Frank Bohnhorst Collection The Ames Library Illinois Wesleyan University

Frank R. Bohnhorst Collection

Illinois Wesleyan University The Ames Library Tate Archives & Special Collections January 2018

Frank Bohnhorst Collection The Ames Library Illinois Wesleyan University Biographical notes: by Robert Delvin, Fine Arts Librarian, Illinois Wesleyan University, March 2017

Formative years & education: A native of Springfield, Illinois, Frank Runyan Bohnhorst (b. June 24, 1923 – d. May 20, 1956) attended the Illinois Wesleyan University Jr. College of Music (Springfield) 1940-1943, and completed the Bachelor of Music Degree in organ performance and music theory from Illinois Wesleyan University (Bloomington) in 1946. He subsequently attended the School of Sacred Music of Union Theological Seminary in New York City, earning the Master of Sacred Music degree in organ performance, choral conducting, and musical composition in 1948. Thesis title: The rhythmic setting of texts: a practical guide to textual analysis for composers. Among his teachers were Horace Grant Fletcher, George Scott, and Hugh Porter. He married Janet Whitey (IWU ’46) on June 24, 1947.

Upon completion of his graduate studies he served as organist and choir director at various churches in New Jersey, Ohio, Missouri, and the Unitarian-Universalist Church in Bloomington, Illinois. He also taught organ and composition briefly at Westminster College (New Wilmington, Pa.), Hanover College (Indiana), and the University of Missouri (Columbia) prior to returning to Illinois Wesleyan University in 1951 as Associate Professor of Organ and Composer in Residence. In the same year he organized the Symposium of Contemporary American Music at Illinois Wesleyan, a concert series that continues annually to the present day.

Musical Compositions: Frank Bohnhorst’s compositions number approximately fifty completed works (mostly unpublished) for solo voice, chorus, keyboard, chamber music, and orchestra. His compositional style is in common with much mid-twentieth century American concert music: frequently neo-classic in forms, with extensive use of counterpoint, expanded harmony and liberal use of dissonance. His sacred choral music intended for church use, employs a more traditional harmonic palate.

With his strong literary interests, and his concerns for the musical setting literary texts, the composer drew liberally from the work of American authors in his secular vocal compositions, and especially authors with ties to the American Midwest. Included among these were Abraham Lincoln (Air Held Her Breath), Vincent Stephen Benet (John Browns Prayer), Francis Grierson (Promised Land: A Folk Opera), James Weldon Johnson (Go Down Death), Vachel Lindsay (General Booth Enters into Heaven), and Walt Whitman (Song of Liberty). At the early age of 17, Bohnhorst was founding member of the Vachel Lindsay Association (Springfield, Illinois).

Dedications & Commissions: Given his regrettably short career and limited exposure, Frank Bohnhorst’s scores bearing dedications are directed principally toward family members, personal friends, and colleagues, or in commemoration of milestone events at institutions to which the composer had a personal connection. Examples include his Te Deum (1950) written for the centennial celebration of Illinois Wesleyan University, a Song of Praise (1952) for the 125th Anniversary of First Presbyterian Church, Springfield, Illinois, and The Promised Land: a Folk Opera in One Act with Four Scenes Frank Bohnhorst Collection The Ames Library Illinois Wesleyan University (1953), also dedicated to Illinois Wesleyan University “for its historical position as a shaper of prairie conscience for its support of contemporary creative efforts," the libretto of which, was drawn from the writings of the eccentric Anglo-American, concert pianist, essayist, spiritualist, and bon vivant Francis Grierson, who passed a portion of his youth in Sangamon County, Illinois.1 Among his commissioned scores were the Faces of Fear: A Ballet (1954) at the request of the League of Choreographers & Composers, Springfield, Illinois, and the oratorio Go Down Death (1956), for the Springfield Oratorio Society, Donald Allured, director. In 1954 Bohnhorst was awarded a summer fellowship to the MacDowell Colony in Peterborough, NH, during which time he completed his orchestral score to Faces of Fear: a Ballet; Hymn Variations and Fuguing Tune for woodwind quintet; a Sonata for Viola and Piano; and Three Choral Folk-song Sketches for SATB chorus with piano. Finally, just weeks prior to his death, the young composer received a commission from the Chicago based, Fromm Music Foundation to compose a work for the foundations’ upcoming concert series. Only preliminary sketches of a proposed sonata for piano-four hands remain.

