder 4 |
March 1935-1939 |
Folder 5-6
Folder 5Folder 6 |
1940 |
Folder 7 |
1941 |
Folder 8 |
January-July 1942 |
Folder 9 |
August 1942-December 1943 |
Folder 10-11
Folder 10Folder 11 |
1944 |
Folder 12-14
Folder 12Folder 13Folder 14 |
1945 |
Folder 15-16
Folder 15Folder 16 |
1946 |
Folder 17-19
Folder 17Folder 18Folder 19 |
1947 |
Folder 20a-20c |
1948 |
Folder 21-22
Folder 21Folder 22 |
1949 |
Folder 23-26
Folder 23Folder 24Folder 25Folder 26 |
1950 |
Folder 27-35
Folder 27Folder 28Folder 29Folder 30Folder 31Folder 32Folder 33Folder 34Folder 35 |
1951 |
Folder 36-42
Folder 36Folder 37Folder 38Folder 39Folder 40Folder 41Folder 42 |
1952 |
Folder 43-49
Folder 43Folder 44Folder 45Folder 46Folder 47Folder 48Folder 49 |
1953 |
Folder 50-53
Folder 50Folder 51Folder 52Folder 53 |
1954 |
Folder 54-56
Folder 54Folder 55Folder 56 |
1955 |
Folder 57-58
Folder 57Folder 58 |
1956 |
Folder 59a |
1957 |
Folder 59b-59d |
1958-January 1959 |
Folder 60 |
Undated |
The series contains programs, scripts, and related materials for Carolina Charcoal, The Mountain Song, Mountain Blood, Sodom, Tennessee, and Born Climbin'; as well as a biography, bibliography, photographs, clippings, programs, and other writings by and related to Lamar Stringfield.
Folder 61 |
Biography, bibliography, and pictures |
Folder 62a |
ProgramsDuplicates from [programs belonging to Lamar Springfield] in the North Carolina Collection, FFVCB S91s. |
Folder 62b |
Plans for a Society of American Symphony Orchestras |
Folder 62c |
Collected programs and bulletins |
Folder 62d |
Clippings: 1926-1950 |
Box 24 |
Carolina Charcoal |
Carolina Charcoal: synopsis |
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Carolina Charcoal: lyrics |
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Carolina Charcoal: script, 1953 |
|
Folder 113 |
Carolina Charcoal: Back Home |
Folder 114 |
Carolina Charcoal: scriptsSeveral scripts are annotated. |
Folder 115 |
Carolina Charcoal: addition of 10 February 1973 |
Folder 63 |
"The Mountain Song": Stringfield |
Folder 64 |
"Mountain Blood": Stringfield and Compere |
Folder 65 |
"Sodom, Tennessee": Richardson and Berney |
Folder 66 |
"Born Climbin'": Jacob and Stringfield |
Folder 67 |
Miscellaneous writings, circa 1931-1957Correspondence, articles, and other writings by Stringfield, including material related to a patent on a ruler proposed by Stringfield. |
Image Folder PF-3522/1-10
PF-3522/1PF-3522/2PF-3522/3PF-3522/4PF-3522/5PF-3522/6PF-3522/7PF-3522/8PF-3522/9PF-3522/10 |
Photographs |
Oversize Paper Folder OPF-3522/1 |
Oversize papers |
The series includes correspondence, programs, clippings, letters, and postcards from Stringfield to Richard Korn, sheet music, and secretary's notebooks. The correspondence is chiefly between Stringfield and his wife Caroline, along with correspondence between Caroline and her parents T. B and Annie O. Crawford.
Folder 68 |
Correspondence, 1927 |
Folder 69 |
Chronological series: Faison, 1928 |
Folder 70-71
Folder 70Folder 71 |
Correspondence, 1928 |
Folder 72-74
Folder 72Folder 73Folder 74 |
Correspondence, 1929 |
Folder 75-80
Folder 75Folder 76Folder 77Folder 78Folder 79Folder 80 |
Correspondence, 1930 |
Folder 81-84
Folder 81Folder 82Folder 83Folder 84 |
Correspondence, 1931 |
Folder 85-86
Folder 85Folder 86 |
Correspondence, 1932 |
Folder 87-89
Folder 87Folder 88Folder 89 |
Correspondence, 1933 |
Folder 90-91
Folder 90Folder 91 |
Correspondence, 1934 |
Folder 92-93
Folder 92Folder 93 |
Correspondence, 1935 |
Folder 94 |
Correspondence, 1936 |
Folder 95 |
Correspondence, 1937-1938 |
Folder 96 |
Correspondence, 1941-1958 |
Folder 97-100
Folder 97Folder 98Folder 99Folder 100 |
Correspondence, Undated |
Folder 101 |
MiscellaneousPrograms, insurance books, and one drawing. |
Folder 102 |
Clippings |
Folder 103-104
Folder 103Folder 104 |
Korn addition, 23 January 1973Letters and postcards from Stringfield to Richard Korn, along with clippings, leaflets, and letters from other individuals regarding Stringfield's work. Items are dated 1945-1964, with bulk in 1953-1957. |
Folder 105 |
Gift of L. P. Wood, 10 February 1973Five pieces of sheet music for "When the Little Birds Sing," "The City of My Dreams," "Barbara Allen," "Honk Your Horn," and "Roaming On." |
Folder 106-107
Folder 106Folder 107 |
Items from the music library, 13 April 1973Clippings; undated article on "The Legend of John Henry;" article on Society of American Orchestras, 4 June 1940; and correspondence 15 January 1940-16 April 1941. |
Folder 108 |
Postcards: Lamar Stringfield to Richard Korn, 1956 |
Folder 109 |
Secretary's notebook and loose notes |
Folder 110 |
Record of wedding gifts |
Folder 111-112
Folder 111Folder 112 |
Empty envelopesMrs. Oates' addition of 9 January 1973. Majority of envelopes are addressed to Lamar Stringfield. |
The series primarily contains scripts, scores and programs of Stringfield along with music by other composers, notebooks, and scrapbooks.
