Finding Aid for Roslyn Rensch Papers, 1900- 1993 | The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

Service Location	Boxes
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	Box 01
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	Box 01-14
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	Box 02
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	Box 03
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	Box 04
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	Box 05
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	Box 06
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	Box 07
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	Box 08
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	Box 09
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	Box 10
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	Box 11
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	Box 12
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	Box 13
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	Box 14
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	Box 15
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	Box 15-22
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	Box 16
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	Box 17
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	Box 18
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	Box 19
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	Box 20
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	Box 21
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	Box 22
SACAM, Band Building, 1103 S. 6th Street	Furniture Piece 1 (Changing Room Screen)
SACAM, Band Building, 1103 S. 6th Street	Oversize Portfolio Case 1
SACAM, Band Building, 1103 S. 6th Street	Oversize Portfolio Case 2
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	String Instrument 1 (Charles Egan Harp)
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	String Instrument 2 (Frame Harp)

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Collection Overview

Title: Roslyn Rensch Papers, 1900- 1993

ID: 26/20/95

Primary Creator: Rensch, Roslyn (1923-2021)

Other Creators: Sweeney, Margaret (1902-1968), Weast Bichl, Emma G. (1870-1949)

Extent: 10.7 cubic feet

Arrangement:

Materials are arranged in five series:

Series 1) Educational and Personal Papers, 1937-1983, which is arranged chronologically.

Series 2) Research, Service, and Teaching, 1929-1993, is arranged in five subseries, which are as follows: sub-series 1) Publications, sub-series 2) Teaching Materials, sub-series 3) Research Subject Files, sub-series 4) Service Files, and sub-series 5) Correspondence.

Series 3) Memorabilia, 1901-1999, is arranged chrologically.

Series 4) Music Instruments, ca. 1450-1835 is unarranged.

and Series 5) Emma Weast Bichl and Margaret Sweeney Collection, 1900-1960 is arranged chronologically.

Date Acquired: 05/31/1989. More info below under Accruals.

Subjects: Alumni, American Harp Society, Chicago, Illinois, Class Notes, Evanston, Illinois, Harp, Harps, Indiana State University, Musical Repertoires, Music Competitions, Musicology, National Music Camp (Interlochen, MI), Northwestern University, Recitals, Sigma Alpha Iota, Symphony Orchestras, World Harp Congress

Formats/Genres: Concert Programs, Methods--Self Instruction, Microfilms, Papers, Scrapbooks

Languages: English

Scope and Contents of the Materials

Consists of personal papers, student files, teaching notes, research files, book drafts, correspondence, concert programs, harps, string boxes, and scrapbooks (both physical and microfilmed), documenting the career of University of Illinois alumna and harpist Roslyn Rensch. In addition, the papers contain sheet music libraries compiled by Margaret Sweeney and Emma Weast Bichl, both 19th-Century harpists from the Chicago area.

Biographical Note

Rosyln Maria Rensch Erbes Noah (1923-2021) was born in Detroit, Michigan on June 12, 1923. After the Rensch family moved to Evanston, Illinois in 1929, her mother Maria Damm Rensch encouraged both her and her sister, Gloria, to learn musical instruments. Maria had played piano, harp, and cello in a family band during her youth, performing throughout England in the late 1890s. Given her musical inclinations, Maria took her own children to many musical events. After hearing a solo recital by Alberto Salvi in Chicago, Maria encouranged Rosyln to study the harp.

Rosyln Rensch began her studies with Alberto Salvi soon after. While she was in high school, Rensch performed at weddings and local society dinners. She also gave public solo recitals in Chicago's Wurlitzer Building and the Lyon and Healy recital hall. She graduated from Evanston Township High School in June, 1941.

