R. Nathaniel Dett Collection

Record Group

Identifier: RND-000-000-086

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The R. Nathaniel Dett Collection consists of 2 boxes of sheet music, correspondence, newspaper articles, programs, etc. about and by Dett. There are also 12 binders with newspaper clippings, programs, sheet music, invitations, etc. There are 2 binders of photocopied Dett materials and some articles can also be found in the main room in the binder in alphabetical order (D's). There are 3 published books: Follow Me (Simpson)(in library catalog), R. Nathaniel Dett (McBrier) (in library catalog) and Racial Uplift and American Music, 1878-1943 (Shenbeck), a framed photo of Dett and a folder of additional materials.

Dates

1895-2012

Creator

Dett, R. Nathaniel, 1882-1943 (Person)

Biographical / Historical

R. Nathaniel Dett was born in Drummondsville, Ontario, Canada on October 11, 1882. In 1893, Dett moved to Niagara Falls, NY with his family.

In 1901 he began studying with Oliver Willis Halstead in Lockport. He majored in piano and composition at the Oberlin Conservatory and he received his B.M. degree in 1908. In 1932, he complete a Master of Music degree at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY.

Dett published about 100 compositions, principally piano, vocal, and choral works.

Extent

7.0 Linear feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Related Materials

A related collection is the Arlene Gray collection, who was a research librarian who studied Dett's work and cataloged it, as well as writing biographical works. Arlene Gray's "Listen to the Lambs" is an index to this collection.