Scope and Content Note
The Boris Koutzen Collection contains printed and photocopied manuscript music scores, negative photostats and microfilm of holograph music, correspondence, clippings, writings, books, pamphlets, periodicals, programs, photographs, articles, manuscript and typewritten journals, printed biographical sketches, bound and unbound scrapbooks, and a printed catalog of Koutzen's compositions. It also includes a modest acquisition of correspondence and music belonging to his daughter, Nadia Koutzen. The collection spans the years from 1889 to 2005, with the bulk of the materials dating from 1954 to 1965.
The bulk of the Biographical Materials series consists of manuscript lists and printed catalogues of Koutzen compositions and correspondence. Most of the correspondence is addressed to Inez Koutzen and deal with her efforts to compile a comprehensive catalog of her husband’s works. Nearly all of these letters are dated subsequent to Boris Koutzen’s death.
The Writings series contains drafts, articles, journals, program notes, and typed analyses of Koutzen compositions. The journals of Boris Koutzen are of great interest. In the two-volume manuscript document which spans 298 pages, Koutzen critiques his works, elaborates on his friendship with Koussevitzky, comments on his own performances as well as those of his family (whom he dubs the “Koutzen Quartet”), and discusses the solo career of his daughter, Nadia. He also reflects on his musical composition techniques, his run-ins with Toscanini, and his dealings with NBC, while sporadically interjecting choice Cyrillic quips and phrases.
The Correspondence series contains a considerable amount of drafts of letters that Boris Koutzen wrote requesting performances, publications, recordings, and examinations of his works. The correspondence also includes letters, contracts, and royalty statements from various music publishers, including his principal publisher, General Music Publishing Co., Inc. In addition, there are items from his other publishers, Mercury Music Corporation which became part of the Theodore Presser Company, and Elkan-Vogel Co., Inc. Among individual correspondents are such notable figures as Serge Koussevitzky, Vincent Persichetti, Walter Piston, and William Schuman. In addition, there is correspondence from Josef Gingold, Gregor Piatigorsky, Leon Barzin and Thornton Wilder. Correspondence from the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Juilliard School of Music, the Manhattan Symphony Orchestra, and the National Symphony Orchestra is also included.
The Subject File series consists of correspondence, photographs, programs, and clippings concerning the publication and performance of his two operas,The Fatal Oath and You Never Know. The scrapbook entitled "The Battle of La Grande Bretèche" is retained in its original order and contains Koutzen's correspondence and clippings about The Fatal Oath, which is based on Honoré de Balzac's tale, La Grande Bretèche. In addition, the Subject File series contains announcements, articles, periodicals, and notebooks pertaining to Koutzen's compositions and his performances in the United States, many of which took place in New York’s Town Hall, and abroad, in regions such as Berlin, Puerto Rico, and Russia.
The Scrapbooks series contains six Scrapbooks. Five of the scrapbooks span his career, from his earliest performances at Town Hall to his days of conducting at Vassar College. The albums primarily contain programs, program reviews, clippings, and correspondence. The final scrapbook is a memorial, commemorating the death of Boris Koutzen. The “obituary book” begins with a few black and white photos of Koutzen and clippings announcing his sudden passing. The album then features a collection of letters of sympathy for the Koutzen family from students, relatives, colleagues, and other contemporaries.
The Photographs series contains five photographs. One notable photo is a black and white formal family portrait which depicts an adolescent Koutzen sitting with a group of people that includes his young parents, Leo and Minna, and possibly other relatives. In addition, there is a black and white photograph of Boris and his wife Inez standing with conductor Artur Rodzinski, and a candid photograph of violinist Josef Gingold, inscribed with the words, “To Nadia Koutzen with affection and admiration.” Finally, there is a black and white photograph of composer Ottorino Respighi, which is inscribed to Boris Koutzen.
The Music series contains items by Koutzen and by other composers. The Koutzen material includes a photocopied manuscript full score and solo parts for his Concerto for Violin and Orchestra and three negative photostats of holograph full scores for the symphonic poem Valley Forge which was first performed at Carnegie Hall by the National Orchestral Association with Leon Barzin conducting. In addition, the material includes Solitude: Poème-Nocturne, the composer's earliest symphonic composition which was first performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1922 with Koutzen conducting; and Landscape and Dance a work for woodwind quintet which was premiered by the Philadelphia Woodwind Quintet. The music by other composers chiefly contains works for solo violin or chamber music and includes the holograph full score and copyist's parts for Koutzen's orchestration of Paul Nordoff's Broadway Rhapsody.
The Printed Materials series contains Russian and German music theory books, printed periodicals, program booklets, and a Philadelphia Conservatory of Music yearbook. This last item, dated 1950, contains a formal dedication to Boris Koutzen commemorating his twenty-five years of service at the Conservatory. The commendation continues with a brief biography and a listing of notable Koutzen compositions.
The Papers of Nadia Koutzen series includes correspondence and printed bound and unbound music scores and parts. Most of the correspondence is between Nadia and either Vincent Persichetti or Isaac Stern. There are also several letters to and from her father, which include discussions about domestic affairs as well as critiques of Nadia’s performances and her father’s compositions. The printed music, signed by Nadia Koutzen, is annotated for performance purposes. Other inscriptions within the pages of music are from colleagues expressing messages of admiration or birthday wishes.