Bohnhorst on Music: In a letter to a non-musician friend2 Bohnhorst sharply criticized the popular New York music critic Winthrop Sargeant for touting the dominant “modern status-quo” concert repertoire (characterized by Bohnhorst as “ticket-selling,” “Europe- as-usual,” “Schœ nbergian 12-tone disciples,” “Stravinsky-Boulanger” or “Eastman- trained Americans”) at the expense younger and “non-bandwagon composers” [such as himself], thereby preventing the latter from getting adequate hearings in major performance venues. The underlying raison d’être for the Symposium of Contemporary American Music at Illinois Wesleyan was to provide such exposure, and serve as a bridge between contemporary composers and their audiences. In Bohnhorst’s words:

“For a culture to be creative musically, there must be a close relationship between composer, performer, and listener. This Symposium was organized as a means of bridging the gap between today's composers and their audience. The hearing of representative con• temporary works and the interchange of ideas are directed to the purpose of encouraging active participation in the creative currents of our time.”3

In addition to his composition and teaching, Bohnhorst appeared regularly at Illinois Wesleyan and other central Illinois venues as an organ recitalist, accompanist, and lecturer, on musical composition, pipe organ design, and church music in general. During his tenure at I.W.U. he served as organist at the Bloomington Unitarian- Universalist Church. Throughout his life he retained membership in the First Presbyterian Church, “the Lincoln Church” of Springfield, Illinois.

Professional affiliations: Frank Bohnhorst retained memberships in numerous National and regional professional organizations: Association of American Composers and Conductors; American Federation of Musicians, the Illinois Federation of Music Clubs, the American Guild of Organists; the Vachel Lindsay Association, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (N.A.A.C.P.), Phi Kappa Phi National Scholastic Fraternity, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America.

Frank Bohnhorst Collection The Ames Library Illinois Wesleyan University In Memoriam: Frank Bohnhorst died pre-maturely of leukemia just shy of his 33rd birthday, having served only three years on the faculty of the Illinois Wesleyan University School of Music. He left behind a widow, Janet Whitely-Bohnhorst, and two young daughters. In the days and weeks that followed his death numerous tributes appeared in local and regional newspapers lamenting the loss this young composer- musician. One year later (May 13-15, 1957), the Sixth Annual Symposium of Contemporary American Music at Illinois Wesleyan was dedicated to memory of Frank Bohnhorst, and included performances of several of his compositions. Shortly thereafter on May 21, 1957 the Spring Choral Concert of the University Choir at the University of Illinois-Champaign, featured a commemorative performance of Bohnhorst’s oratorio Go Down Death, conducted by his close friend and colleague Lloyd Pfautsch, who was on leave from Illinois Wesleyan during the 1956/57 academic year. The performance, which took place in Smith Music Hall on the Champaign campus, was recorded and broadcast over WTAX-FM (Springfield, IL) on May 27. The oratorio’s premiere had taken place on March 27 of the previous year, two months prior to the composer’s death. Lloyd Pfautsch conducted and recorded at least one further performance of the work with the Dallas [Texas] Civic Chorus on May17, 1976.4 Perhaps the chief legacy of Frank Bohnhorst however, was his creation of the Symposium of Contemporary American Music, the oldest, continuing academic symposium of its type in the United States.

The academic year 2014/15 marked the sesquicentennial anniversary of the School of Music at Illinois Wesleyan University. Among the numerous events held in conjunction with this celebration, was a concert performance of music by composers affiliated with the school during the decades of the1950s through 1990s5 including several works by Frank Bohnhorst. Concurrently, the remaining heirs of the Bohnhorst estate presented the Ames Library with a substantial archive of fair-copy musical manuscripts, compositional sketchbooks, selected papers, and correspondence of the composer. Performance copies based on these manuscripts were used in above concert. The music manuscripts are in the process of being digitized and will be made available for study through the Ames Library Digital Commons.

1. Harold P. Simonson, “Francis Grierson: A Biographical Sketch and Bibliography.” Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society (1908-1984), vol. 54, no. 2, 1961, pp. 198–203.

2. Frank Bohnhorst, Personal letter addressed to “Doc & Sue” [no surname] dated February 1, 1956, Bloomington, Illinois.

3. Frank Bohnhorst, Illinois Wesleyan University, School of Music, Symposium for Contemporary American Music. March 20-21, 1952.

4. A digital audio recording of this performance is held by the Ames Library.

5. Illinois Wesleyan University School of Music, Composers from IWU’s Past: Music from the 1950s through the 1990s by former faculty and friends. (January 22, 2015).

