Holdings Fine Arts and Applied Arts University Bands Lloyd P. Farrar Music Instr... Finding Aid Holdings Fine Arts and Applied Arts University Bands Lloyd P. Farrar Music Instr... Finding Aid By Nolan Vallier and Scott Schwartz
Title: Lloyd P. Farrar Music Instrument Collection and Personal Papers, 1850-2005
ID: 12/9/92
Primary Creator: Farrar, Lloyd Phillip
Extent: 84.0 cubic feet
Arrangement: The Collection is arranged into four unique series: Series 1) Musical Instruments, Series 2) Personal Papers, Series 3) Published Books of Museum Exhibitions and General Histories, and Series 4) Treatises on Instrument Builders and Performance Practice. Series 1 is arranged chronologically by date of acrual. Series 2 is arranged alphabetically by title. Series 3 is arranged into two subseries: Subseries 1) Museum Catalog Books and Exhibits of Musical Instruments and Subseries 2) Published Biographies and General Histories, Both are arranged alphabetically by title. Series 4 is arranged into two subseries: Subseries 1) Publications, Dissertations, and Unpublished Manuscripts on Instrument Builders and Subseries 2) Treatises on Musical Instrument Performance Practice, Both are arranged alphabetically by title.
Date Acquired: 09/26/1995. More info below under Accruals.
Subjects: Brass Instruments, Musical Instrument Collections, Musical Instrument Makers - Europe, Musical Instrument Makers - United States, organology
Formats/Genres: Papers
Languages: English, German, Dutch;Flemish, Czech, Japanese
The collection consists of Woodwind, string, and brass instruments by predominantly American, but some European, musical instrument manufacturers; Personal papers including notes on instrument builders, articles written about musical instruments, and photographs of musical instruments; and Books on musical instrument builders, museum collections and exhibits of musical instruments, treatises on performance practice and building musical instruments, and general histories about music in the 19th century.
Lloyd P. Farrar (ca. 1932) has been interested in musical instruments since he was a child. After starting college as a geologist in North Carolina he hitchhiked across the country to the University of Illinois where he studied trombone and musicology. After joining the Phi Mu Alpha Fraternity he met his wife Doris Vogt, then a member of Mu Phi Epsilon, both were involved in musical activities at the University and they were married in 1956. At the University of Illinois he performed as the principal trombonist in the University Symphony Orchestra as well as on sackbut with the Collegium Musicum. Farrar graduated with his bachelors degree in music in 1955 and his masters degree in 1956. After his time at the University of Illinois, Farrar spent a year in the Netherlands on a Fullbright Grant studying early Dutch music. He and his wife then traveled to the University of Texas at Austin where he began his PhD in Musicology, but he never completed his dissertation. While he was in Washington DC studying at the Library of Congress, Farrar took a job teaching music history and band at Mary Washington College in Viriginia. In addition, he helped to form the nearby Prince George's Civic Orchestra in Washington DC, conducting the orchestra from 1965 to 1969. Around 1971, Farrar began to lose his sight and abandoned much of his intensive bibliographic work at the time, but continued his organological work. During the mid 1970s he collected hundreds of musical instruments as a means of correcting and expanding Lindesay Langwill's instrumental history book to include American manufacturers. Between the late 1970s and mid 1980s, Farrar was one of the country's leading organologists writing articles for The Woodwind Quarterly, The International Trumpet Guild, The American Musical Instrument Society, The Serpent Newsletter, and the American Musicological Society as well as serving on the board of governors for the American Musical Instrument Society where he chaired the committee for revisions to the Langwill Index. In 1988, Farrar examined and arranged the John Held and Chatfield Band Library at the Utah State Archives. In the late 1980s he began the Patuxent Martial Musick Collection in Colesville, Maryland, which was later transferred to the Sousa Archives in 1995. In 1996, the Farrars moved to Norris, Tennessee, where Mr. Farrar continues to collect and write about musical instruments.