Box 10a |
Music units 1-8Contains About Dixie, After Midnight, An American Humoresque, Asheville Kiwanis March, Bad Blood Blues, Berceuse, Blue Mountain Girl, Born Climbin', and Carolina Charcoal. |
Box 10b |
Music units 9-16Contains Dance of the Frogs, A Doll's Lullaby, Echoes from the Mountains, Elegy, The Factory, Fly Low, Vermillion Dragon, From a Negro Boy, and From the Blue Ridge. |
Box 11a |
Music units 17-25Contains From the Southern Mountains, Georgia Buck, My Heart is Heavy, If I Had Time, In Lindy's Cabin, Indian Sketches, Introductin and Scherzo, D' Jedg'mint Day, and Lament. |
Box 11b |
Music units 26-28Contains The Legend of John Henry, Moods of a Moonshiner, and The Moon. |
Box 12a |
Music units 29-30Contains Mountain Sketches and Mountain Dawn. |
Box 12b |
Music units 31-33Contains Mountain Echoes, The Mountain Song, and My Lonely Flute. |
Box 13a |
Music units 34a-34bContains A Negro Parade. |
Box 13b |
Music units 35-37Contains The Nightingale, The Ole Swimmin' Hole, and On a Moonbeam. |
Box 14a |
Music units 38-41Contains Peace, Praying for the Peace, Romance, and The Seventh Queue. |
Box 14b |
Music units 42a-42bContains Shout Freedom. |
Box 15a |
Music units 43-52Contains Blue Mountain Girl, Sodom, Tennessee, Squaw Dance, Tango, The Three Ravens, Thunderland Music, To a Star, Tonight, Travel, Virginia Dare Dance, and Xmas 1948. |
Box 15b |
Music units 53-55Contains music by other composers, notebooks, and other materials. |
Box 16a |
Music units 56-62Contains Aeolik Fragment, After Midnight, Blue Mountain Girl, Carolina Charcaol, From a Negro Melody, Georgia Buck, Hark the Sound, and Honk Yore Horn. |
Box 16b |
Music units 63a-63bContains Indian Sketches. |
Box 17a |
Music units 64-65fContains The Lost Colony and Moods of a Moonshiner |
Box 17b |
Music units 65g-68Contains Mountain Sketches, The Mountain Song, and Peace. |
Box 18a |
Music units 69-73Contains The Seventh Queue, Shout Freedom, Shroud my Body Down, Thunderland Music, and To a Star. |
Box 18b |
Music units 74-77Contains Tread the Green Grass, Prayer, music by other composers, and other materials. |
Box 19 |
Born Climbin' |
Carolina Charcoal |
|
Box 20 |
John Henry |
Thunderland |
|
Finger |
|
Frolic |
|
Box 21 |
Volume 1: Scrapbook, 1917, 1923-1929 |
Volume 2: Scrapbook, 1919-1928 |
|
Volume 3: Scrapbook, 1920, 1927, 1930, 1934-1935, 1939-1945 |
|
Volume 4: Scrapbook, 1927-1929 |
|
Volume 5: Scrapbook, 1930-1939, 1941 |
|
Volume 6: Scrapbook, 1931-1935 |
|
Volume 7: Scrapbook, 1931-1934 |
|
Volume 8: Scrapbook, 1931-1934 |
|
Volume 9: Scrapbook, 1932, 1934, 1936, 1939 |
|
Box 22 |
Volume 10: Scrapbook, 1932-1935 |
Volume 11: Scrapbook, 1932, 1935 |
|
Volume 12: Scrapbook, 1935 |
|
Volume 13: Scrapbook, 1935, Miami Symphony |
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Volume 14: Scrapbook, 1941 |
|
Volume 15: Scrapbook, 1942, 1947 |
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Volume 16: Scrapbook, 1947-1948, Charlotte Symphony |
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Volume 17: Scrapbook, 1948, 1952 |
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Volume 18: Scrapbook, 1949, Charlotte Symphony |
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Volume 19: Scrapbook, 1950-1951 |
|
Box 23 |
Volume 20: Scrapbook, 1951 |
Volume 21: Scrapbook, 1954 |
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Volumes 22-23: Programs, 1925-1934 |