00375.xml THE BACH SOCIETY OF MINNESOTA: An Inventory of Their Records Finding aid prepared by Lara D. Friedman-Shedlov. Minnesota Historical Society
St. Paul MN.

Manuscripts Collection

 Finding aid encoded by Stephanie Grabowski, April 20, 1999.Finding aid written inEnglish August 2008Converted from EAD Version 1.0 to Version 2002 by Monica Manny Ralston, Daniel Sher, and Joyce Chapman. OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION Minnesota Historical Society The Bach Society of Minnesota. Organizational Records. 1933-1994 (bulk 1959-1991). Records documenting the activities of the Twin Cities' oldest major choral society. 2.4 cu. ft. (3 boxes and 1 oversize folder). See Detailed Description section for shelf locations. HISTORY OF THE BACH SOCIETY OF MINNESOTA

The Bach Society of Minnesota originated with a group of music students at the University of Minnesota in the early 1930s who wanted to sing the music of Bach. By 1933, a singing society, which organized and performed annual Bach Festivals, was formed under the direction of Professor Donald Ferguson.

When Ferguson retired in 1950, the Society entered a dormant period. Following several stalled attempts to revive the group, psychology professor Dr. David LaBerge reorganized the group in 1959 and, with underwriting from the University of Minnesota, resurrected the annual festivals. The Society continued in collaboration with the University until 1966, when it became incorporated as an independent nonprofit organization. Dr. LaBerge retired in 1980 and Henry Charles Smith, Resident Conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra, assumed the position of Music Director.

Throughout the years the chorus size and focus fluctuated. In the early 1970s the chorus swelled to 240 members in order to balance with the Minnesota Orchestra, with whom the Society frequently performed at the University's Northrup Auditorium. In 1974 the Society adopted more stringent audition criteria and the size of the chorus was reduced to eighty. While focusing on Bach, the repertoire of the Society often included other major choral composers, such as Verdi, Handel, Mozart, and Brahms.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS OF THE COLLECTION

Records of the Bach Society of Minnesota include minutes; budgets, balance sheets, and other financial records; reports; programs; press clippings; and other materials. The bulk of the records are organized in two major sections: administrative records, and programs and publicity concerning Bach Society performances. A smaller section of material concerns the celebration of Bach's 300th birthday in 1985.

ARRANGEMENT OF THE COLLECTION

These records are divided into the following three sections:

History and Background Materials Bach 300th Anniversary Celebration Performances and Publicity RELATED MATERIALS

The Bach Society of Minnesota Newsletter is separately cataloged in the Minnesota Historical Society serials collection.

 CATALOG HEADINGS

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics: Arts fund raising -- Minnesota. Choral societies -- Minnesota -- Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. Concert programs -- Minnesota. Persons: Bach, Johann Sebastian, 1685-1750. Ferguson, Donald Nivison, 1882-. LaBerge, David. Smith, Henry Charles. Organization: Twin Cities Music Celebration 1985. Type of Documentation: Photographs. ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Bach Society of Minnesota Organizational Records. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

 Accession Information:

Accession number: 15,204

 Processing Information:

Processed by: Lara D. Friedman-Shedlov, June 1998

Catalog ID number: 09-00320079

 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION History and Background Materials 144.E.18.3B 1 Administrative Records Articles of Incorporation and bylaws, 1966, 1972-1973. Minutes and related documents, 1966-1989. 13 folders Chorus Committee, 1979, 1982/83. Engel Report (management review), 1980. Budgets and financial reports, 1975-1985. Miscellaneous financial records, 1966-1988. Miscellaneous correspondence, reports, and other materials, 1990-1993. Chorus rosters, 1933-1992. Bach 300th Anniversary Celebration

In 1985 the Bach Society celebrated the 300th birthday of Bach with a series of concerts and other projects. Records document these activities as well as a number of related fund raising efforts, particularly the 1985 Bach Birthday Engagement Calendar, published and sold by the Society. Many events were held in conjunction with Twin Cities Music Celebration 1985, an organization formed to recognize the tercentenary of composers Bach, Handel, and Scarlatti.

 144.E.18.3B 1 300th Birthday Committee minutes, reports, and memoranda, 1982-1985. Correspondence, press releases, and reports, 1984-1985. Twin Cities Music Celebration 1985. Minute, proposals, and correspondence, 1983-1985. Twin Cities Music Celebration 1985. Press releases and other publicity, 1984-1985. Fund raising: Grant applications, 1983. Fund raising, 1983-1984. 144.E.18.4F 2 Bach Birthday Engagement Calendar, 1985. Calendar-related letters, 1985-1987. Bach Birthday Engagement Calendar Final Project Report, 1985. Performances and Publicity 144.E.18.4F 2 Christmas Oratorio, 1990. ACDA (American Choral Directors Association) Convention, 1991. Repertoire, 1959-1978. Programs and Publicity Chronological Files:

Includes performance programs, press clippings, and press releases arranged in chronological order.

 1946, 1959/60 - 1991/92. 34 folders 144.E.18.5B 3 1992/93 - 1993/94. 2 folders Press clippings, 1960-1993.

Mainly reviews of Society performances.

 Press releases, 1973-1991. 2 folders 148.C.19.3B Oversize folder: Scrapbook pages, 1961-1969.

Mounted newspaper and magazine clippings, primarily consisting of promotions and reviews of Society performances.

 144.E.18.5B 3 Music Director biographies and photographs: Chorus Director photographs, undated and 1981. 15 photographs. Donald Ferguson.

Ferguson was director of the Society from the early 1930s to 1950.

 David LaBerge.

Includes 3 photographs. LaBerge was music director of the Society from 1959 to 1980.

 Paul E. Oakley, 1987-1988.

Includes 5 photographs. Oakley was music director of the Society from 1987 into the 1990s.

 Patricia Porter.

Includes 5 photographs. Patricia Porter was assistant music director during the 1970s and 1980s.

 Henry Charles Smith.

Includes 2 photographs. Smith was music director of the Society from 1980 to 1987.