Brass Instruments
Musical Instrument Collections
Musical Instrument Makers - Europe
Musical Instrument Makers - United States
organology
Repository: The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
Additional materials were acquired from Lloyd Farrar on September 29, 2004; January 25, 2005; March 4, 2012; and June 26, 2016.
Yamaha Bb Flugelhorn received from Geoffrey Britten on May 2, 2019.
Serpent, Sackbut, Alto Shawm, and Tenor Shawm transferred from the School of Music on July 22, 2024.
Acquisition Source: Lloyd Farrar
Acquisition Method: Gift of Lloyd and Doris Farrar.
Accession number: 2004.120992.027
Physical condition: Good
Material composition: Silver
Note: La Fletche Cie was probably an imported instrument by the Sears Roebuck company
Accession number: 2004.120992.029
Physical condition: Good
Material composition: Brass
Accession number: 2004.120992.006
Physical condition: Excellent
Material composition: Silver
Accession number: 2004.120992.049
Physical condition: Fair
Material composition: Brass
Accession number: 2004.120992.048
Physical condition: Very Good
Material composition: Silver
Accession number: 2004.120992.003
Physical condition: Good
Material composition: Silver and Brass
Accession number: 2004.120992.002
Physical condition: Fair
Material composition: Silver and Brass
Accession number: 2004.120992.020
Physical condition: Good
Material composition: Silver and Brass
Accession number: 2004.120992.017
Physical condition: Good
Material composition: Silver and Brass
Accession number: 2004.120992.018
Physical condition: Good
Material composition: Copper and Bronze
Accession number: 2004.120992.019
Physical condition: Good
Material composition: Silver and Brass
Accession number: 2004.120992.014
Physical condition: Excellent
Material composition: Brass
Accession number: 2004.120992.016
Physical condition: Good
Material composition: Brass
Accession number: 2004.120992.024
Physical condition: Poor
Material composition: Brass
Accession number: 2004.120992.030
Physical condition: Excellent
Material composition: Silver
Accession number: 2004.120992.001
Physical condition: Poor
Material composition: Silver
Accession number: 2004.120992.023
Physical condition: Good
Material composition: Silver and Brass
Accession number: 2004.120992.022
Physical condition: Excellent
Material composition: Silver and Brass
Accession number: 2004.120992.015a and 2004.120992.015c
Physical condition: Good
Material composition: Silver and Copper
Reproduction mouthpiece 2004.120992.15b (see also mouthpiece box 1)
Accession number: 2004.120992.009
Physical condition: Good
Material composition: Rose and Yellow Brass
Accession number: 2004.120992.032
Physical condition: Poor
Material composition: Silver and Brass
Accession number: 2004.120992.008
Physical condition: Good
Material composition: Brass
Engraving on Slide Portion reads: 1912 PAT APP'ld FOR, refering to tuning mechanism in slide. Has TIS Slide Mechanism.
Accession number: 2004.120992.012
Physical condition: Excellent
Material composition: Silver
Accession number: 2004.120992.010
Physical condition: Good
Material composition: Silver and Nickel
Non-accession number: 2004.120992.007
Physical condition: Excellent
Material composition: Brass and Gold
Accession number: 2004.120992.025
Physical condition: Good
Material composition: Silver and Brass
Note: Mareau was a puppet company based in the Cech Republic that was owned and operated by Sears Roebuck and Co.