Frank Bohnhorst Collection The Ames Library Illinois Wesleyan University Scope and Contents Note:

This is a comprehensive collection of works composed by Frank Bohnhorst. Spiral bound books containing his original scores for vocal/choral and piano/organ. Orchestral arrangements comprise the bulk of the collection; however, unfinished works, early sketches, organ pedagogy, speeches, personal correspondence; as well as, his thesis, written in1948, to fulfill a Master of Sacred Music degree from the Union Theological Seminary. A number of music scores by other composers are included as well.

The Bohnhorst Collection is organized into the following series: I Vocal-Choral Scores II Instrumental Piano-Organ Scores III Sketches, Notebooks & Unfinished Works IV Master of Sacred Music Thesis (1948, Union Theological Seminary) V Speeches VI Biographical information, Clippings & Correspondence VII Music by Other Composers VIII Special Formats

I. Vocal-Choral Scores

“A Clear Midnight”, n.d., (in first folder of box) “A New Prayer: Anthem for A-capella chorus, for SSAATBB, 1956, (in first folder of box) “Air Held Her Breath”, for voice & piano, Columbia, MO, June 1951 “And Death Shall Have No Dominion”, for SATB chorus, Bloomington, IL, May 24, 1954 “The Beatitudes”, for soprano or tenor and organ, n.d. “By the Rivers of Babylon: anthem for SSATB & organ”, New York, April 1947 “Chanson Innocente”, for soprano & piano, n.d. “Come Away Death: dirge from Cymbeline” for voice & piano, n.d. “Four Songs of Nature: Heat”, for voice & piano, n.d. “General William Booth Enters into Heaven” for SATB & piano, January 17, 1947 “General William Booth Enters into Heaven”, for baritone solo, SATB chorus & orchestra, New York, May 18, 1948 “Go Down Death: an oratorio”, for tenor, baritone soloists, SATB chorus & orchestra, [commissioned by the Springfield [IL?] Oratorio Society], Bloomington, IL, January 31, 1956 “In My Craft or Sullen Art” for soprano & piano, Bloomington, IL, March 7, 1956 “Kiddo”, for vocal & piano, written in 1908, published by A.J. Chisam Music Publishing Co., Springfield, IL “The Mirror” for SSAA & piano, [To Norman Smith and the SAI chorus, IWU], Bloomington, IL, December 26, 1951 “O Childe Swete: Christmas Carol” for SSA chorus & piano, Grant Fletcher, arr. Frank Bohnhorst, n.d. Frank Bohnhorst Collection The Ames Library Illinois Wesleyan University “Pretty Little Miss”, (Laurel Octavo, Music for Mixed Voices), for SATB, n.d., (in first folder of box) “The Promised Land: A Folk-Opera in One Act”, with Four Scenes, Bloomington, IL, April 16, 1953 (includes Bohnhorst’s notes) – contains some brittle pages “Salutation of the Angel Gabriel to Mary” for 4-part women’s chorus (SSAA) and organ, Bloomington, IL, November 1951 “Silence in Heaven”, for soprano and piano, Bloomington, IL, January 21, 1953, (In folder with “Sunny Day”) “Song of Liberty”, for mixed voices (SATB), published 1956, (in first folder of box) “Song of Praise” [celebrating the 125th anniversary of 1st Presbyterian Ch., Springfield, IL, December 1952], Bloomington, IL January 1953 “Sunny Day”, for soprano and piano, Bloomington, IL, January 13, 1953, (In folder with “Silence in Heaven”) “Te Deum Laudamus”: for SATB chorus & orchestra, n.d. “Three Choral Folk-song Sketches: SATB and Piano”, Macdowell Colony, July 15, 1954 “Triptych for Flute, Soprano, Piano”, Poems by Virginia Huntington, Bloomington, IL, November 28, 19?? “The Truth”, 6-part A-Capella Choir, dedicated to E.C. Lundgren and the S.H.S. A- Capella Choir, n.d., (in first folder of box)