Rensch continued her studies with Salvi at Northwestern, earning her bachelors degree in harp performance in 1945. While a student at Northwestern, she was an active member of Sigma Alpha Iota. For six weeks following her graduation, she studied at the Juilliard School of Music with Marcel Grandjany. Soon after, she returned to Northwestern to complete a masters degree in harp performance. While completing her degree, she became the principal harpist for the Chicago Civic Orchestra, a position she would hold for six years. After graduating in 1948, she returned to Juilliard to perform in a summer orchestra conducted by Walter Hendl. She published her first book, The Harp, in 1950.

In 1953 she enrolled in Northwestern University's musicology program intending to write her dissertation on the history of the harp. During her first year as a musicologist, she met Dr. Paul Nettl, Dr. Bruno Nettl's father, who encoraged her to complete her degree at Indiana University. She began her studies in musicology with Dr. Nettl and Dr. Willi Apel in 1954. In 1955, she was invited by Fritz Reiner to perform in the CSO's production of Wagner's Götterdämmerung.

In the spring of 1954, she took a faculty position teaching harp at the University of Illinois and transferred to the musicology program at the University of Illinois. Since her research data primarilly consisted of iconographic depictions of the harp, she decided to complete a masters degree in art history at Illinois in 1957. Since the University of Illinois did not offer a PhD program in art history at the time, she transferred once again to the University of Wisconsin-Madison to enroll as a PhD student in art history in 1958. Her dissertation, completed in 1964, entitled "Symbolism and Form of the Harp in Western European Manuscript Illuminations of the Ninth to the Sixteenth Century," was an iconographic and organological account of the history of the harp.

In 1965, she became a faculty member of Idiana State University in Terre Haute. In 1969, she published her second book,The Harp: Its History, Technique, and Repertoire. She was granted tenure in 1970 and served as a professor of harp and art history at Indiana State until 1988. Between 1967 and 1988 she was the principal harpist in the Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra. In 1970, she married Philip H. Erbs, the vice-president of the Wrigley Gum Corporation who had previously been married to the harpist Margaret Sweeney. Between 1977 and 1980, she served as the vice-president of the American Harp Society and from 1983-1987 she helped establish the World Harp Congress. After retiring in 1988, she moved to St. Simons Island Georgia to live with her sister Gloria. She passed away in Brooklyn, New York on November 6, 2021.

Subject/Index Terms

Alumni
American Harp Society
Chicago, Illinois
Class Notes
Evanston, Illinois
Harp
Harps
Indiana State University
Musical Repertoires
Music Competitions
Musicology
National Music Camp (Interlochen, MI)
Northwestern University
Recitals
Sigma Alpha Iota
Symphony Orchestras
World Harp Congress

Administrative Information

Repository: The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

Accruals: July 27, 1989 and March 30, 1990.

Acquisition Source: Roslyn Rensch

Acquisition Method: gift

Related Materials:

See also record series number 35/3/68, box 3, folders 47-48 (contains MPAL correspondence with Rensch and processing notes).

For the nine volumes of music mentioned in Series 5, Box 17, Folder 2, please contact the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Music and Performing Arts Library about the Rensch Collection.

See also the International Harp Archives' finding aid for the Roslyn Rensch Papers, transfered from Brigham Young University to University of North Texas in 2025.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Education, 1937-1983],
[Series 2: Research, Service, and Teaching, 1929-1993],
[Series 3: Memorabilia, 1901-1999],
[Series 4: Music Instruments, ca. 1450-1835],
[Series 5: Emma Weast Bichl and Margaret Sweeney Collection, 1900-1960],
[All]

Series 3: Memorabilia, 1901-1999

Consists of concert programs for performances involving and not involving Roslyn, concert posters, photographs, scrapbooks, microfilm of aforementioned scrapbooks, and changing room screen with harp ephemera. Arranged chronologically.

