McPhee, Colin, 1900-1964

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McPhee was born on Mar. 15, 1900 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada; graduated from Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, MD (1921) and studied in Paris with Paul Le Flem (1924-6) and in New York with Edgard Varèse (ca. 1927); he was based in the US from 1926, except for the years he spent in Indonesia; went to Bali in the early 1930s after having heard recordings of Indonesian music, where he composed the toccata Tabuh-Tabuhan; his books A house in Bali (1946), Dance in Bali (1948), and Music in Bali (1966) gained him an international recognition as an authority on Balinese culture; he also wrote 2 symphonies, concerti, scores for 2 experimental films, piano pieces, and Balinese ceremonial music for orchestra; during the last 6 years of his life, McPhee was a UCLA faculty member; died on Jan. 7, 1946 in Los Angeles.

From the description of Collection of musical manuscripts, books, and scores, 1929-1962. (University of California, Los Angeles). WorldCat record id: 40176029

Commissioned by the Serge Koussevitzky Music Foundation in the Library of Congress. Composed 1954. Dedicated to the memory of Serge and Natalie Koussevitzky.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.

From the description of Transitions : for orchestra / by Colin McPhee. 1954. (Franklin & Marshall College). WorldCat record id: 52951672

Biography

McPhee was born on Mar. 15, 1900 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada; graduated from Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, MD (1921) and studied in Paris with Paul Le Flem (1924-6) and in New York with Edgard Varèse (ca. 1927); he was based in the US from 1926, except for the years he spent in Indonesia; went to Bali in the early 1930s after having heard recordings of Indonesian music, where he composed the toccata Tabuh-Tabuhan; his books A house in Bali (1946), Dance in Bali (1948), and Music in Bali (1966) gained him an international recognition as an authority on Balinese culture; he also wrote 2 symphonies, concerti, scores for 2 experimental films, piano pieces, and Balinese ceremonial music for orchestra; during the last 6 years of his life, McPhee was a UCLA faculty member; died on Jan. 7, 1946 in Los Angeles.

From the guide to the Colin McPhee Collection, 1929-1962, (University of California, Los Angeles. Library. Performing Arts Special Collections)

Biography

In the 1930s, Colin McPhee lived in Bali where he studied the sacred gamelan tradition and other musical genres. When he worked in New York during the 1940s, he was among the talented, young generation of composers that included Aaron Copeland and Henry Cowell. In California, where he died in 1964, he contributed greatly to the study of world music. McPhee was a faculty member of the Music Department at UCLA from 1960-1964. Besides his musical talents, he was an excellent photographer (as seen in the Archive's collection). His publications include A Club of Small Men (1948), A House in Bali (1947), and Music of Bali (1956). A review of a biography written by Carol Oja, Colin McPhee: Composer in Two Worlds, is available here. More information about the Archive's Colin McPhee Collection is available here.