II. Instrumental – Piano – Organ Scores

“An American Ballad” for piano solo, dedicated to Sigma of Delta Omicron, IWU, March 24, 1956 “Be Thou My Vision” (Prelude on the Hymn Tune “Slane”, 1957 “Dance Suite for String Quartet”, April 4, 1941 “Divertimento for String Trio (2 folders), Bloomington, IL, August 16, 1953 “The Faces of Fear”, Ballet for Orchestra, February 14, 1954 “General Wm. Booth Enters into Heaven”, Piano 4 Hands Score, Columbia, MO, 1951 “Hymn - Variations and Fuguing Tune:” Woodwind Quintet, score & parts, Macdowell Colony, July 27, 1954 “John Brown’s Prayer”, dedicated to Lloyd Pfautsch & Th Von Franari Trio, Hanover, IN, July 25, 1950, score & parts with program notes “New Salem (1832): Concert Overture” (2 folders), Bloomington, IL, Lincoln’s Birthday, 1955, score & parts “Nocturne for Oboe, Clarinet & Bassoon”, n.d. “Piano Sonata (1951)”, Bloomington, IL, September 1951, includes lecture notes (mimeographed) “Prelude & Fugue on the American Ballad ‘Tom Joad’” for piano, November 12, 1944 “Prelude on the Hymn Tune 'Slane’” for organ, n.d. “Sonata for Viola and Piano”, Macdowell Colony, Peterboro, NH, July 12, 1954, 1 score & part “Three Preludes for Piano”, I.M. Hungary (pseud.), March 15, 1954 “Toccata on ‘Wondrous Love’” for organ, New York, February 16, 1948 Frank Bohnhorst Collection The Ames Library Illinois Wesleyan University “Tom Joad Ballad for Piano”, n.d. “Two Nocturnes for Flute & Clarinet”, score, n.d. “Weevily Wheat: Dance Piece for Piano”, New Wilmington, PA, January, 1949 “The Winter is Past” for organ, (incomplete), n.d.

III. Sketches, Notebooks & Unfinished Works

“A Notebook on Elements of Design in Composition”, spiral bound notebook of sketches, n.d. “Choral Scores: 17, Unfinished Work & Early Sketches”, oversized folder, n.d. “General Wm. Booth Enters into Heaven”, for baritone solo, SATB chorus, piano, 4 hands – spiral bound notebook of sketches “Harmony Notebook”, spiral notebook of student exercises and sketches, 1940-41 “New England Tunes for Ballet: I: Spiritual Folk Songs of Early America; II: Jackson: Down-East Spirituals”, n.d Notebook of Musical Sketches, 1946-47 Notebook of Musical Sketches (spirituals), n.d. Notebook of Musical Sketches, n.d. Notebook of Tasks, Goals, and Musical Sketches, n.d. Notes/sketches for poetry: “Dirge” by Kenneth Fearing; “If Your Child Starves” by Grace Milburn “Organ Pedagogy… Related Problems (Organ & Choir Directing…: History of Organ, Interpretation, Musicology, etc.”, n.d., received from Janet Bohnhorst, August 19, 1956 Sketches of Various Spirituals, n.d. “So Song”, n.d “I. Toccata on ‘Wondrous Love’”, spiral bound notebook of sketches, n.d. “Village Voices”, spiral bound notebook of sketches, n.d.

IV. Union Theological Seminary Thesis

“Rhythmic Setting of Texts” – Master of Sacred Music thesis, Union Theological Seminary, 1948

V. Speeches “AGO Talk.” Speech: Two aspects regarding the general area of music education “A Composer Looks at Contemporary American Music”

VI. Biographical Information, Clippings, Correspondence Frank Bohnhorst Collection The Ames Library Illinois Wesleyan University

Biographical Information, Clippings, Copies of Photos (one original in RG 8-1/14) & Obituaries IWU Correspondence, c. 1953 IWU Curriculum & Instruction, c. 1955 Personal Correspondence, 1944-56

VII. Music by Other Composers “Coonhound Johnny” piano solo, by Grant Fletcher, published 1969, (in folder with “Two Mexican Songs”) “Dance Piece”, by Birkett, Warren, n.d. “Four American Dance Pieces: 1) ‘Aunt Louly by the Fire; 2) ‘Ben Lundy’s Meadow’; 3) ‘The Ever Solemn Pantomime’; 4) ‘Scandalous, Scandalous Annie, for piano, by Grant Fletcher “Melodic Roots: Little Scrubgrass Creek”, spiral bound notebook of sketches by Yung Dung Po, n.d. “Psalmis Hungaricus”, organ transcription of orchestral score, by Z. Kodaly, n.d. “Three Romantic Songs: 1) ‘Song of Fairies Robbing Orchard’; 2) ‘Hearing Music’; 3) ‘Rondeau’”; Poems by James Henry Leigh Hunt; Music by Anthony Donato; Commissioned by the Illinois Federation of Music Clubs, n.d. “Two Mexican Songs: MS I ‘Love Has Made Me a Stranger’”, for voice and piano, by Grant Fletcher, published 1942, (in folder with “Coonhound Johnny”)

VIII. Special Formats

“Bohnhorst/Go down Death” cassette “Bohnhorst/Go down Death” copied to CD

A folder containing an Excel spreadsheet of retired Fine Arts Librarian Bob Delvin’s research is included in this collection. His research includes the title of each piece in the collection, titles for compositions discovered elsewhere, and notes on other important aspects of these works.