Box 13

Folder 8: Mimura, Tsutomu Concert Programs [Folder 1 of 2], 1969-1974: Concert programs printed in Japanese
Folder 9: Mimura, Tsutomu Concert Programs [Folder 2 of 2], 1975-1986
Folder 10: Mozart Society, 1974-1975: Located in Glynn County, Georgia

Box 15

Folder 1: Terre Haute Symphony Brochures, 1983-1986
Folder 2: Terre Haute Symphony Schedules, Contracts, and Correspondence, 1976-1988
Folder 3: Toruin Musica, 1979-1980
Item 1: Positive Microfilm Reel of Harp Scrapbooks 1-11, 1901-1978
Item 2: Negative Microfilm Reel of Harp Scrapbooks 1-11, 1901-1978
Item 3: Positive Microfilm Reel of Rensch's Personal Scrapbooks 1-27, 1938-1968
Item 4: Negative Microfilm Reel of Rensch's Personal Scrapbooks 1-27, 1938-1968
Item 5: Positive Microfilm Reel of Scrapbooks, undated

Box 16

Folder 1: Harp Programs with Roslyn Resnch Listed as a Performer, 1945-1985
Folder 2: Harp Programs with Roslyn Rensch Not Listed as a Performer [Folder 1 of 2], 1939-1975
Folder 3: Harp Programs with Roslyn Rensch Not Listed as a Performer [Folder 2 of 2], 1975-1989
Folder 4: Non-Harp Concert Programs [Folder 1 of 2], 1929-1964
Folder 5: Non-Harp Concert Programs [Folder 2 of 2], 1969-1986
Folder 6: Terre Haute Symphony Programs [Folder 1 of 4], 1967-1974
Folder 7: Terre Haute Symphony Programs [Folder 2 of 4], 1975-1978
Folder 8: Terre Haute Symphony Programs [Folder 3 of 4], 1979-1981
Folder 9: Terre Haute Symphony Programs [Folder 4 of 4], 1982-1986

Box 17

Folder 1: Rensch Collection Pamphlet, undated: Used as marker to identify which books were donated to the Music and Performing Arts Library by Dr. Rensch.
Folder 7: Harp Award Brochures and Photographs, 1950-1999

Box 18

Item 1: Harp Scrapbook 1, 1913-1978: 79 pages, contains concert programs, newspaper clippings, photographs, and correspondence.
Item 2: Harp Scrapbook 2, 1901-1957: 60 pages, contains concert programs, newspaper clippings, photographs, and correspondence.
Item 3: Harp Scrapbook 3, 1933-1964: 68 pages, contains concert programs, newspaper clippings, photographs, and correspondence.
Item 4: Harp Scrapbook 4, 1913-1953: 42 pages, contains concert programs, newspaper clippings, photographs, and correspondence.
Item 5: Harp Scrapbook 5, 1919-1954: 44 pages, contains concert programs, newspaper clippings, photographs, and correspondence.
Item 6: Harp Scrapbook 6, 1910-1958: 46 pages, contains concert programs, newspaper clippings, photographs, and correspondence.
Item 7: Harp Scrapbook 7, 1915-1953: 44 pages, contains concert programs, newspaper clippings, photographs, and correspondence.
Item 8: Harp Scrapbook 8, 1915-1954: 42 pages, contains concert programs, newspaper clippings, photographs, and correspondence.
Item 9: Harp Scrapbook 9, 1954-1957: 42 pages, contains concert programs, newspaper clippings, photographs, and correspondence.
Item 10: Harp Scrapbook 10, 1948-1966: 58 pages, contains concert programs, newspaper clippings, photographs, and correspondence.
Item 11: Harp Scrapbook 11, 1937-1964: 52 pages, contains concert programs, newspaper clippings, photographs, and correspondence.