Non-accession number: 2004.120992.026
Physical condition: Excellent
Material composition: Silver and Brass
Accession number: 2004.120992.005
Physical condition: Very Good
Material composition: Silver and Brass
Accession number: 2004.120992.013
Physical condition: Good
Material composition: Gold plating
Accession number: 2004.120992.004
Physical condition: Good
Material composition: Silver and Brass
Accession number: 2004.120992.028
Physical condition: Good
Material composition: Brass
Accession number: 2004.120992.033
Physical condition: Good
Material composition: Silver, Nickel and Brass
Accession number: 2004.120992.031
Physical condition: Poor
Material composition: Brass
Accession number: 2004.120992.011
Physical condition: Excellent
Material composition: Gold Plated
Accession number: 2004.120992.021
Physical condition: Very Good
Material composition: Brass
Accession number: 2004.120992.034
Physical condition: Fair
Material composition: Wood and Plastic
Accession number: 2004.120992.036
Physical condition: Poor
Material composition: Wood
Accession number: 2004.120992.035
Physical condition: Good
Material composition: Leather
Accession number: 2004.120992.047
Physical condition: Good
Material composition: Brass
Accession Number: 2012.120992.001
Serial: 20722.
Physical Condition: Slow valves, 1st and 3rd slides inoperable.
Note:Â Came with Mellophone mouthpiece and lyre.
Accession number: 2012.120992.002
Serial: 121391.
Physical condition: Valves stuck. Good condition otherwise.
Material: Silver plated brass.
Accession number: 2012.120992.003
Serial: 29394 on bell and 27733 on second valve case.
Physical Condition: Good
Material: Silver
Accession number: 2012.120992.007
Serial: 117322
Physical Condition: Playable, slides inoperable
Material: Brass
Accession number: 2012.120992.004
Physical Condition: Missing 2nd valve slide, unplayable
Material: coin silver
Accession number: 2012.120992.006
Serial: 15840 on bell and 18143 on second valve case.
Physical Condition: Stuck 1st valve, 1st and 3rd slides inoperable.
Material: Brass
Accession number: 2012.120992.005
Physical Condition: Good
Material: Brass
Accession number: 2012.120992.008
Physical Condition: Good
Material: Silver-plated brass
Note: Period mouth piece included with instrument. It came from a Paris, Texas music store according to Farrar.
Accession number: 2012.120992.009
Serial: 5452 on bell and 6226 on second valve case.
Physical Condition: Good condition, first valve tuning slide frozen.
Material: Brass
Accession Number: 2012.1209092.016.
Material/Condition: Brass, Excellent.
Contains Screw Bell.
Accession Number: 2012.1209092.017a-e.
Material/Condition; Brass, Fair Condition.
Contains Four Crooks and Pig Tail Lead Pipe. Engraved on Bell "Angefertig von Helmut Finke Herford".
Accession Number: 2012.1209092.018.
Material/Condition: Silver Lacquer, Excellent Condition.
Amati Mouthpiece Size 5 Included in Case.
Accession number: 2016.1209092.001.
Silver Lacquer, Fair Condition.
No Mouthpiece.
Accession Number: 2016.1209092.002a
Condition/Material: Silver Lacquer with Gold Bell, Excellent Condition
Contains original Case, Lyre (accession number 2016.1209092.002b), Keefer Mouthpiece (Gold Lacquer, excellent condition - accession number 2016.1209092.002c), Cleaning rod, Keefer Oil container (accession number 2016.1209092.002d), slide (accession number 2016.1209092.002e). Trombone has TIS system.
Accession Number: 2016.1209092.003a.
Material/Condition: Silver Lacquer with Gold finishing, Good Condition
Mouthpiece: Gold Plated Distin (undated) Accession number: 2016.1209092.003b.
NOTE: Original Case is Cloth, Handle with Extreme Care.
Accession Number: 2016.1209092.004.
Material/Condition: Brass, Fair Condition.
Original Case, Contains Lyre.
Accession Number: 2016.1209092.005.
Material/Condition: Silver Lacquer, Good Condition.
Trombone has slide handle for lower positions.
NOTE: Original Leather Case Extremely Fragile, Handle With Care.
Accession Number: 2016.1209092.006.
Material/Condition: Silver Lacquer, Good Condition.
Accession Number: 2016.1209092.007.
Material/Condition: Silver Lacquer, Good Condition.
