Biographical Sketch

Henry B. Ellwanger (1850-1883). Henry B. Ellwanger was born in Rochester on October 8, 1850, the second son of George and Cornelia B. Ellwanger. On February 4, 1874, he was married to Mary Brooks. Henry B., the son of a senior partner of the Ellwanger and Barry horticultural and floral firm, dedicated his life mainly to the study of roses. A well-published authority on the rose, his name became widely known for his research. He was also an important musician in the history of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church of Rochester. He was the founder of their church choir, as well as their director until his death. In January 1882, he became one of the founding members of the Rochester Oratorio Society, as well as it’s First Vice-President. He died of typhoid Fever at his home in Rochester on August 7, 1883.

 

Provenance

This collection is the result of Henry B. Ellwanger’s musical work in Rochester. Records at the Sibley Library show that this collection was a gift of Margaret Ellwanger in August of 1972. Margaret Ellwanger, daughter of Henry’s brother, Edward S. Ellwanger, died in Rochester on September 21, 1958. Margaret, an active music devotee, left no husband or children. The Sibley Music Library received the collection in 1972. There is no indication of the collection’s history between 1958 and 1972.

 

Scope and Content

The collection contains mainly music composed by Henry B. Ellwanger, along with catalogs of other compositions in his library. A few items of printed music are included, mainly publications of Ellwanger’s own works but also some works of other composers. The majority of the remainder of the collections relates to his work as a church musician. This material includes church service bulletins, memos to choir members, music publication catalogs, materials related to organ construction, and letters. As a composer, Ellwanger must have met with some degree of success, as the collection includes publications of his own work. The collection relates particularly to musical life in Rochester, and especially to the field of church music in a small urban setting.

 

Restrictions and Use

None.

 

Associations

The Ruth T. Watanabe Special Collections holds a variety of scrapbooks relating to musical events during roughly the same period as this collection. Other special collections of related interest are those of R. Huntington Woodman (early 20th-century organist in Brooklyn), William L. Viner (early 19th-century English organist), and John Leman Rogers (19th-century English choral music composer). The special collections department at Rush Rhees Library holds several collections pertinent to the Ellwanger family.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF SERIES

Series 1: Music

The series embraces mainly compositions in manuscript by Henry B. Ellwanger. The series is broken into four sub-series, no lower level of arrangement has been given.

Sub-series A: Catalogs
These are two manuscript lists of the musical library of Henry B. Ellwanger. There is some indication that they passed through other owners’ hands, who may have altered and annotated them.

Sub-series B: Manuscripts of Ellwanger
These are mainly organ chorales.

Sub-series C: Manuscripts of Others
This includes a variety of manuscript copies of other composers’ works, mainly pertaining to church music use.

Sub-series D: Printed Music
This includes a small selection of music by Ellwanger and a few other composers.

 

Series 2: Professional Papers

The professional papers relate to Ellwanger’s work as a church organist and include service bulletins, newsletters, and programs.

 

Series 3: Personal Papers

This includes Ellwanger’s obituary, a small number of letters, and a few other items not related to his personal career.

 

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INVENTORY

Box 1

Series 1: Music

Sub-series A: Catalogs

folder 1	Catalog of Ellwanger music library
folder 2	Catalog of Ellwanger music library

Sub-series B: Manuscripts of Ellwanger

folder 3	Kyrie Eleison
folder 4	Cantate Domino
folder 5	Gloria Patri in G
folder 6	Benedictus in G
folder 7	Nearer My God to Thee
folder 8	Te Deum
folder 9	Anthem for the Burial of the Dead
folder 10	Nunc Dimittis
folder 11	unidentified score
folder 12	musical fragments

Sub-series C: Manuscript copies of other composers’ works

folder 13	Kreutzer, Kueken – songs
folder 14	Leroux, Le Nil
folder 15	Mercadante – Ariette
folder 16	Schubert – Morgensteindchen
folder 17	Chausson – Le Colibri
folder 18	Chausson – Serenade Italienne
folder 19	Verdi – Romanze from La Traviata
folder 20	Stenhammar – Der innerst i min ande [sic]
folder 21	Jaeger – lied fuer eine Bassstimme
folder 22	musical sketches and unidentified compositions
folder 23	works of unidentified composers

Sub-series D: Printed Music

folder 24	HBE – Selected hymns
folder 25	HBE – Two New Christmas Carols
folder 26	HBE – Anthem and Chant
folder 27	HBE – Jubilate in G
folder 28	HBE – unidentified chorales

Series 2: Professional Papers

folder 29	St. Andrew’s Service Bulletins
folder 30	Choir of St. Andrew’s Church
folder 31	The Parish Record
folder 32	Service bulletins – not of St. Andrew’s
folder 33	Concert programs
folder 34	Organ construction
folder 35	Music publication catalogs
folder 36	Copyright application

Series 3: Personal Papers

folder 37	Letters
folder 38	News clippings – obituary
folder 39	Memorial obituary
folder 40	English Church Union
folder 41	Hole, S. Reynolds. “Give Us a Lead.” An Address to Working Men, at the Church Congress Held at Derby, October 4th 1882. London: Bemrose & Sons, n.d. [inscribed to H.B. Ellwanger by author.]