Archives & Special Collections: Victor Young Collection

Descriptive Summary

Creator: Victor Young, 1889-1968
Title: Victor Young Collection
Dates: 1927-1962  (bulk 1930-1950)
Size: 2 linear ft. (5 boxes)

Biographical Note

Victor Young, pianist, composer, and conductor, was born in Bristol, Tennessee on April 9, 1889.  He attended the Cincinnati School of Music and New York University.  He debuted as a pianist with the Russian Symphony Orchestra, and toured Europe and the United States as a pianist, arranger and conductor.  From 1919 to 1927, Young was associated with the Thomas Edison Laboratory in Orange, New Jersey, where he worked as Edison's personal pianist and musical director.  In the late 1920s, Young worked in California in the film industry and wrote the score for an early sound movie, In Old California.  Young composed orchestral works as well as numerous songs, particularly in the mountaineer idiom.  Later in his career Young directed radio programs and served as director of music at the Miami Military Institute and Sweetbriar College.  Young was married to the soprano Helen Davis, who was an Edison recording artist.  He died in Ossining, New York on September 2, 1968.

Scope and Content

The collection consists of printed materials, including correspondence, brochures, articles, and news clippings, sheet music, and manuscripts of songs and other musical works by Victor Young (1889-1968).  Printed materials primarily relate to Young's career as a musician, composer, and arranger, including his employment at the Edison Research Laboratory.  Music materials document Young's prolific output of popular songs as well as several orchestral works.

Arrangement

The papers, which are contained in manuscript boxes, are arranged into three series:

A.   Non-Music Materials
B.   Published Music
C.   Music and other Manuscripts

Series Descriptions

A. Non-Music Materials.   Boxes 1-2

This series consists of business and personal correspondence, brochures, pamphlets, articles and article drafts, news clippings, photographs, and a scrapbook.  Material related to Victor Young's relationship with Thomas Edison is included in this series.

B. Published Music Materials.  Box 2.

This series consists primarily of printed sheet music of songs written or co-written by Victor Young. Music by other composers from Young's personal collection is included.

C.  Music and other Manuscripts.  Boxes 3-5.

This series includes a paste-up version of an unpublished textbook by Schlieder and Young, Fundamentals of Musical Interpretation for Piano, and manuscripts of songs, many of which are also represented by sheet music.  In addition, there are multiple copies of orchestral works composed by Young including copies of music for Young's works Charm Assembly Line and Jeep.

Container List

Box 1 (cleaned)

• Folder 1:  Correspondence 1927 - 1939.
• Folder 2:  Correspondence 1940 - 1964.
• Folder 3:  Correspondence and notes 1927 - 1949, specifically  relating to Young's participation in Edison commemorative activities.  Includes Edison's 1927 letter of introduction for Young to movie producer Jesse Lasky, later reused for a later commemorative event.
• Folder 4:  Materials related to Edison commemoration:

• Folder 5:  Materials related to Victor Young's career, including a resume, concert program, press compilation and pamphets.
• Folder 6:  Typewritten copies and handwritten drafts of articles by Young, including Edison as I Knew Him, Your Attitude Establishes Your Altitude, Edison's Funny Bone, and others.
• Folder 6A: Two published articles on Thomas Edison by Victor Young
• Folder 7:   Undated photograph of Edison at his Orange, NJ laboratory.

Box 2  (Folders 8-16 not cleaned; Folders 17, 17A, 17B, 17C cleaned)

• Folder  8:  Helen Davis and Victor Young personal and professional scrapbook. Includes clippings, programs, brochures, invitations.  Approximate dates 1924-1940.
• Folder 8A: Three b/w photos and one ink drawing

• Folder 9: Sheet Music

• Folder 10: Sheet Music

• Folder 11: Sheet Music
  1. Organ Compositions No. 27728.  A Fragment.  Victor Young.  Transcribed by Alexander Schreiner.  1946.
  2. Help Yourself to Happiness.  Lyric by Victor Young.  Music by Thomas Griselle and Victor Young.  1930. 2 copies.
  3. When Mother Wields the Shingle (Tennessee Mountain Song).  Collected from the Natives by William R. Barbour.  Musical Setting by Victor Young.  1924. 3 copies.
  4. Land of Evangeline.  Lyric by Maude Hanaford.  Music by Victor Young.  1920.
  5. Under a Spanish Moon.  By Victor Young. 1926.

