Clifford Vaughan Papers, 1909-2003, bulk 1925-1926

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Summary

Creators:
Vaughan, Clifford, 1893-1987.
Abstract:
The majority of the collection deals with the trip of American composer Clifford Vaughan (1893-1987) to Asia (chiefly Japan, India and Indonesia) with Ruth St. Denis, Ted Shawn and the Denishawn Dancers in 1925.
Extent:
324 items.
Language:
English.

Background

Scope and content:

The majority of the collection deals with Vaughan’s trip to Asia with Ruth St. Denis, Ted Shawn and the Denishawn Dancers in 1925. Boxes 1 and 2 contain the following kind of material: Clifford Vaughan’s music notebooks, photographs, postcards, booklets, maps, programs and ephemera all regarding the trip. Also included is some ephemera about Clifford Vaughan (a biography of Vaughan, written after his death, and order forms for his music on CDs) and the Denishawn Dancers, mostly clippings, several publications owned by Vaughan, probably purchased during the trip, as well as programs for the Denishawn Dancers and a Tribute to Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn by “H. H.”

Box 1 also contains a folder of modern letters regarding the Denishawn Dancers and their history; these are between Jane Sherman Lehac, Margaret Vaughan Meyer, and Michelle Mathesius.

Box 3 contains copies of CDs of Clifford Vaughan music as well as three record Albums, “Oriental Translations I-VI.”

Box 4 contains 31 pieces of sheet music, arranged alphabetically by title. The majority of these are also from the trip to the Asia (1926); some of these are photocopies. It also contains the 10 oversize programs from Box 2.

Biographical / historical:

Clifford Vaughan was born in Bridgeton, New Jersey, in 1893. He started studying piano at the age of seven and made his debut at the age of twelve, playing with the Philadelphia Orchestra. At the age of fifteen, he began advanced study at the Philadelphia Conservatory of Music. In 1925 Vaughan accepted Ruth St. Denis’ offer to accompany the Denishawn Dancers as Musical Director on their tour of Asia, Canada, and the United States. After the trip, he returned to New York and was commissioned by Doris Humphrey to write the score for her ballet “Color Harmony.” He also worked at the Criterion and Capitol Theaters at NBC.

During the Great Depression, he moved to Hollywood and free-lanced as a composer and orchestrator at the major studios. In 1943, Vaughan turned his attention back to the organ and composed over two hundred works for that instrument. He served as the organist for seventeen years at Mt. Hollywood Congregational Church. He died in 1987 at the age of ninety-four.

Acquisition information:
The collection is made up of several gifts from Margaret Vaughan Meyer, 1998 to 2003.
Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.

Location of this collection:
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108, US
Contact:
(626) 405-2191
reference@huntington.org
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