Asher Zlotnik Papers

Umbrella Collection name: none

Individual Collection name: Asher G. Zlotnik Papers

Repository name: Special Collections in Performing Arts, Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library, University of Maryland

Type: Personal and professional papers

Collection dates:

Extent: 30.5 linear feet

Description: Asher Zlotnik’s musicological research materials, including an extensive collection of correspondence about the re-orchestration of Robert Schumann’s symphonies.

Statement of provenance: Gift from Mrs. Roslyn Zlotnik of Baltimore, MD

Governing documents:
Deed of Gift July 28, 1997

Finding aid description:Unpublished finding aid available in the repository

Collection-level cataloging record call number:

SCPA shelf location: O5 through O7

Names of people who worked on processing and describing the collection: Bonnie Jo Dopp, Lori Fowser, Liviu Marinescu, Vin Novara.

BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Asher G. Zlotnik (1915-1997) was a music scholar and teacher who spent most of his career teaching music theory and sightsinging to practicing musicians. Born March 12, 1915, he received early training in music from Ralph L. Baldwin (1872-1943), contributor to many books on elementary music education. He attended the Eastman School of Music and studied privately with Jacques Gordon, then concertmaster of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. When Goron became conductor of the Hartford Symphony, Zlotnik joined the orchestra as principal flutist. For five years following World War II, Zlotnik traveled regularly to New York City to study the Schillinger Music Theory Technique with three of Joseph Schillinger’s disciples. He began teaching music privately to musicians from the Glen Miller and Tommy Dorsey bands, and members of the radio network orchestras at ABS, CBS, NBC and the WOR radio orchestra. He earned two degrees in music from Yale University: B.A., 1955 and Master of Music, 1956. At Yale he developed a method for teaching sight singing that so impressed Benjamin DeLoach, a voice professor there, that he incorporated it into his own teaching. Zlotnik received his Ph.D. from Indiana University in 1972. His academic teaching positions included the Hartford School of Music (1947-1959), Manhattan School of Music (1957-1959), and Boston University (1963-1967). He engaged in research and private teaching in Baltimore until his retirement in 1995. He died on May 29, 1997, survived by his wife Roslyn.

Source of biographical information: unsigned obituaries in the Asher G. Zlotnik Papers

SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

2. Correspondence About Schumann [Dates: 1962-1969]. These are all letters written for the purpose of Dr. Zlotnik’s dissertation research about the reorchestration of Robert Schumann’s four symphonies. These letters form the most valuable part of the collection, as they contain many autographs from notable conductors, composers, musicians, and scholars, including Alma Mahler, Aaron Copland, Pierre Boulez, and Toscanini. Zlotnik assigned each letter he wrote a number, and the corresponding reply was given the same number. An Excel spreadsheet of this data appears as an appendix to this finding aid.

3. Writings by Zlotnik. This series is mostly made up of Zlotnik’s dissertation and related writings, but there are also some school assignments, course notes, teaching materials, and public speeches.

4. Student Papers. These are research papers written by the students in the Music Theory courses taught by Zlotnik.

5. Schumann Research Materials. This series encompasses a wide range of research materials on Schumann. It includes biographical material, J.W. Finson’s dissertation “Robert Schumann: The Creation of the Symphonic Works,” reviews and program notes, and detailed score revisions of various conductors of each of Schumann’s four symphonies.

6. Notebooks. These are clippings on many subjects which were originally kept in binders. They are divided into subseries by subject in as close to their original order as possible.

1. Acoustics
2. Bach
3. Conductors
4. Jazz
5. Music Theory
6. Interpretation
7. Knowledge and Responsible Practice
8. Medical Library Research
9. Music Education
10. The Orchestra Audition, Conducting Career
11. Revision Precedents in Beethoven
12. Sightreading
13. Transposition, Dynamics, Arranging, etc.
14. Rhythm, Arrhythmy, Pedagogy
15. Book, Record, Music Reviews, Necrology
16. Avant-Garde
17. Language Abuse, Fraud, Crisis, etc.
18. Richard Strauss and his Lieder
19. Film Composers
20. Various Research
21. Non-music Related Topics

7. Modern Composers’ Scores. Most of these are scores given to Zlotnik as gifts from his private music composition students. Some of them are autographed and include letters of thanks. Scores by Charlie Barden, Chen-Tai Chen, Sonny (Sam) Costanzo, Ralph Ives, David Kane, Wesley Lowe, Joe Reisman, Bill Russo, and John E. Starr are included. Some of these composers were jazz-oriented.

8. Modern Composers’ Cassette Recordings. Some of these cassettes accompany scores from series VII, and are indicated as such in the box inventory. In addition to the composers in series VII, recordings of compositions by Sam Most, Mark Tamulonis, John Russo, Larry Hoffman, and Bennie Wallace are included. The cassettes from Bennie Wallace include letters from him to Zlotnik.

9. Periodicals, Catalogs, Publications. Items that duplicate things in the University of Maryland catalog were removed from the collection, and they are indicated on the box inventory as such.

10. Instrumental Performers and Pedagogues. This series contains articles by and about famous performers and pedagogues. These are arranged by instrument. Accordion, Voice, Strings, Woodwinds, Brass, and Percussion instruments are represented.

11. Composers and Arrangers. This series has articles by and about composers and arrangers and their craft. Composer items are arranged alphabetically by surname of composer.

12. Dissertations and Research Papers. These are dissertations and research papers on various musical subjects, dissertation abstracts, and dissertation catalogs. Papers by Jerry Pierce, K. Winking, Block, Blumenthal, Weingartner, and James Thurmond are included. Subjects include the lives of Daniel Bonade and Ernest Williams, Note Grouping, mathematically determined form in 20th century music, and others.

13. Microfilm.

1. Microfilms pertaining to Schumann: Manuscript and Published scores of the four symphonies, the Manfred Overture, Schumann’s letters
2. Microfilms pertaining to other composers: Schubert and Bach
3. Assorted doctoral dissertations and research papers

14. Reel-to-reel Tapes. 8 reel-to-reel tapes. Singer Madeleine Gray, oboist Marcel Tabuteau, and percussionist Morello are featured on 6 of the tapes. The other two tapes are miscellaneous student programs and a convocation.

15. Oversized Scores. These are mostly copies of various conductors’ editions of the Schumann Symphonies. These conductors include Mengelberg, Mahler, Reiner, Toscanini, Stock, Busch, and Furtwängler. Also included are Canteloube’s Chants d’Auvergne and Mahler Songs and clippings.

---

Materials from this collection must be used in the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library's Irving and Margery Morgan Lowens Room for Special Collections, 10 to 5, Monday through Friday. Please make an appointment with the curator.

Or for a specific question about the collection feel free to ask the curator.

return to top