Finding Aid for Matthew de Lacey Davidson Music and Papers, 1920-2024 | The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

By Thornton Miller, Kendall McFarlin, Nolan Vallier

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Collection Overview

Scope and Contents of the Materials

Biographical Note

Subject/Index Terms

Administrative Information

Box and Folder Listing

Series 1: Music Compositions and Research, 1975-2022

Consists of original music scores and recordings, research conducted by Davidson, programs featuring performances of Davidson's music, correspondence with composers including Stephen Sondheim and William Bolcom, and biographical information on Davidson, documenting his career as a pianist, composer, and researcher. Materials are arranged into two subseries: 1) Original Scores, Recordings, and Programs and 2) Biography, Correspondence, and Research.

Sub-Series 1: Original Music Recordings and Scores, 1975-2016

Consists of recordings and scores of original music by Davidson. Materials are arranged by material type. Recordings are arranged first using a three digit-code assigned by Davidson and then alphabetically. NOTE: The dates listed for the burned CDs frequently correspond to the last modfied date of the file on the CD, which may or may nor correspond to the work's publication date or of the performance date. Scores are arranged alphabetically by title.

Box 1

Item 1: 001 - The Graceful Ghost, CD, 1994

Item 2: 002 - Voodoo Queen, CD, 1995

Item 3: 003 - Sugar's Nightmare, CD, 1996

Item 4: 004 - I Had 5 Long Years, CD, 1994

Item 5: 005 - Quatre mélodies québécoises, CD, 1994

Item 6: 006 - KGNU Interview, CD, 1992

Item 7: 007 - Symphony No. 1 in 20 Keys, CD, 1994

Item 8: 008 - The Singing Lesson, CD, 1994

Item 9: 009 - Le poème inattendu, CD, 1994

Item 10: 010 - Quartetto dell'Arte, CD, 1994

Item 11: 011 - R. Schumann, Quintet for Piano and Strings, orchestrated by Davidson; Music for Viola and Orchestra by Davidson, CD, 1994

Item 12: 012 - Trois œuvres de Rameau; Menuet; Nicklettes; and Music for Piano with Orchestra, CD, 1994

Item 13: 013 - Trio Sonata for Flute, Violin, and Harp; and Bergamasques, CD, 1994

Item 14: 014 - Davidson Performances, CD, 1994

Item 15: 015 - Dekalb, IL Concert, CD, 1991

Item 16: Études, CD, 1994

Item 17: The Graceful Ghost: Contemporary Piano Rags, CD, 1994

Recorded by Mastersound.

Item 18: The Graceful Ghost: Contemporary Piano Rags, CD, 2007

Recorded by Capstone Records.

Item 19: I Had 5 Long Years, world premiere, CD, 2009

Item 20: New Zealand Music and Early Works, CD, 1994

Item 21: On the Highwire: Piano Rags, Waltzes and Tangos by Donald Ashwander, performed by Davidson, CD, 2000

Recorded by Capstone Records.

Item 22: Pianoforte Anachronisms, CD, 1994

Item 23: Quatre mélodies québécoises, CD, 1994

Item 24: Space Shuffle and Other Futuristic Rags, CD, 1992

Recorded by Stomp Off Records.

Item 25: Stolen Music: Chamber and Electronic Music, CD, 1996

Recorded by Mastersound.

Item 26: Stolen Music, CD, 2000

Recorded by Capstone Records.

Item 27: Sugar's Nightmare: Piano Rags to Jazz, 1898-1995, CD, 1996

Recorded by Mastersound.

Item 28: Syncopated Lady, CD, 1999

Recorded by Capstone Records. Featuring Tomoko Deguchi on piano. Tracks include Davidson's Etude Book 1.

Item 33: Talencourt: Music for Voice, Piano, and Strings, CD, 2008

Recorded by Capstone Records.

Item 31: Voodoo Queen: Piano Rags, Jazz and Blues, CD, 1995

Recorded by Mastersound.

Item 32: Whippin' the Keys: 75 Years of Novelty Piano Ragtime, CD, 2001

Recorded by Capstone Records.