Note: Case is Damaged, Handle with Care.
Accession Number: 2016.1209092.008.
Material/Condition: Silver Lacquer, Good Condition.
Stamped with USQMC on Bell (U.S. Quartermaster Corps)
Accession Number: 2016.1209092.009.
Material/Condition: Brass, Good Condition.
Material/Condition: Wood, Leather, Brass. Condition excellent. Contains serpent, bocal, lead pipe, and mouthpiece. Created as a prototype instrument by Jeremy West for Christopher Monk Instruments, no serial number or case is included.
Accession number 2018.1209092.001a through 2018.1209092.001d.
Accession number: 2012.1209092.012
Physical condition: Fair, main water key spring broken
Material Composition:
Accession number: 2012.12090092.020
Physical condition: Fair, tuning slides to first and third valve slides, and main tuning slide frozen
Material composition:
Very rare Distin model
Accession number: 2012.12090092.021
Physical condition: Good
Material composition:
Very rare Distin model
Accession number: 2012.1209092.011
Physical condition: Poor, first valve frozen
Material composition:
Inscription on bell reads "Guaranteed British made throughout the R. S. Williams & Sons Company, Toronto."
Accession number: 2012.1209092.022
Physical condition: Good
Material composition:
Accession number: 2012.1209092.024
Physical condition: Fair, first tuning slide frozen
Material composition:
Accession number: 2012.1209092.029
Physical condition: fair, engraving on bell is badly worn, second valve is sticky, main tuning slide frozen, and one valve missing rotor screw cap.
Material composition:
Very rare model.
Accession number: 2012.1209092.019
Physical condition: second valve frozen
Material composition:
Horn is in the shape of a baritone and is possibly low-pitch
Accession number: 2012.1209092.015
Physical condition: Poor, third valve tuning slide frozen, 4-inch patch on bell next to engraving, and first and second valve buttons no original.
Material composition:
The instrument was probably dropped and the bell is heavily damaged. The instrument is probably high pitch.
Accession number: 2012.1209092.026
Physical condition: Poor, no valves and badly deteriorated
Material compositon: Nickel-plated brass
Very early example of a Stratton Over-the-shoulder tuba
Accession number: 2012.1209092.027
Physical condition: Poor, extensive de-zincification throughout the instrument, thumb brack is broken, and several joints are taped together.
Material composition: Nickel plated brass
Accession number: 2012.1209092.016
Physical condition: Good, slide lock inoperable
Material composition:
Rare model trombone
Accession number: 2012.1209092.013A and B
Physical condition: Good, has original mouthpiece
Material composition:
Accession number: 2012.1209092.017
Physical condition: Fair, original mouth piece with 1 slide section and pigtail leadpipe
Material composition:
Accession number: 2012.1209092.018
Physical condition:Good
Material composition:
This is a 20th-century recreation
Accession number: 2012.1209092.031A & B
Physical condition: Very good
Material composition:
Intrument includes an original mouthpiece
Accession number: 2012.1209092.030
Physical condition: Good
Material composition:
Accession number: 2012.1209092.025
Physical condition: Fair
Material composition
Accession number: 2012.1209092.014
Physical condition: Good
Material Composition:
Wagnerian tuba modeled after it.
Accession number: 2012.1209092.010
Physical condition: Fair, large patch around the circumfrance of the bell, and second valve tuning slide frozen
Material composition:
Accession number: 2012.1209092.028
Physical condition: Fair, third valve tuning slide frozen
Material composition:
Instrument acquired by Geoffrey Brittin from Lloyd Farrar in the early 2000s, acquired by the Sousa Archives as part of the Farrar Collection on May 2, 2019. See also Musical Americana, Series 3, Box 73, Folder 1, containing photograph and letter related to the instrument.
Case contains Bach 7C mouthpiece. Yamaha Flugelhorn manufactured in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Physical condition: Good
Material: Rose and Yellow Brass
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