From the guide to the Colin McPhee Collection, 1930-1964, (University of California, Los Angeles. Library. Ethnomusicology Archive)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Currier, Ruth, 1926-2011. To wish ... together ... fearsomely / by Ruth Currier ; Music by Colin McPhee Concerto for piano with wind octette accompaniment ; notated by Susie Watts Margolin, 1965 ; Allan Miles, supervisor. Ohio State University Libraries
creatorOf Colin McPhee Collection, 1930-1964 University of California, Los Angeles. Ethnomusicology Archive
creatorOf McPhee, Colin, 1900-1964. Transitions : for orchestra / by Colin McPhee. Free Library of Philadelphia, Parkway Central Library
referencedIn Otto Luening papers, 1800-1996, 1870-1996 The New York Public Library. Music Division.
creatorOf Colin McPhee Collection, 1929-1962 University of California, Los Angeles. Library. Performing Arts Special Collections.
referencedIn The John Kirkpatrick Papers, 1836-1993 (inclusive) Irving S. Gilmore Music Library
creatorOf McPhee, Colin, 1900-1964. Collection of musical manuscripts, books, and scores, 1929-1962. University of California, Los Angeles
creatorOf McPhee, Colin, 1900-1964. Correspondence with American Musicological Society, n.d. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
creatorOf McPhee, Colin, 1900-1964. [Colin McPhee collection, 1900-1964]. University of California, Los Angeles
referencedIn Koussevitzky, Serge, 1874-1951. Serge Koussevitzky Archive, 1920-1976 (bulk: 1924-1951) Library of Congress. Music Division
referencedIn Papers, 1929-1974 (bulk, 1935-1950). Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
creatorOf Brooklyn Museum. Dept. of Photography. Records, Exhibition negatives: installations. Balinese Arts: Painted Cloth and Woodcarvings by Colin McPhee. 1936. Brooklyn Museum Libraries & Archives
creatorOf [Balinese music / collected by Colin McPhee]. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf American Music Edition records, 1920-1997, 1951-1991 Music Library
referencedIn Nicolas Slonimsky Collection, 1873-1997, (bulk 1920-1990) Library of Congress. Music Division
referencedIn Chou, Wen-Chung, 1923-,. Interview conducted by Oliver Daniel, Sept. 27, 1976 [sound recording]. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
referencedIn Aaron Copland Collection, 1841-1991, (bulk 1911-1990) Library of Congress. Music Division
creatorOf McPhee, Colin, 1900-1964. CBS radio show on US Indians / [music by Colin McPhee]. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn National Orchestral Association collection of rehearsal and concert recordings [sound recording], 1938-1968 The New York Public Library. Rodgers and Hammerstein Archives of Recorded Sound.
creatorOf Loring, Eugene, 1911-1982. Eugene Loring collection, ca. 1938-1980. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Yaddo records, 1870-1980 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Cowell, Sidney Robertson, 1903-1995. Sidney Robertson Cowell collection, 1901-1992 (bulk 1936-1990). Library of Congress
referencedIn Franziska Boas Collection, 1920-1988 Library of Congress. Music Division
referencedIn Sidney Robertson Cowell Collection, 1901-1992, (bulk 1936-1990) Library of Congress. Music Division
referencedIn Kirkpatrick, John, 1905-1991. The John Kirkpatrick papers, 1836-1993 (inclusive). Yale University, Music Library
creatorOf McPhee, Colin, 1900-1964. Nocturne for chamber orchestra / by Colin McPhee. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
creatorOf McPhee, Colin, 1900-1964. Collection of musical manuscripts, books, and scores, 1929-1962. University of California, Los Angeles
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
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associatedWith Gaul, Harvey B. (Harvey Bartlett), 1881-1945 person
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associatedWith Haines, Edmund person
associatedWith Hamlet, Alice person
associatedWith Hanson, Howard, 1896-1981 person
associatedWith Harmati, Sandor, 1892-1936 person
associatedWith Harrison, Guy Fraser, 1894-1986 person
associatedWith Harrison, Lou, 1917-2003 person
associatedWith Harris, Roy, 1898-1979 person
associatedWith Haubiel, Charles, 1892-1978 person
associatedWith Hedge, Grace person
associatedWith Heilner, Irwin, 1908-1991 person
associatedWith Hemmer, Eugene, 1929-1977 person
associatedWith Herrmann, Bernard, 1911-1975 person
associatedWith Hill, Edward Burlingame, 1872-1960 person
associatedWith Hiller, Lejaren, 1924-1994 person
associatedWith Hinson, Maurice person
associatedWith Hodghead, Lillian, 1886-1972 person
associatedWith Holloway, Jack person
associatedWith Horsky, Edward L. person
associatedWith Howard, John Tasker, 1890-1964 person