Box 2

Folder 1: 5 Vignettes for Piano, 1982-1984

Folder 2: After Brahms: Nine Concert Tangos, for one piano-four hands, 2000

Folder 3: Aliens Disguised as Elvis Kidnapped by Grandmother's Appendix..., Theater Piece for Seven Performers, 1990

Full Title: Aliens Disguised as Elvis Kidnapped my Grandmother's Appendix in a Previous Life After Having Been Sucked Through a Black Hole Singularity on a Sunday Afternoon Picnic in the Park with Aunt Jemima Puddleduck While Discussing the Simultaneity of States of Sub-Atomic Particles, K. 666

Folder 4: Deux Plaisenteries, for Eb Alto Sax and Piano, 1989-1993

Folder 5: Etudes Book I, for Piano Solo, 1993

Folder 6: Etudes Book II: A Ragtime Odyssey, five rags for Solo Piano, 2022

Folder 7: Fragments for Woodwind Quintet , 2020

American Composers Edition (BMI).

Folder 8: I Had Five Long Years, 1991

Folder 9: In the Land of Wonderful Dreams: A Suite of Five Piano Rags, 2021

Folder 10: Magyar Rondo, for Solo Viola, 1985

Folder 11: Á la manière de Borodine, by Maurice Ravel, arranged for Woodwind Quintet by Matthew Davidson, 2020

American Composers Edition (BMI).

Folder 12: Menuetto from Symphony No. 5 in Bb Major D. 485, by Franz Schubert, arranged for piano by Matthew Davidson, 2008

Folder 13: Millet Music , 1992

Folder 14: Music for Viola and Piano, 2006

Folder 15: Nicklettes: A Children's Suite of Seven Piano Pieces, 1996

Folder 16: Nonsense Music: Five English Songs, for Mezzo Soprano and Piano, 2006

Folder 17: One for Max, piano rag, 2021

Dedication: For Max Morath on the occasion of his 95th birthday.

Folder 18: The Owl and the Pussy Cat, 2007

Folder 19: A Rag Suite for Piano Solo: Three Elusive Rags, 1989-1990

Manuscript Score

Folder 20: Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, 2019

Box 5

Folder 1: Sonatine Pastorale, pour le piano, 2008

Folder 2: Six Chorale Preludes, for Piano Solo, 2002

Folder 3: Stolen Music, for a Flute Player, 1993

Folder 4: String Quartet: Im Stil von Haydn, 2022

Folder 5: Sylvan Catch, 1987

Folder 6: Three Elusive Rags, 1989-1990

Folder 7: Trois Oevres de Rameau, arranged for Orchestra by Matthew Davidson, 1999

Folder 8: Winnsboro Cottonmill Blues, by Frederic Rzewski, arranged for One Piano-Four Hands by Matthew Davidson, 2016

Box 6

Item 1: 4 CD Projects - Data Disc, CD, 2024

Contains audio recordings and liner notes.

Item 2: 4 CD Projects - Data Disc, DVD, 2024

Item 3: Davidson - Music Videos, CD, 2020-2024

Contains video files for performances of: Magyar Rondo; Twin Muse After Brahms; Papillons III, VI, X, XIII, XV; Prelude No. 2; Prelude No. 6; Schubert Menuetto; Schumann; Sonatina.

Item 4: De Lacy Davidson Music Scores, CD, 2024

Contains PDF, MP3, and WAV files of the following original compositions: After Brahms, Etudes Book I, Five Vignettes for Piano, Menuetto, Nicklettes, Papillons, Sonatine Pastorale, Three Elusive Rags, Etudes Book II, In the Land of Wonderful Dreams, One for Max, Six Chorale Preludes for Piano Solo, Rzewski Arrangement, Clarinet Sonata, Lithuanian Melodies for Flute and Guitar, String Quartet im Stil von Haydn, Serendipity, Ravel a la maniere de Borodine, Wind Quintet, Rameau for Orchestra, The Singing Lesson, Chamber Works, Deux Plais, Le Poeme Inattendu, Nicklettes for Orchestra, Robert Schumann Symphony, I Had Five Long Years, Music for Viola and Orchestra, Music for Viola and Piano, The Owl and the Pussy Cat, Quatre Melodies Quebecoises, Zwei Motetten, Nonsense Music, Quartetto Dell-Art, Symphony No. 1, and Three Songs.

Item 5: Ghost Disc 1, Master CD, 1994

Item 6: Ghost Disc 2, Master CD, 1994

Item 7: Grand Piano Radio Program CD and DVD Performance, 2001

Includes a CD "The Grand Piano" radio program about the music of Davidson by Leslie Gerber for WMHT-FM, and a DVD of  performances of music by Davidson that are played by himself and Rudolf Haken that can obly be viewed at the Sousa Archive.