• Folder 12: Sheet Music

• Folder 13: Sheet Music

• Folder 14: Sheet Music

• Folder 15.   Choral Music:

• Folder 16: Sheet Music

• Folder 17: Other published materials.

• Folder 17A: Published score of Hungarian Farewell for String Orchestra by Menotti Salta and Nocturne and Danse for Orchestra Opus 8 by John Hausserman
• Folder 17B: Published score of American Symphonic Suite from W.C. Handy's St. Louis Blues transcribed by James P. Johnson
• Folder 17C: Published score of Rudy Vallee Sings Caribbean Sea: Waltz  Music by Victor Young and Raymond McKee.  Orchestration by Andre Koste.  Published score of Help Yourself to Happiness: Waltz.  Lyrics by Victor Young.   Music by Thomas Griselle and Victor Young.  Orchestration by Albert Ellwood.

Box 3 (not cleaned)

• Folder 18:  Manuscript of Fundamentals of Musical Interpretation for Piano, and several loose pages of notes.
• Folder 19:  Charm Assembly Line ballet.  Viola.  5 copies.
• Folder 20:  Charm Assembly Line [ballet].  Second violin.  7 copies.
• Folder 21:  Charm Assembly Line.  First violin.  8 copies.
• Folder 22:  Charm Assembly Line.  Bass.  4 copies.
• Folder 23:  Charm Assembly Line.  Cello.  5 copies.
• Folder 24:  Charm Assembly Line.  Percussion.  2 copies.
• Folder 25:  Charm Assembly Line.  First trumpet.  4 copies.
• Folder 26:  Charm Assembly Line.  Bassoon.  1 copy.  First horn.  1 copy.  Second horn.  1 copy.
• Folder 27:  Charm Assembly Line.  Flute.  1 copy.  Oboe.  1 copy.  First clarinet.  1 copy.
• Folder 28:  Charm Assembly Line.  Narrative and stage directions.
• Folder 29: Typescript of words and music for All on a Summer's Day: an Operetta for Boys and Girls.  Words by D.E. Wheeler.  Music by Victor Young.
• Folder 30: MSS in pencil and sheet music of song Gossip.
• Folder 31:  MSS in ink of songs The Cheery Chilly Polar Bear and The Seashell.  Words by Florence H. Aitken.  Music by Victor Young.
• Folder 32: MSS in pencil and sheet music of The Teakettle's Song.
• Folder 33: 2 MSS, in pencil and ink, and sheet music of song Don't Talk to Me of Spring.
• Folder 34: Pencil and ink MSS of songs In the Spring, When Bluebirds Sing, Step Lightly, A What-You-May-Call, Gossip, High on a Hilltop, Tale of a Privateer, Cat Tails, and unidentified pages.
• Folder 35: Pencil MSS of songs written or co-written by Young: Wash Day in the Sky, The Rose, Zoology, Investigation, Play in Summertime, The Giraffe that Wanted to Laugh, Friends are Very Dear  (fragment) and The Little Tin Rat (words and music by Helen Davis).

Box 4 (cleaned)

• Folder 36: MSS in ink of songs Moon Drenched Nights by  Zoel Parentou and Victor Young;  Lonesome as an Owl by  Victor Young;  Every Rose Has a Thorn, words and music by Victor Young.