associatedWith Huerter, Charles, 1885-1974 person
associatedWith Huffman, Walter Spencer, 1921-2005 person
associatedWith Hughes, Edwin, 1884-1965 person
associatedWith Humphrey, Doris, 1895-1958 person
associatedWith Hunsley, Robert person
associatedWith Ives, Charles, 1874-1954 person
associatedWith Ivey, Jean Eichelberger person
associatedWith Jackson, George Pullen, 1874-1953 person
associatedWith Jacobi, Frederick, 1891-1952 person
associatedWith Jolas, Jacques person
associatedWith Jones, Charles, 1910-1997 person
associatedWith Jones, Homer, composer person
associatedWith Josten, Werner, 1885-1963 person
associatedWith Kabalevsky, Dmitry Borisovich, 1904-1987 person
associatedWith Kelly, Robert, 1916-2007 person
associatedWith Kerr, Harrison person
associatedWith King-Smith, Grace person
associatedWith Kirkpatrick, John, 1905-1991. person
associatedWith Klauss, Kenneth person
associatedWith Knowlton, Dorothy G. (Dorothy Gillespie), 1903- person
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associatedWith Korn, Richard, 1908-1981 person
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correspondedWith Koussevitzky, Serge, 1874-1951 person
associatedWith Koutzen, Boris, 1901-1966 person
associatedWith Kraft, William person
associatedWith Kushner, David Z., 1935- person
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associatedWith La Montaine, John person
associatedWith Lee, Dai-Keong, 1915- person
associatedWith Leet, Lucie person
associatedWith Lieberson, Samuel A. person
associatedWith Limón, José person
associatedWith Lipscomb, Edna person
associatedWith Lipscomb, Helen, 1921-1974 person
associatedWith Lipsky, Alexander, 1900-1985 person
associatedWith Lockwood, Normand, 1906-2002 person
associatedWith Loeffler, Charles Martin, 1861-1935 person
associatedWith Lombardo, Robert, 1932- person
associatedWith Lopatnikoff, Nikolai, 1903-1976 person
associatedWith Lora, Antonio, 1899-1965 person
associatedWith Loring, Eugene, 1911-1982. person
associatedWith Lubin, Ernest person
associatedWith Luening, Otto, 1900-1996 person
associatedWith MacDowell, Edward, 1860-1908 person
associatedWith Mainville, Denise person
associatedWith Malipiero, Gian Francesco, 1882-1973 person
associatedWith Mason, Daniel Gregory, 1873-1953 person
associatedWith Mennin, Peter person
associatedWith Michalsky, Donal R. person
associatedWith Milhaud, Darius, 1892-1974 person
associatedWith Moore, Douglas, 1893-1969 person
associatedWith Moran, Robert, 1937- person
associatedWith Moross, Jerome, 1913-1983 person
associatedWith Mueller, Robert Earl, 1920-2005 person
associatedWith Mumma, Gordon, 1935- person
associatedWith Nagel, Robert person
associatedWith National Orchestral Association (U.S.) corporateBody
associatedWith Nee, Thomas person
associatedWith Nelhybel, Vaclav person
associatedWith Newman, William S. person
associatedWith Nordhoff, Paul person
associatedWith Norton, Spencer, 1909-1978 person
associatedWith Ormandy, Eugene, 1899-1985 person
associatedWith Osborne, Willson, 1906-1979 person
associatedWith Parchman, Gen person
associatedWith Parris, Robert, 1924-1999 person
associatedWith Penna, Joseph person
associatedWith Peterson, Wayne, 1927- person
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associatedWith Piston, Walter, 1894-1976 person
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associatedWith Pozdro, John, 1923- person
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associatedWith Price, Mary Juanita person
associatedWith Pyle, Francis Johnson, 1901-1983 person
associatedWith Raymond, Joseph person
associatedWith Read, Gardner, 1913-2005 person
associatedWith Riegger, Wallingford, 1885-1961 person
associatedWith Rockefeller, Blanchette Hooker, 1909-1992 person
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associatedWith Rothenberg, Esther person
associatedWith Rudhyar, Dane, 1895-1985 person
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associatedWith Russo, Joseph, composer person
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associatedWith Salinger, Pierre person
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associatedWith Schlosser, Minka person
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associatedWith Shanet, Harold person
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associatedWith Strang, Gerald, 1908-1983 person
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Place Name Admin Code Country
Indonesia--Bali Island
Subject
Chamber orchestra music
Composers
Motion picture music
Music
Music
Music
Orchestral music
Radio music
Occupation
Arrangers
Collector
Composers
Activity

Person

Birth 1900-03-15

Death 1964-01-07

Americans

Information

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Ark ID: w6jw8g5t

SNAC ID: 42557067