Item 8: On the Highwire, Master CD, 1994

Item 9: Sugar's Nightmare, Master CD, 1994

Sub-Series 2: Music Research and Manuscript Scores by Other Composers, 1982-2022

Consists of original research (which includes sound file examples on CD and written drafts), correspondence with major composers, and manuscript scores sent to Davidson by other composers. Materials are arranged by material type. Recordings are arranged first by a three-digit numeric code that was assigned by Davidson and then alphabetically. Paper records and scores are arranged alphabetically.

Box 1

Item 32: 016 - Swanee Smiles, CD, 1994

Item 33: 017 - Aunt Hagar, CD, 1994

Item 34: 018 - Stomp Off, CD, 1994

Item 35: 019 - Stardust, CD, 1994

Item 36: 020 - 78 RPM Record Collection, CD, 2017-2018

Item 37: 78 RPM Record Collection, CD, 2017-2018

Item 38: Aunt Hagar's Children Blues, 78 RPM Reord Collection, CD, 1994

Item 39: Stardust etc, 78 RPM Record Collection, CD, 1994

Item 40: Stomp Off, Let's Go, etc., 78 RPM Record Collection, CD, 1994

Item 41: Swanee Smiles, etc., 78 RPM Record Collection, CD, 1994

Box 3

Folder 1: Research - The Effort Before the Prize, 2022

Folder 2: Research - Moonlight Memories: Brunswick Hot Dance Bands on the Early 1920s, c. 2022

Folder 3: Research - "The Remarkable Robert I. Pinsker Meets the Extraordinary Lemuel Fowler", 2022

Folder 4: Research - Society of Composers, Inc., 2012

Folder 5: Research - The Syncopated Times, 2021-2022

Box 5

Folder 9: Compositions - Ashwander, Donald, 1971-1988

Compositions by Donald Ashwander include "Empty Porches;" "Mobile Carnival rag-tango;" "Perdido Bay Moon Rag;" "Waterloo Rag;" "On The Highwire;" "Saratoga Rag;" "Summer Garden;" "October;" "Old Streets;" "Forgotten Ballrooms." Used by Davidson for recordings and performances at the University of Illinois.

Folder 10: Compositions - Ashwander, Donald - The Brooklyn Stop and Start and Sunday Night, Manhattan, 1975-1984

Folder 11: Compositions - Ashwander, Donald - Daybreak in Alabama, Phases of the Moon, The Locust, and Yardsale Rag, 1962-1992

Folder 12: Compositions - Bolcom, William - Epithalamium: A Rag, 1993

Folder 13: Compositions - Morath, Max - In Seperate Rooms (An American Song Cycle), 1990

This score was the first performance given by Davidson (piano) and Rebecca Toon (soprano) at the University of Illinois in 1992.

Folder 14: Compositions - Rzewski, Frederic - Winnsboro Cottonmill Blues for two pianos, undated

Arranged by composer Frederic Rzewski and sent to Davidson in 1992. May only be viewed at the Sousa Archives.

Folder 15: Correspondence - Ashwander, Donald, 1991-1994

Folder 16: Correspondence - Morath, Max, 1992-1994

Folder 17: Correspondence - Sondheim, Stephen, 1982

Folder 18: Concert Program from Max Morath's Stage Show, 1993

Folder 19: Research - The Syncopated Times, 2023-2024

Box 6

Item 10: Moonlight Memories, CD 1, 1994

Item 11: Moonlight Memories, CD 2, 1994

Item 12: Brunswick I and II, CDs, 1994

Two Discs.

Item 13: Davidson - Book, CD Project, and Scores, CD, 2023

Contains digital records for research projects Moonlight Memories, The Effort Above the Prize, and Lemuel Fowler Article

Series 2: Creative Writing and Visual Art, 1929-2022

Consists of original poetry, novels, short stories, cartoons, and stop-motion animation by Davidson. Materials are arranged alphabetically.

Box 3

Folder 6: Book - A Barren Stage: Collected Poems, Essays, Short Stories, and Novels, 2021

Signed by Davidson.

Folder 7: Book - Please Don't Forget Me Poems, 2017

Signed by Davidson.

Folder 8: Book - What Souls Might Bear Poems, 2017

Signed by Davidson.