• Folder 36A: MSS in ink and pencil of songs:

• Folder 36B:  MSS in ink and pencil of songs:

• Folder 37: Diazo process copies of In the Great Smokies, for various instruments
• Folder 38: Ink and pencil MSS for American Bagatelles for Piano.  Based on native melodies by Victor Young.
• Folder 39: Typescript for book of Thank Your Lucky Stars: A Musical.  Lyrics by Paul Gerard Smith.  Music by Zoel Parenteau and Victor Young.  Book by Victor Young.
• Folder 40: Pencil and typewritten MSS of Color Song Cycle.  Words by Thomas Grant Springer.  Music by Victor Young and Thos. Griselle
• Folder 41: Jeep.  Full Orchestra Cued for Concert Orchestra. Piano Conductor, 1st and 2nd violins.
• Folder 42:  Jeep.  Viola, Cello, Bass.
• Folder 43:  Jeep.   Piccolo, Flute, Oboes, Clarinets, Basson, Horns, Percussion.
• Folder 44:  Jeep. 1st and 2nd violins.
• Folder 45:  Jeep. Viola, Cello, Bass.
• Folder 46:  Jeep.  Piccolo, Flute, Oboe, Horns, Percussion.
• Folder 47:  Jeep.  Full Orchestra Cued for Concert Orchestra.  Violins.
• Folder 48:  Jeep.  Viola, Cello, Bass.
• Folder 49:  Jeep.  Piccolo, Oboes, Clarinets, Horns.

Box 5  (cleaned)

• Folder 50: Jeep.  Full Orchestra Cued for Concert Orchestra.  Piano Conductor. Violins, Viola, Piccolo, Oboe, Flute, Clarinet, Bassoon, Horns, Percussion.
• Folder 51:  Jeep.  Full Orchestra Cued for Concert Orchestra.  Piano Conductor. Various instruments as above.
• Folder 52:  Jeep. Full Orchestra Cued for Concert Orchestra. Various instruments as above.
• Folder 53:  Jeep. Full Orchestra Cued for Concert Orchestra. Various instruments as above.
• Folder 54:  Jeep. Full Orchestra Cued for Concert Orchestra. Various instruments as above.
• Folder 55.  Jeep. Full Orchestra Cued for Concert Orchestra. Various instruments as above.
• Folder 56:  Jeep. Full Orchestra Cued for Concert Orchestra. Various instruments as above.
• Folder 57:  Jeep. Full Orchestra Cued for Concert Orchestra. Various instruments as above.
• Folder 58:  Jeep. Full Orchestra Cued for Concert Orchestra. Various instruments as above.

Box 6 (uncleaned)

• Folder 59: Scherzetto.  MSS in ink.
• Folder 60: Scherzetto.  Full Score.  Set 1.  Diazo process copies.
• Folder 61: Scherzeto.   Full Score.  [Marked: Set 3]  Diazo process copies.
• Folder 62: Scherzetto.  Extra Parts.  Diazo process copies.

Access Points

1. Personal Names
   • Young, Victor, 1889-1968
   • Davis, Helen
   • Edison, Thomas A. (Thomas Alva), 1847-1931
2. Topical Subjects
   • Composers
   • Conductors (Music)
3. Genre / Form Terms
   • Correspondence
   • Songs
   • Sheet music
   • Scores
   • Scrapbooks

Administrative Information

• Access:  Unrestricted.
• Provenance:
  The Victor Young Collection came to Manhattanville College via the Shrub Oak, NY public library in summer 1972.  Victor Young's widow, Helen Davis, gave the materials to the Shrub Oak Library, probably in 1971.  Miss M. Sclar, Director of the Library, then offered the materials to Manhattanville.  A letter from Sister O'Connor of the Manhattanville College library to Ms. Sclar, dated August 1972, acknowledges the gift.
  A second collection of Victor Young materials is at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Music Division.
• Preferred Citation:
  Published citations should take the following form:  Victor Young Collection, Identification of item, date (if known); Manhattanville College Library Special Collections, Purchase, NY.
• Collection processed and finding aid compiled by Claire Gabriel, May-June 2002

Acknowledgement

A part of this collection has been preserved with a grant  from the New York State Program for the Conservation and Preservation of Library Research Materials.