The Louise Lincoln Kerr Collection consists of hand-written musical compositions, sketches, fragments, and exercises on original manuscript paper and vellum in addition to xerox copies. The collection extends from Kerr's early college exercises and studies to compositions written at the end of her life. Both finished and unfinished works are present. Many of the finished works include a performance ready copy. The archivist has arranged the collection into twelve series.
Identification:
MSS-90
Language:
Material in English
Repository:
Arizona State University Library. Greater Arizona Collection P.O. Box 871006 Tempe, AZ 85287-1006 Phone: (480) 965-4932 E-Mail: archives@asu.edu Questions? Ask An Archivist!
Biographical Note
Myrtie Louise Lincoln was born to John Cromwell Lincoln (1866-1959) and Myrtle (Humphrey) Lincoln (1866-1913) in Cleveland, Ohio on April 24, 1892. John Lincoln was an engineer, businessman, and entrepreneur who came to Arizona in the early 1930s, settled in the Phoenix area, and was active in mining and real estate. He applied much of the wealth he accumulated from these very successful ventures to community improvement and philanthropic activities.
Louise Lincoln grew up in Cleveland and finished high school there. In 1910, she went to New York City to attend Barnard College. Here, she studied music composition with two prominent Columbia University professors and continued playing the violin, which she had begun studying at the age of seven. She returned to Cleveland in about 1913 to play the violin in the Cleveland Orchestra. She married Peter Kerr (1897-1939) and the couple returned to the East coast. They had eight children: Tamar, Virginia (1923-1936), Anna Louise (1924-1941), Louise, Rosemary W. (Kerr) Dykstra (1927-2008), Peter, William, and Preston (1932-1991). Kerr and her family moved to Arizona in 1936, partly for the health of one of the daughters. They initially settled in Phoenix but later lived in Flagstaff and Los Angeles, California. Louise Kerr returned to Arizona in 1946 or 1947 and split her time between Phoenix and her ranch near Cottonwood.
Kerr's home on Central Avenue in Phoenix became a focal point for local musicians, both student and professional, who gathered for long evenings of chamber music. Phoenix did not have a professional musical organization at the time, so these gatherings provided the musicians with important opportunities. This musical activity was supported by an extensive library of music and Kerr not infrequently provided financial assistance as well. In the mid-1950s, Kerr purchased land in what is now North Scottsdale and began plans to fulfill a lifelong dream of having her own music studio. By 1959, a house and studio were completed, both built of adobe. These structures contributed to the growth of musical activity of the Valley.
In 1960, Louise Kerr co-founded the Phoenix Chamber Music Society. For several years the programs, presented by chamber groups of international renown, were given in the Kerr Studio. She also helped to found the Arizona Cello Society and Monday Morning Musicale and was a charter violinist with the Phoenix Symphony. Her studio, an acoustically excellent structure, was in constant use for rehearsal, performance, and informal music making of all manner. Her financial support of this activity continued to be exceptionally generous.
Kerr left her home and studio to Arizona State University in her will and the structures are now known as the Louise Lincoln Kerr Cultural Center. She also started a scholarship fund for ASU composition majors and left her vast library of music scores and original compositions to the University Library. Louise Kerr died at her ranch in Cottonwood in December of 1977 at the age of 85.
Scope and Content Note
The Louise Lincoln Kerr Collection consists of hand-written musical compositions, sketches, fragments, and exercises on original manuscript paper and vellum in addition to xerox copies. The collection extends from Kerr's early college exercises and studies to compositions written at the end of her life. Both finished and unfinished works are present. Many of the finished works include a performance ready copy.
The archivist has arranged the collection into twelve series: Solo and Duo Piano; Duets; String Quartets; Piano Quartets/Quintets; Other Chamber Music; Vocal Compositions; Chamber Orchestra or Small Ensemble; Full Orchestra; Ballets and Incidental Music; Miscellaneous Compositions; Arrangements/Other Composers; and Sketch Books/Exercise Books.
Series I: Solo and Duo Piano includes a major set of twelve piano preludes and other compositions for one and two pianos.
Series II: Duets houses primarily short pieces for one string instrument and piano. The four sub-series divide the instruments.
Series III: String Quartets and Series IV: Piano Quartets/Quintets contain relatively short works for these standard instrumental groupings. The Suite for Piano Quintet contains an orchestrated score of the 4th movement, "Conversation".
Series V: Other Chamber Music includes two major works for this genre: Quintet for Oboe and Strings and Trio for Piano, Clarinet and Cello.
Series VI: Vocal Compositions includes two major songs, Indian Serenade and Song of an Indian Woman.
Series VII: Chamber Orchestra or Small Ensemble includes compositions primarily for strings with the addition of two or more woodwind instruments, flute and oboe being the most common. The "Presto" for chamber orchestra is the most substantial of these works.
Series VIII: Full Orchestra houses several substantial, performance ready works. Aubade, Enchanted Mesa, Indian Lullaby, Indian Round Dance, Profiles of Arizona (commissioned for the opening ceremonies of the Scottsdale Cultural Center), Senor Alcalde Major, and Spanish Town all have complete scores and sets of parts.
Series IX: Ballets and Incidental Music includes compositions for a variety of dramatic and stage works. "Muerta de la Locura", or "Farewell to Revelry", was written to the choreography of ASU dance professor Margaret Gisolo and based on a libretto by Maria Martinez-Sierra. "Naked Came I" was composed as incidental music for an ASU drama production written by ASU professor Collice Portnoff. "Tableau Vivant", the latest known composition, was composed to choreography by ASU dance professor Elizabeth Lessard on the occasion of the dedication of John Waddell's sculptures for the Civic Center Plaza.
Series X: Miscellaneous Compositions consists primarily of four boxes of unidentified fragments and/or exercises. A few titled sketches are also included.
Series XI: Arrangements/Other Composers contains pieces arranged by other composers that were found in the Kerr Papers.
Series XII: Sketch Books/Exercise Books includes draft phrases and partial works written by Kerr as well as exercises presumably completed during her formal musical education.
Arrangement
This collection consists of twenty-five boxes divided into twelve series:
To view this collection, make an appointment at least five business days prior to your visit by contacting Ask an Archivist or calling (480) 965-4932. Appointments in the Wurzburger Reading Room at Hayden Library (rm. 138) on the Tempe campus are available Monday through Friday. Check the ASU Library Hours page for current availability.
Copyright
Arizona State University does not own the copyright to this collection. We recognize that it is incumbent upon the researcher to procure permission to publish information from this collection from the owner of the copyright.
[Identification of item], Louise Lincoln Kerr Collection, MSS-90, Arizona State University Library.
Provenance
Louise Lincoln Kerr donated the majority of these materials to ASU's University Library. They were transferred to Archives and Special Collections in 1978 (1978-00039). ASU professor of dance Elizabeth Lessard donated additional scores and parts for the ballet Tableau Vivant in 1990 (ACC# 1990-00293).
Processing Note
The archivist found no discernible order to the collection and completed scores, parts, sketches and fragments of most works were found to be separated. The archivist unified separated portions and arranged the materials into series by medium of performance, beginning with solo and duo instrumental and progressing through chamber, vocal, and large instrumental groups. A number of unidentifiable fragments and incomplete sketches are located in boxes 19-23.
