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Collection Overview
Title: Frederic B Stiven Papers, 1907-1951
ID: 12/5/20
Primary Creator: Stiven, Frederic B. (Frederic Benjamin) (1882-1947)
Extent: 1.0 cubic feet
Arrangement: Alphabetically by subject and chronologically thereunder
Date Acquired: 02/25/1965
Subjects: Alpha Sigma Phi, Compositions-Music, Europe, Music, School of, Oberlin College, Organs, Paris, France, Phi Mu Alpha, Pi Kappa Lambda, Students, University of Illinois
Formats/Genres: Papers
Languages: English
Scope and Contents of the Materials
Consists of manuscripts and speech drafts, correspondence, concert programs, news clippings, daily journal from 1910 French tour, diplomas and awards, membership certificates, photographs and unpublished compositions. In addition, the papers contain materials documenting the final days of organist, Alexandre Guillmant.
Biographical Note
Frederic Benjamin Stiven (1882-1947) was born in Ionia, Michigan on July 17, 1882. He graduated from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in 1907 where he studied organ. From 1907 to 1909 he was employed as an instructor of organ at Oberlin University. In 1908, he married Alice Beckweth, the two would have five children. In 1910, he traveled to Paris to study organ and orchestration at the Paris Conservatory. While on tour in Paris, he studied briefly with Alexandre Guilmant and Charles-Marie Widor, both 19th century French organists and composers. After Guilmant's death in 1911, Stivens returned to the United States where he became a member of the American Guild of Organists and published several articles on European organs. Between 1912 and 1920 he continued to teach organ performance at the Oberlin Conservatory.
In 1921, Stivens became the director of the School of Music at the University of Illinois. Stivens was preceeded in this position by John Lawrence Erb (1914-1921) and followed by John Kuypers (1947-1950). During his first year as director, the School of Music opened Smith Music hall on campus. In addition to his role as director, Stivens taught senior organ students, played weekly vesper organ recitals alongside Russel Hancock Miles, taught a course in music theory, and conducted the University Choral Society. In 1924 he wrote his first book, The Organ Lofts of Paris. In 1936, he served as the U.S. representative to the International Music Congress in Prague. The following year, he received a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Chicago Music College. In 1944, he was appointed a member of the graduate commission of the National Association of Schools of Music. As the Director of the School of Music, Stiven also served as the President of the Music Teachers' National Association, the Vice-President of the National Association of Schools of Music, and the President of Pi Kappa Lamba. He was also named an honorary member of Phi Mu Alpha and Alpha Sigma Phi. After suffering a chronic illness, Stiven died in Urbana, Illinois on January 21, 1947.
Subject/Index Terms
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Box:
[
Box 1],
[All]
- Box 1
- Folder 1: American Guild of Organists Examination Papers for Associateship and Fellowship, 1913
- Folder 2: Chicago Music College Doctor of Music Degree and Program, 1937
- Folder 3: Clipping and Manuscripts on Music Education, 1923-1924
- Folder 4: Compositions (unpublished), undated
- Folder 5: Concert Series Materials, 1941
- Folder 6: Correspondence, Clippings, and Programs, 1926-1927
- Folder 7: Correspondence, 1923-1946
- Includes specifications for an organ purchase ca. 1920
- Folder 8: Education Value of Music Study, undated
- Folder 9: Freshman Orientation, 1931
- Folder 10: Alexandre Guilmant, 1911-1913
- Guilmant was a preeminent organist during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. File contains Guilmant's calling card, note from Guilmant postponing lesson with Stiven due to illness, invitation to Guilmant's Funeral, invitation to memorial service in Guilmant's honor, Guilmant's death notice in the Paris-Journal, two notes from Felix Guilmant (Alexandre Guilmant's son), Stiven's memoir of Guilmant published in The Diapason, and a request for subscriptions to the American contribution to a monument to Guilmant in the Trocadero, Paris.
- Folder 11: High School Conference Addresses, 1921-1939
- Folder 12: Induction, 1921
- Folder 13: Practical Tratise of Instrumentation (unpublished), undated
- Folder 14: Journal of French Tour, 1910
- A daily journal from July, August, and November, 1910, describing visits to the Gobelin factory, Chantilly, Les Invalides, Cluny, and the Bois de Vincennes (to see flying tour of military aeroplanes); attendance at services at San Sulpice to hear Widor, Ste. Clotilde, and St. Uestache (to pull stops for Bonnet); and his own first service played at St. Marcel. Many anecdotes of and about American musicians, relatives, and common tourists are given.
- Folder 15: Lully, Jean Baptiste, undated
- Folder 16: Kestenberg, Leo (Czechoslovakia, Music Education, Palestine), 1938-1939
- Folder 17: Manuscripts - Private Music Teachers, 1935-1937
- Folder 18: Manuscripts - Christmas Carols, 1935-1937
- Folder 19: Manuscripts - Commencement - Gridley High School, 1935-1937
- Folder 20: Membership Certificates, 1912-1925
- Folder 21: Memorial Resolutions and Tributes, 1947-1951
- Folder 22: Music Educators Association Address, Catholic, 1944
- Folder 23: Music Education, First International Cogress of, at Prague, 1936
- Includes: 2 photographs, reports of addresses (including recommendations of Stiven, reprinted from Education June 12, 1936 by Robert Mayer), program, reprint report of organization, plan of work and congress by Leo Kastenburg ("The Present State of History of Music Education in Europe"), invitation to Stiven from Kastenburg to participate and send exhibits (describing the Society for Music Education and proposed Journal), correspondence from W.G. Hill (acting director), from US State Department of Stiven's appointment as delegate, American Consulate General in Prague with instructions, information of congress, letter from Kastenburg thanking Stiven and proposing further action on Stiven's resolutions, plan for future congresses, Stiven's address to Congress, and Stiven's report to Secretary of State.
- Folder 24: Music Education Students and the Certification Law, 1942
- Folder 25: Music in the Middle West, Status of, undated
- Folder 26: Music Teachers National Association - Organ and Choral Music Report, 1930
- Folder 27: Music Teachers National Association - Photograph and Program, 1935
- Folder 28: Musicians, Rachmaninoff, 1940-1943
- Folder 29: Musicians Debt to the Inventor, March 11, 1938
- Folder 30: Oberlin Diploma, 1907
- Folder 31: Organ Articles for Etude, 1922-1923
- Folder 32: Photographs, 1931-1946
- Folder 33: Pi Kappa Lambda Address on Music, 1941
- Folder 34: Progressive Schools, Aims of Music Education in, 1937
- Folder 35: Publications, 1924-1926
- Folder 36: Recital Programs, 1907-1930
- Folder 37: Star Course, 50th Anniversary, 1942
- Folder 38: Manuscripts, undated
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