Collection Information
Collection
Hunleth Music Store stock
Location
Music and Performing Arts Library circulating stacks, and Special Collections (selected individual editions); general sheet music holdings in Special Collections, storage areas in University Press Building (ensemble collections, keyboard, wind music, etc.); (string solo and chamber music. Century editions, McKinley editions).
Provenance
Purchase of unsold stock upon closure of the J. F. Hunleth Music Store, 415 N. Broadway, St. Louis, Missouri.
When acquired
February, 1974.
Description
Shipment consisted of 1,662 packing containers, at a weight in excess of 20,000 lbs. Contents, as shipped, included the following categories (among others) of printed music:
Type of material (Est. linear ft.)
Vocal music: popular, musical comedy (195)
Vocal music: classical repertory (255)
Piano solo (550)
Piano duet, 2 piano, etc. (55)
Wind music (160)
Wind ensemble (40)
String music – solo & chamber (185)
Publishers’ libraries – Century, McKinley, etc. (135)
Catholic Church music – pre-Vatican II (110)
Dance band arrangements (55)
Theater orchestra arrangements (105)
Silent film music (40)
Orchestra music (190)
School orchestra & band music & methods (130)
Since a great many duplicate copies have not been retained, the total bulk of material has diminished substantially. Approximately 50 books, several binder’s collections of sheet music, 10 linear feet of music publishers’ catalogs and, possibly, several hundred 78 rpm records were also included in the shipment. The majority of the printed music editions were published during the period 1890-1950. Materials published in St. Louis, Kansas City, or elsewhere in the Midwest are emphasized, as are method books and other pedagogical editions.
Arrangement
The original categories (reflecting location within the Hunleth store) have not been retained. All cartons have been unpacked, with contents incorporated into Music and Perfoming Arts Library cataloged collections (including indexed sheet music holdings in Special Collections), or interfiled among similar materials (reflecting medium of performance) in storage areas.Catholic Church music, the orchestra collection, film music, and other smaller ensemble libraries have been maintained as separate individual collections in the University Press Building Library storage area. Dance orchestra and theater orchestra collections are arranged by title; film music (in two sequences) by accession number. McKinley and Century editions are arranged by publisher’s number.
Access/Finding Aids/Bibliography
Separately cataloged editions and indexed sheet music are accessible via online or card catalogs. Uncataloged editions may be accessed via their shelf arrangement within categories reflecting medium of performance. A card catalog for silent film music may be consulted in the University Press Building storage area, adjacent to the collection (which is shelved in two sequences, parts A & B). Specific McKinley and Century editions may be consulted with the aid of relevant publishers’ catalogs. Two Collections File folders (“Hunleth”; “Hunleth Orchestra/Ens.”) contain memos relating to the acquisition of this body of materials, descriptions of contents of the Hunleth store, newspaper clippings, shipping estimates, proposals relating to processing, and descriptions of the various ensemble collections, including a practicum report prepared by Pamela (Bowden) Dahlhauser containing specific recommendations as to processing and conservation. See the Hunleth Collection finding aid in the Sousa Archives and Center for American Archives for a partial inventory of the collection.
Index terms
Catholic Church music
Century (Music Publisher) Editions
Dance orchestra music
Hunleth Music Store
McKinley (Music Publisher) Editions
Method books: instrumental
Music Publishers’ catalogs
School band and orchestra music
Silent film music
Theater orchestra music