Research Catalog

Title

Edward Boatner papers, 1941-1980.

Author

Boatner, Edward.

Supplementary Content

Finding Aid

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Description

2.4 lin. ft.

Summary

The Edward Boatner papers reflect his activities as composer, choral conductor, music professor and author of music textbooks. The music in the collection consists of scores for "Freedom Suite," his musical comedy "Julius Sees Her in Rome, Georgia," and his opera "Troubled in Mind." There are also scores for four gospel songs written by Boatner, and voice parts for selections from his musical play, "He Will Answer."

Subjects

• Composers
• Music > Instruction and study
• Hayes, Roland, 1887-1977
• Music teachers
• Boatner, Edward
• Schram, Rudolph
• Scripts
• African American authors
• African American composers
• African Americans > Music

Genre/Form

Scripts.

Reproduction (note)

• Photocopies in part.
• Typescripts in part.

Source (note)

• Boatner, Sarah

Biography (note)

• Edward Hammond Boatner was a composer, choral conductor, music professor and singer. He was also the author of plays, music instruction materials and essays regarding African-American history. Born in 1898 in New Orleans, Louisiana, Boatner taught himself to play the piano, and began collecting spirituals at an early age. He published his first arrangement of a spiritual, "Give Me Jesus," in 1918. After a period of study in Boston, Boatner moved to Chicago, where he earned his Bachelor's degree from the Chicago College of Music in 1932. He also served as director of music for the National Baptist Convention from 1925-33.

Processing Action (note)

• Surveyed
• Cataloging updated

Call Number

Sc MG 82

OCLC

NYPW89-A33

Author

Boatner, Edward.

Title

Edward Boatner papers, 1941-1980.

Series

06-22-96

Reproduction

Photocopies in part.

Typescripts in part.

Biography

Edward Hammond Boatner was a composer, choral conductor, music professor and singer. He was also the author of plays, music instruction materials and essays regarding African-American history. Born in 1898 in New Orleans, Louisiana, Boatner taught himself to play the piano, and began collecting spirituals at an early age. He published his first arrangement of a spiritual, "Give Me Jesus," in 1918. After a period of study in Boston, Boatner moved to Chicago, where he earned his Bachelor's degree from the Chicago College of Music in 1932. He also served as director of music for the National Baptist Convention from 1925-33.

Boatner was a member of the music faculty at Samuel Huston College from 1933-35, and at Wiley College from 1936-37. During the late 1930's, he settled permanently in New York, where he provided private musical instruction through the Edward Boatner Studio. His students included Metropolitan Opera singer George Shirley, as well as performers Josephine Baker, Clifton Webb and Libby Holman.

Boatner arranged nearly three hundred spirituals, many of which have been performed and recorded by various artists. His "Freedom Suite," an original classical work for narrator, soloists, chorus and orchestra, with lyrics by Rudolf Schramm, premiered in 1967 at Constitution Hall in Washington D.C. Boatner's musical plays include "The Man From Nazareth" and "The Origin of the Spirituals." He also wrote thirty textbooks in the areas of music theory, composition, pedagogy and piano technique. He was active as a teacher and conductor of choral groups until his death on June 16, 1981 in New York, N.Y. Best known among his children was the jazz saxophonist, Edward "Sonny" Stitt.

Connect to:

Finding Aid

Research Call Number

Sc MG 82