Box 19

Item 1: Personal Scrapbook 1, 1938-1941: 56 pages; contains correspondence, memorabilia, clippings, greeting cards and concert programs regarding school activities at Evanston Township High School; Chicago area social activities; harp performances; travel; concert attendance; Chicago Civic Orchestra performances.
Item 2: Personal Scrapbook 2, 1941-1943: 61 pages; contains correspondence, memorabilia, clippings, greeting cards and concert programs regarding school activities at Northwestern University; Chicago area social activities; harp performances; travel; concert attendance; Chicago Civic Orchestra performances.
Item 3: Personal Scrapbook 3, 1943-1945: 44 pages; contains correspondence, memorabilia, clippings, greeting cards and concert programs regarding school activities at Northwestern University; Chicago area social activities; harp performances; travel; concert attendance; Chicago Civic Orchestra performances.
Item 4: Personal Scrapbook 4, 1945-1946: 47 pages; contains correspondence, memorabilia, clippings, greeting cards and concert programs regarding school activities at Northwestern University; Chicago area social activities; harp performances; travel; concert attendance; Chicago Civic Orchestra performances.
Item 5: Personal Scrapbook 5, 1946-1947: 30 pages; contains correspondence, memorabilia, clippings, greeting cards and concert programs regarding Chicago area social activities; harp performances; travel; concert attendance; Chicago Civic Orchestra performances.
Item 6: Personal Scrapbook 6, 1947-1948: 46 pages; contains correspondence, memorabilia, clippings, greeting cards and concert programs regarding school activities at Juilliard Summer School; Chicago area social activities; harp performances; travel; concert attendance; Chicago Civic Orchestra performances.
Item 7: Personal Scrapbook 7, July 1948-December 1948: 36 pages; contains correspondence, memorabilia, clippings, greeting cards and concert programs regarding school activities at Juilliard Summer School; Chicago area social activities; harp performances; travel; concert attendance; Chicago Civic Orchestra performances.

Box 20

Item 1: Personal Scrapbook 8, February-September 1949: 47 pages; contains correspondence, memorabilia, clippings, greeting cards and concert programs; Chicago area social activities; harp performances; travel; concert attendance; Chicago Civic Orchestra performances.
Item 2: Personal Scrapbook 9, October 1949-April 1950: 44 pages; contains correspondence, memorabilia, clippings, greeting cards and concert programs; Chicago area social activities; harp performances; travel; concert attendance; Chicago Civic Orchestra performances.
Item 3: Personal Scrapbook 10, August-December 1950: 35 pages; contains correspondence, memorabilia, clippings, greeting cards and concert programs; Chicago area social activities; harp performances; travel; concert attendance; Chicago Civic Orchestra performances.
Item 4: Personal Scrapbook 11, January-August 1951: 41 pages; contains correspondence, memorabilia, clippings, greeting cards and concert programs; Chicago area social activities; harp performances; travel; concert attendance; Chicago Civic Orchestra performances; book reviews; clippings related to books published by Rensch.
Item 5: Personal Scrapbook 12, September 1951-March 1952: 38 pages; contains correspondence, memorabilia, clippings, greeting cards and concert programs; Chicago area social activities; harp performances; travel; concert attendance; Chicago Civic Orchestra performances; book reviews; clippings related to books published by Rensch.
Item 6: Personal Scrapbook 13, April-July 1952: 34 pages; contains correspondence, memorabilia, clippings, greeting cards and concert programs; Chicago area social activities; harp performances; travel; concert attendance; Chicago Civic Orchestra performances; book reviews; clippings related to books published by Rensch.
Item 7: Personal Scrapbook 14, August 1952-April 1953: 42 pages; contains correspondence, memorabilia, clippings, greeting cards and concert programs; Chicago area social activities; harp performances; travel; concert attendance; Chicago Civic Orchestra performances; book reviews; clippings related to books published by Rensch.

