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By Sandy Kroeker
Collection Overview
Title: Robert Wykes Music and Papers, ca. 1940-2018
ID: 26/20/260
Primary Creator: Robert Wykes (1926-2021)
Extent: 2.0 cubic feet
Arrangement: Materials are arranged in three series: Series 1) Original Music Compositions, 1944-2018; Series 2) Personal Papers, 1949-1976; and Series 3) Collection of Compositions and Recordings by Colleagues, 1949-1983. Materials in each series are arranged alphabetically by title.
Date Acquired: 05/22/2024
Subjects: Alumni, Composers, Music, School of
Languages: English
Scope and Contents of the Materials
Consists of scores of original compositions, music notes and sketches, correspondence, and essays documenting Robert Wykes' education and career as a composer; in addition to books, music, and programs related to his students and associates.
Biographical Note
Robert Wykes was an American composer and flutist born May 19, 1926 in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania. He began playing the flute at age 9 and appeared with the Pittsburgh Little Symphony as a teenager. After serving in the United States Army during World War II, Wykes attended the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York to study music theory, earning his Master's degree in 1950. From 1950-1952, he was on faculty at Bowling Green State University in Ohio and played flute with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra. From 1952-1955, he continued his studies at the Univeristy of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, earning hist Doctor of Musical Arts in 1955. In adddition to studying music composition with Burrill Phillips and music theory with Hubert Kessler, Wykes also taught music theory during his time at UIUC.
In 1955, he joined the music faculty at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, where he taught until his retirement in 1988. Some of his students included Oliver Nelson, Jocy de Oliveira, Rhian Samuel, and Olly Wilson. From 1963-1967, Wykes played flute with the St. Louis Symphony and with the Studio for New Music from 1966-1969. From 1990-1991, he undertook research as a visiting scholar at Stanford Univerisity. Additional achievements of Wykes' include having his orchestral works performed throughout the country, scoring several films, and recieving awards and honors including the Distinguished Faculty Award from Washington University in 1976. Wykes died in St. Louis, Missouri on June 29, 2021.
Subject/Index Terms
Administrative Information
Repository:
The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
Acquisition Source:
MPAL
Acquisition Method:
Transfer
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: Original Music Compositions, 1944-2018],
[
Series 2: Personal Papers, 1949-1976],
[Series 3: Collection of Compositions and Recordings by Colleagues, 1949-1983],
[
All]
- Series 3: Collection of Compositions and Recordings by Colleagues, 1949-1983
- Consists of manuscript and published scores and recordings by student peers and faculty members of the University of Illinois. Materials are arranged alphabetically by title and by material type.
- Box 1
- Folder 3: "Agrupamento Em 10" (FS), 1966
Music by Claudio Santoro
Para Ayres de Andrade
- Folder 4: "An Avalanche for Pitchman, Prima Donna, Player Piano, Percussionist and Prerecorded Playback" (FS, P) and Scripts, 1968
Music by Lejaren Hiller
Text by Frank Parman
- Folder 5: "Musica Su Due Dimensioni" per flauto e registrazione stereofonica (P), 1960
- Music by Bruno Maderna
- Box 3
- Folder 4: "A Game of Chance" Comic Opera in One Act (FS), Undated
Music by Seymour Barab
Libretto by Evelyn Manacher
- Folder 5: "Canzona IV" (FS), 1966
Words by Alberta Phillips
Music by Burrill Phillips
- Folder 6: "Chanson de Florian" (FS) and "The Light That is Felt" (FS), 1950
- Pieces by Charles Ives
- Folder 7: Cover Page of "Suite Concertante" for Tuba and Woodwind Quintet (piano reduction), Undated
- Music by Armand Russell
- Folder 8: "Echoes" (FS, P), Undated
- Music by A. Giron
- Folder 9: "Forever and Sunsmell" song with Percussion Duet (FS) and a John Cage Edition Peters, 1940
Words From a Poem by E. E. Cummings
Music by John Cage
- Folder 10: "Honeyreves" per Flauto E Pianofore (P), 1963
- Music by Bruno Maderna
- Folder 11: "Improvisations" pour batterie et piano (FS), 1961
- Music by Marcel Mihalovici
- Folder 12: "Music for the Double Bass Alone" (FS) with letter, 1963
- Music by Thomas Fredrickson
- Folder 13: "Song in a Winter Night" (FS), 1957
Music by Burrill Phillips
Words by Bink Noll
- Folder 14: "Suite Pour Contrebasse" Six Pieces Pour Contrebasse ou Violoncelle et Piano (P), 1949
Music by Valerie Soudere
Movements I Discorde, II Serenade, III Fughetta, IV Ombres, V Lunaire, VI. Gire
- Folder 15: "Two Songs for Soprano Voice" from "The Ivory Campus" (FS), 1953
Music by Burrill Philllips
Movements 1. Tostissimamente il canto, 2. Seguendo in palco
- Folder 16: Unidentified Composition (FS), Undated
Music by John MacEnulty
Movements I Capriccio, II Ballade, III Scherzo, IV Burlesca
- Folder 17: "Vertical Thoughts 5" (FS) with Morton Feldman Edition Peters, 1963
- Music by Morton Feldman
- Box 4
- Folder 13: "American Music Teacher" Magazine Featuring Burrill Philips, 1953
- Folder 14: "Days and Routes Through Maps and Scores, Dias E Caminhos Seus Mapas E Partituras", 1983
- Book by Jocy De Oliviera
- Folder 15: "Four Figures In Time" for Flute and Piano (FS, P), 1953
Music by Burrill Phillips
Movements 1. Pantomime, 2. A Quiet Field, 3. Stilit March, 4. Racing Rhyme
- Folder 16: "O'Connell Bridge" 3 Serial Pieces for Piano (PS), Undated
Music by David M. Jones
Movements 1. O'Connell Bridge, 2., and 3. Waltz
- Folder 17: "Six Pieces for Solo Voice" (P), 1966
Music by Paul Arma
Movements 1. Quasi improvisando, 2. Moderato, 3. Comodo, 4. Ad libitum, 5. Parlando, 6. Molto quieto
- Box 5
- Item 1: Burrill Phillips Music LP, Undated
- Item 2: Contemporary Songs Magnetic Audiotape, Undated
- Item 3: "Musik aus dem Studio der frühen Musik" LP, 1969
- Item 4: "Music by Guillaume de Machaut performed by Collegium Musicaum" LP, Undated
- Item 5: "String Quartet, No. 1" Elliot Carter, The Walden Quartet LP (1 of 3), ca. 1953
- Side A: Includes Mvt. 1 - Maestoso, recording cuts off around 7 minutes into first movement. Side B: Includes Mvt. Adagio section; approximately 6 minutes of this section.
- Item 6: "String Quartet, No. 1" Elliot Carter, The Walden Quartet LP (2 of 3), ca. 1953
- Side A: contains part of Mvt. 2, Adagio - approximately 6 minutes. Side B: contains beginning of Mvt. 3, Variations - approximately 6 minutes.
- Item 7: "String Quartet, No. 1" Elliot Carter, The Walden Quartet LP (3 of 3), ca. 1953
- Side A: contains parts of Mvt. 3, Variations, appoximantely 6 minutes. Side B: contains part of Mvt. 2, allegro scorrevole, approximately 6 minutes.
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: Original Music Compositions, 1944-2018],
[
Series 2: Personal Papers, 1949-1976],
[Series 3: Collection of Compositions and Recordings by Colleagues, 1949-1983],
[
All]
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