One of my summer projects is getting the band library here at OPSU into a little better shape. At some point in the past (so I’m told), a band director here more or less bought out a sheet music store that was going out of business. As far as I can tell, this happened about 1993 or so, judging by the vintage of much of the music involved. This music has been shelved alphabetically and cataloged, but it doesn’t have nice storage envelopes like the older parts of the library. So, last spring, I bought 1000 envelopes and now, summertime, I’m numbering and re-enveloping much of this stuff for the first time.
I’ve completed about 200 titles, and I can tell that the number of envelopes I was able to afford won’t be enough… this may turn out to be a multi-year project. But I’ve discovered some things:
- It turns out that Ohio, my home state, was at one time a hotbed of band commissions from both colleges and public schools. Capital University, Walnut Hills High School, Oberlin High School, Carrolton High School, various honor bands. It’s kind of cool.
- In addition, I’m amazed at how many works I’m coming across by certain composers and arrangers: John Tatgenhorst (another composer with Ohio connections), John Cacavas, Leland Forsblad, Warren Barker. A funny story about Warren Barker, a very, very prolific composer and arranger who somehow never registered on my radar screen in middle school, high school, undergrad or my first few years of teaching. Then, in about 2001, I noticed that my dad’s folder from the Greater Columbus Concert Band was just stuffed with arrangements by Warren Barker. Then, like a new word, I started seeing Warren Barker everywhere. For the longest time, I only saw his name on arrangements, especially of pop tunes and movie music. I concluded that there was no Warren Barker–the type of arrangement involved suggested to me that he was just a house name, and that maybe new arrangers had their first few arrangements assigned to “Warren Barker.” Then, I hit on the idea of searching for him on the internet. Turns out, he’s done all kinds of Hollywood stuff–remember the xylophone thing in Bewitched? That was his.
- One of my predecessors here thought it was alright to take all the scores but leave the parts. Darn it!
- I found a piece by a man, James Jurrens, who was the director of bands at Southwestern Oklahoma State Universty–not the next closest state school, but the one after that. The piece was actually published in Weatherford, Oklahoma, by a company which I am sure is defunct. I need to find a concert to program this piece on, or perhaps push it toward the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Honor Band.
At any rate, that’s after four-and-a-half shelves (and I’m now through the Christmas music!). Can’t wait to see what else is there.