Box 21

Item 1: Personal Scrapbook 15, April 1953-March 1954: 45 pages; contains correspondence, memorabilia, clippings, greeting cards and concert programs; Chicago area social activities; harp performances; travel; concert attendance; Chicago Civic Orchestra performances; book reviews; clippings related to books published by Rensch.
Item 2: Personal Scrapbook 16, March-December 1954: 50 pages; contains correspondence, memorabilia, clippings, greeting cards and concert programs; Chicago area social activities; harp performances; travel; concert attendance; Chicago Civic Orchestra performances; book reviews; clippings related to books published by Rensch.
Item 3: Personal Scrapbook 17, December 1954-March 1955: 49 pages; contains correspondence, memorabilia, clippings, greeting cards and concert programs; Chicago area social activities; harp performances; travel; concert attendance; Chicago Civic Orchestra performances; book reviews; clippings related to books published by Rensch.
Item 4: Personal Scrapbook 18, 1955-1978: 35 pages; contains correspondence, memorabilia, clippings, greeting cards and concert programs; social activities; harp performances; travel; concert attendance; book reviews; clippings related to books published by Rensch.
Item 5: Personal Scrapbook 19, September-December 1955: 53 pages; contains correspondence, memorabilia, clippings, greeting cards and concert programs; social activities; harp performances; travel; concert attendance; Chicago Civic Orchestra performances; book reviews; clippings related to books published by Rensch; teaching appointments.
Item 6: Personal Scrapbook 20, January-June 1956: 48 pages; contains correspondence, memorabilia, clippings, greeting cards and concert programs; Chicago area social activities; harp performances; travel; concert attendance; Chicago Civic Orchestra performances; book reviews; student activities; clippings related to books published by Rensch.
Item 7: Personal Scrapbook 21, June-November 1956: 49 pages; contains correspondence, memorabilia, clippings, greeting cards and concert programs; social activities; harp performances; travel; concert attendance; Chicago Civic Orchestra performances; book reviews; clippings related to books published by Rensch.

Box 22

Item 1: Personal Scrapbook 22, January-April 1957: 36 pages; contains correspondence, memorabilia, clippings, greeting cards and concert programs; local social activities; harp performances; travel; concert attendance; book reviews; clippings related to books published by Rensch.
Item 2: Personal Scrapbook 23, April-December 1957: 38 pages; contains correspondence, memorabilia, clippings, greeting cards and concert programs; local social activities; harp performances; travel; concert attendance; book reviews; clippings related to books published by Rensch.
Item 3: Personal Scrapbook 24, January 1958-June 1960: 57 pages; contains correspondence, memorabilia, clippings, greeting cards and concert programs; local social activities; harp performances; travel; concert attendance; book reviews; clippings related to books published by Rensch.
Item 4: Personal Scrapbook 25, July 1960-November 1963: 45 pages; contains correspondence, memorabilia, clippings, greeting cards and concert programs; local social activities; harp performances; travel; concert attendance; book reviews; clippings related to books published by Rensch.
Item 5: Personal Scrapbook 26, January 1964-March 1966: 40 pages; contains correspondence, memorabilia, clippings, greeting cards and concert programs; local social activities; harp performances; travel; concert attendance; book reviews; clippings related to books published by Rensch.
Item 6: Personal Scrapbook 27, March 1966-November 1968: 39 pages; contains correspondence, memorabilia, clippings, greeting cards and concert programs; local social activities; harp performances; travel; concert attendance; book reviews; clippings related to books published by Rensch.

Oversize Portfolio Case 1

Item 1: Artwork, Posters, and Photographs, 1951-1991: Poster of Clarence Day quote. Poster of artwork entitled "Lady with a Harp: Eliza Ridgley." Black and white artwork of women playing a harp. Black and white art work on a blue background. Signed poster of "Lloyd Lindroth and His Golden Harp" to Roslyn from Variety Newspaper. Poster entitled, "I Concurso De Investigatcion Aripista Ludovico." Poster for "Harp and Dulcimer Music" at Lincoln Quad. Black and white artwork entitled, "The Evles' and Fauns' Grand Autumn Festival." Signed poster of Jessica Suchy to Roslyn. Black and white photograph of a women with a harp.

Oversize Portfolio Case 2

Item 1: Harp Posters, ca. 1951-1970

Furniture Piece 1: Changing Room Screen, ca. 1945-1974

Accession number 2004.2620095.003

Black wooden changing room screen pasted with ephemera from Roslyn Rensch's life. Includes historic images of harps from postcards on the front of the screen. Includes concert programs from Rensch's life on the backside, programs date from 1945-1974.