Biographical Sketch

Residing in Rochester, New York, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Leslie Frank appear to have been quite involved with the community in which they lived. Ruth Garner Frank was an accomplished singer who seemed particularly interested in sacred music and in songs for voice and piano which were composed by women. Although she did not seem to compose much herself, there is a piece of hers for voice and piano in the collection. Her mother, Mrs. Charles L. Garner was a prominent organist and choirmaster in the Rochester area. Much of this collection may, in fact, be related to her and not directly to either Ruth Garner Frank or her husband, Harold Leslie Frank, who worked as a piano dealer, but was also a violinist, composer, and possibly a band director.

 

Provenance

This collection was apparently generated as the result of the musical activities of Harold Leslie and Ruth Garner Frank and possibly Mrs. C.L. Garner as well. The collection was probably received by the Sibley Music Library in the 1970’s, but no records exist to document the acquisition.

 

Scope and Content

This collection contains a wide variety of printed music and manuscripts that are either signed or dedicated to Mrs. Ruth Garner Frank or to her mother, Mrs. Charles Garner. The composers of these works are primarily women from the eastern part of the United States and therefore might be of interest to those studying the works of women composers in the early 1900’s. This collection also contains Harold Leslie Frank’s published violin pieces as well as his sketches and manuscript copies.

 

Restrictions and Use

No restrictions.

 

Associations

The Watanabe Special Collection holds other materials relating to local music history, especially in the form of scrapbooks compiled by local residents. Prominent among them are the A.J. Warner Collection and the D.G. Hastings scrapbook. There are also several collections relating to Rochester women, including the Stafford, Hazel Munger Burke, Thelma Biracru Schnepel Collections.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF SERIES

Series 1: Music

Subseries A: Music in Manuscript
This subseries consists of manuscript copies of Harold Leslie Frank’s violin pieces, a song written by either Mrs. Charles Garner or Ruth Garner Frank, miscellaneous sketches, and various works by other composers. Mr. Frank’s compositions are arranged alphabetically and the remaining manuscripts and sketches are arranged by broad subject.

Subseries B: Printed Music
Contains multiple copies of Mr. Frank’s published violin pieces as well as music for various instrumentation written by other composers. Many of the organ works and pieces for voice and piano have been signed by the composers. The works are arranged by instrumentation and are arranged alphabetically within each division.

Series 2: Programs

Arranged by broad subject.

 

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INVENTORY

Series 1: Music

Subseries A: Music in Manuscript

Box 1

folder 1	Frank, Harold Leslie. Adoration. [piano].
folder 2	Frank, Harold Leslie. Melody. [violin, cello, piano].
folder 3	Frank, Harold Leslie. Evora Waltz Caprice. [violin, piano]. (3 copies piano score).
folder 4	Frank, Harold Leslie. Gavotte Antique. [violin, piano]. (3 copies piano score, 1 copy violin)
folder 5	Frank, Harold Leslie. Love’s Lullaby. [violin, piano]. (2 complete copies, 1 incomplete copy piano score, 1 copy violin)
folder 6	Garner, (Mrs. Charles or Ruth?). Listen to the Children. [voice, piano]. (1 complete copy, 1 incomplete copy piano score).
folder 7	Frank, Harold Leslie. Miscellaneous sketches.
folder 8	Frank, Harold Leslie. Sketches and individual parts for band concert arrangements. Delibes, “Indian Bell Song”; Donizetti, Aria from Lucia di Lammermoor; Meyerbeer, cadenza for two flutes from Dinorah; Mozart, “Alleluja”; Mozart, “Queen of the Night”; Saint-Saëns, selection from Parysatis.
folder 9	Songs for voice and piano. C., Berthold. “Our Father, God”; Clifford, Beatrice. “Let My Heart be filled With Praise”; Clokey, Joseph W. “The Storke”, Op. 36; Hull, Elizabeth A. “The Joy Balloon”; Sanford, Harold. “Mem’ries”; (Author unknown). “Enough to Know”.
folder 10	Organ music. Bartlett, Homer N. “Toccata”, Op. 149; Flagler, J.V. (possibly I.V.?). “Home, Sweet Home. Variations.” (with dedication to Clarence Eddy on first page); (Last name illegible), Patty. “A June Phantasy”; Dubois, Th. “Fantasie avec Variations (sur un Thême Provençal)”.
folder 11	Miscellaneous sketches. Sketch for cadenza; “Here is Rest” (piano and chorus part); “Night-Sun” (violin part); “Sweet Holy Calm” (bass part); Glover, Stephen. “The Wind and the Harp” (piano part).

