Sir Charles Mackerras manuscripts of original music compositions, 1937-2007

MLMSS 8759/Box 1X

fonds

1937-2007

Textual Records, Manuscript Notated Music, Ephemera

457940

0.47 metres of textual material (1 outsize box)

Sir Charles Mackerras (1925-2010) studied music at the NSW State Conservatorium, then joined the Sydney Symphony Orchestra as principal oboe from 1944 to 1946. He conducted the first official concert in the Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House in 1973, with an all-Wagner program. The first Australian conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, he was chief conductor from 1982 to 1985. He led a distinguished international career conducting at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, the Hamburg State Opera, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the Welsh National Opera, San Francisco Opera, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Czech Philharmonic amongst others and was a specialist in Czech repertoire. Sir Charles was made a Commander of the British Empire in 1974 and knighted for his services to music in 1979. In 1997 he was made a Companion of the Order of Australia and in 2003 he was made a Companion of Honour. In 2005 he was the first recipient of the Queen's Medal for Music.

Reference:
The Oxford Companion to Australian Music / edited by Warren Bebbington. Melbourne : Oxford University Press, 1997.

1. Student Music Book containing:
Sonata for Oboe, Violin or Flute and Piano in one movement, 22/7/1937 - 30/7/1937 (manuscript in ink, 7 pages);
Trio in C minor for Flute, Violin and Piano, undated (incomplete manuscript in ink, 13 pages);
Untitled piece for solo instrument and piano [possibly part of Sonata], undated (manuscript in ink, 2 pages);
Piano Concerto (piano only), undated (manuscript in ink, 8 pages).

2. Music book without cover containing:
Quintet in D Major for Flute (or Oboe) and Strings, 10/8/1937 - 18/8/1937 (manuscript in ink, 15 pages);
Symphonic Poem for orchestra: Apollo's fight with a python. In 3 movements, 18/8/1937 (3rd movement incomplete, manuscript in ink, 22 pages).

3. Piano Concerto 1st Movement, orchestral score, 3/9/1937, 1st Performance: 31/10/37, Revised: 2/11/37 (manuscript in ink, 32 pages) Dedication on cover: 'I dedicate the following to Olive Willmane, my ex-teacher and the first Solo Performer at this work’s first performer.'

4. 3rd Movement of a Flute Concerto, orchestral score, 1937 (incomplete manuscript in ink, 16 pages).

5. Divertimento for Orchestra, orchestral score, 1937 (incomplete manuscript in ink, 9 pages, and 2 pages of various sketches).

6. Variations for Orchestra, orchestral score, 1937 (incomplete manuscript in ink, 9 pages).

7. Violin Concerto in G Major, orchestral score, 1938? (manuscript in ink, 22 pages).

8. Student Music Book containing:
Suite for Small Orchestra in C Major and G Major, orchestral score, 12/1/1938, revised 27/5/1938 (manuscript in ink, 22 pages);
Trio No.2 in E flat for Flute, Violin and Piano, Feb. 1939 (manuscript in ink, 6 pages).

9. Divertimento for Orchestra, score and parts, 1938 or 1939 (manuscript in ink, 13 pages of score; parts copied by various hands). Note on cover: 'Written for Conservatorium Elementary Orchestra on Saturday morning conducted by Violin Professor Lloyd Davies.'

10. Fugue on 'Waltzing Matilda' [now called 'The Jolly Jumbuck Fugue'], orchestral score, 1943-1944 (photocopy of manuscript, with pencil annotations by Anthony Halliday (2007), 33 pages).

11. Ballet: Waltzing Matilda, piano score, 1943-1944 (photocopy of manuscript, 10 pages).

12. A Song of Australia by Con Sord (pseudonym for Charles Mackerras), words by Catherine Mackerras, for voice and piano, ca. 1944-1945 (manuscript in ink, 3.5 pages). Note on cover: 'This song was composed as part of a competition for a new National Anthem at the end of the Second World War. Hence the pseudonym. My mother wrote the words.' Also a program for a Conservatorium performance of 'Marsyas: a pastorale', music by Charles Mackerras, libretto by Catherine Mackerras.

13. Harmony exercises in 2 folders, ca. 1939-1945, completed during studies with the Spanish priest and composer Father Muset from the Monastic School at Manly near Quarantine Beach (manuscript in ink, annotated by Father Muset, pages numbered 1-296 with gaps, and 48 unnumbered pages).

14. 'A student remembers': article about Henri Verbrugghen by Catherine Mackerras, 1966 (photocopy of typescript, 3 pages), together with a letter from Joseph Post to Catherine Mackerras in response to the article, 3 June 1966 (photocopy, 1 page).

15. Waltzing Matilda Fugue by C. Mackerras, 1944, arranged by Anthony Halliday, 2007, score for 8 pianos and organ (photocopy of manuscript in Halliday's hand, 77 pages).

16. Three programs of Sydney Symphony concerts celebrating 75 years, October 2007. Two concerts featured Charles Mackerras as conductor. The third concert was a performance of the opera 'Don John of Austria' by Isaac Nathan, arranged by Charles Mackerras and conducted by Alexander Briger.

Chronological order

Copyright status:: In copyright
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Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales and Courtesy copyright holder