Folder 9: Poems - "Ars Longa, Vita Brevis," "Serendipity," and "Portrait of the Poet as a Young Man," in Open Heart Forgery Journal , 2018-2022

Folder 10: Poem - "Reluctance" in Grammateion, St. Michael's College Journal of the Arts, 1990

Folder 11: Poem - "Empty Resturants," in Open Heart Forgery: 10th Anniversary Anthology, 2020

Signed by Davidson.

Folder 12: Short Story - "A Day in the Life of 960-43-xxx", 1987

Folder 13: Short Story - "Mute Inglorious Milton", 1992

Folder 14: Stage Play - Waiting for Beckett, a consumate irritation in one complete act, 2023

Originally written in 1983, revised in 2023.

Folder 15: Visual Art - Advertisement for His Reputation Precedes Fun by Ephraim Kishon, Cartoon Sketches by Matthew Davidson, 2009

Box 6

Item 14: Cinéma d'animation amateur, 2006

Contains a collection of stop-motion animation videos by Davidson.

Series 3: Personal Papers, 1920-2024

Consists of biographical information on Davidson, including memoirs and family photographs; correspondence; concert programs, reviews, and publishing catalogs of Davidson's music; digital surrogates of biographical materials, research, creative writing, visual art, and master sibelius files of Davidson's original music compositions; and CDs from Davidson's personal collection.

Box 4

Folder 1: Biographical Notes, Concert Programs, Business Card, and Reviews, 1983-2011

Folder 2: Concert Programs, 1983-2014

Folder 3: Correspondence with William Bolcom, 1983-2002

Folder 4: Davidson's Elementary and High School Report Cards, 1969-1976

Folder 5: General Correspondence, 1990-2009

Folder 6: Letters of Recommendation, 1992-2008

Folder 7: Honeyrock Publishing Catalog, 1992

Contains an entry for Davidson's Millet Music. 

Folder 8: The (New) Graceful Ghost - CD Track Listing and Liner Notes, 2021

Folder 9: On the Highwire - CD Tracklist and Liner Notes, 2022

Folder 10: Reviews of Davidson's Books and Poems, 2018-2020

Folder 11: Reviews of Davidson's CDs and Performances, 1983-2006

Folder 12: Scrapbook of Album Covers and Correspondence, 1992-2015

Folder 13: Sugar's Nightmare - CD Tracklist and Liner Notes, ca. 1997

Folder 14: Tracklists for CDs, 2023

Includes tracklists for all CDs assigned a three-digit item code in Series 1 Sub-series 1 and 2.

Box 6

Item 15: Biography and Other Sundry Archival Materials, 2014

CD Data disc with master folder labeled "Davidson Memoirs," containing Finale files of original compositions; digital master files of compositions; digital master files of original research and writing, including memoire "My Time Has Come;" and digital surrogates of biographical memoires, photographs, and family papers.

Finale files include: Rzewski arrangement, 4 Dances 4 String Quartet, After Brahms, Bergamasques Violin Solo, Das Lied Ohne Worte, Etudes Book 1, Five Vignettes, Le Poeme Inattendu, Magyar Rondo, Menuetto, Music for Piano with Orchestra, Music for Viola and Orchestra, Nicklettes, Nicklettes (orchestra version), Papillons, Quartetto Dell-Arte, Quatre Melodies Quebecoises, Rameau, Schumann Symphony No. 5, Six Chorale Preludes, Sonatina Pastorale, Symphony No. 1, The Singing Lesson, Three Elusive Rags, Trio for Flute Viola and Harp, Trois Melodies Quebecoises, Zwei Moteten, and Love or Money.

Item 16: Doorways: The Entertainer, vol. 1. by Jeff Barnhart, CD, 2012

Item 17: Thanks for the Melody, Jeff Barnhart and Spats Langham, CD, 2017

Item 18: We Wish We Were Twins, Jeff Barnhart and Spats Langham, CD, 2015

Box 7

Folder 1: Book of Family Photographs Taken in New Zealand, ca. 1920-1984

Folder 2: Concert Programs, 1983-1999

Folder 3: Family Papers - Lew Davidson's Acting Career, 1953-2002

Folder 4: Family Photographs, 1929-1999

Folder 5: Production Photographs from Don't Let's Have a Revolution Today, V.U.W. Music Society Music Theater Work by Davidson, 1982

Box 8

Folder 1: Photo of Maternal Grandmother, ca. 1920

Item 1: Pewter Photo Frame, ca. 1920

Accession No. 2024.2620249.001.