Subseries B: Printed Music

folder 12	Organ Music. Bonn, Eugene. “A St. Patrick’s Day Prelude – Traditional Melody with Variations” pub’d Eugene Bonn (1929). signed by composer; Batiste’s Organ Book pub’d Boosey & Co. (no date). book incomplete and not in good condition; collection of marches. book incomplete and not in good condition.
folder 13	Choral music. Day, George Henry. “The Shepherds and the Wise Men” A Christmas Cantata, pub’d William E. Ashmall & Co. (1932). [SATB, soli, organ]. vocal score. signed by composer; Edwards, Julian. “Lazarus”, Sacred Cantata, pub’d William Maxwell Music Co. (1908). [chorus, soli, orchestra]. vocal score. signed by composer; Shure, R. Deane. “Advance, Oh Church of God”. from periodical, “The Methodist Woman”, October, 1948.
folder 14	Brahms, Johannes. Violin Concerto, Op. 77, pub’d International Music Company. (violin part)
folder 15	Miller, Lillian. “Miniatures in Chinese Colors”, pub’d Wulschner Music Co. (1901). [piano].
folder 16	Songs for voice and piano (or organ). Adams, Pearl. “Four Songs of the Air”, pub’d Manhattan Music Publishing Corporation (1929); Barbour, Florence Newell. “The Call to Worship” pub’d Arthur P. Schmidt Co. (1922). signed by composer; Barbour. “The Flower Will Bloom – A Faery Song”, pub’d Arthur P. Schmidt Co. (1921). signed by composer; Barbour. “One Day Love Came” pub’d William Maxwell Music Co. (1909). signed by composer. Hunt, Hamlin. “Aspiration”, pub’d Joseph E. Frank (1906); Glover, Stephen. “The Wind and the Harp”, duet, pub’d S. Brainard & Sons (date not listed); Krogmann, C.W. “My Fleet of Dreams” (2 copies) pub’d C.W. Krogmann (1928). signed by composer; Mosenthal, J. “I will magnify thee, O God”, duet, pub’d G. Schirmer (1892); Roberts, George. “Because of You” pub’d Theodore Presser Co. (1929). signed by composer; Schubert, F. “Serenade (Ständchen)” pub’d Kunkel Bros. (1882); Smith, Gerrit.”Thistledown (a Cycle of Song)” pub’d Boosey & Co. (1907). signed by composer; Welch, Edward V. “On Niag’ra’s Fair Shore” pub’d Edward V. Welch (1934).
folder 17	Miscellaneous band parts. Arditi, “Il Bacio” (solo B-flat cornet part; Drigo, “Valse-Bluette” (solo B-flat cornet part); Meyerbeer, “Shadow Dance” (solo B-flat clarinet part).

Box 2

folder 1	Frank, Harold Leslie. “Gavotte Antique” pub’d Harold Leslie Frank (1920). [violin, piano] (2 copies).
folder 2	Frank, Harold Leslie. “Love’s Lullaby” pub’d Harold Leslie Frank (1920). [violin, piano] (104 copies).

Box 3

folder 1

Frank, Harold Leslie. “Evora Waltz Caprice” pub’d Harold Leslie Frank (1920). [violin, piano] (109 copies).

Series 2: Personal Papers

Box 4

folder 1	Church programs
folder 2	American Guild of Organists programs
folder 3	Miscellaneous programs
folder 4	Organizations
folder 5	Masonic Temple
folder 6	Rochester History
folder 7	Newspaper clippings
folder 8	Personal correspondence
folder 9	Stock information
folder 10	Miscellaneous personal papers
folder 11	Memorabilia and yearbooks