The Ladies Musical Club Records comprise
minutes, financial records, programs, photographs, scrapbooks, yearbooks and
other publications, and some limited correspondence. The records offer a unique
insight into the development of Seattle's classical music scene and also
provide information on turn of the century Seattle
Repository:
Museum of History &
Industry Sophie Frye Bass
Library
Funding for encoding this finding
aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the
Humanities.
Historical Note
The Ladies Musical Club (LMC) of Seattle was organized officially on
March 2, 1891. Twenty-four women attended a meeting at the home of Ellen
Bartlett (Mrs. George) Bacon to create a club designed for the purpose of
"developing the musical talent of its members, and stimulating musical interest
in Seattle." At the very first meeting a constitution and bylaws were adopted.
Membership in the club rapidly expanded, the roster having doubled by the end
of the club's first year of existence. Most of the original members of the LMC
were married middle-class women, who had received musical training. The club
provided an important outlet for these trained musicians at a time when few
women were able to pursue a professional music career.
The LMC initially offered two categories of membership: active and
associate. Each prospective active member had to pass an audition before she
was extended an invitation to join the club. Once accepted for membership, an
active member was expected to perform regularly at the active members meetings,
which were held the fourth Monday of each month from October through May.
Associate members were not allowed to perform, but they could participate fully
in the monthly "open meetings" and purchase tickets to club concerts. Under the
club's first bylaws, associate membership was open only to women, but this
category of membership was made available to men by the 1893/94 LMC season. By
1904, a third category of membership was established for students, but it was
later discontinued.
An important new feature of club activity was adopted during the
club's 1900/1901 season, when the LMC began sponsoring a series of public
concerts by professional artists. Under the dedicated management of Rose
Gottstein, who served as the concert manager from the program's beginnings
until her death in 1939, the club was responsible for bringing some of the most
internationally famous singers and instrumentalists of the day to Seattle.
Among the performers who appeared during the Gottstein years were Teresa
Carreño, Geraldine Farrar, Sergei Rachmanioff, Jascha Heifetz, and Marian
Anderson. The artist recital series continued under various names until the
1980s when the increasing costs of booking professional artists of this caliber
rose beyond club resources. The LMC, however, still works with the University
of Washington to sponsor an annual concert series at Meany Hall.
Benevolent activities also were always an important component of the
club's mission. The club helped support musical activity in Seattle early on by
providing funds to organizations such as the Seattle Symphony and the Cornish
School. It also ran a scholarship program that enabled promising music students
to continue their professional training. Other notable early philanthropic
ventures included contributions to the Children's Orthopedic Hospital and the
Red Cross during the First World War. The LMC continues its long tradition of
generosity by providing free concerts for the public at several venues in
Seattle each season and through its programs for schools.
Content Description
The Ladies Musical Club Records comprise minutes, financial records,
programs, photographs, scrapbooks, yearbooks and other publications, and some
limited correspondence.
The LMC records offer a unique insight into the development of
Seattle's classical music scene. They also provide information on turn of the
century Seattle and include a variety of playbills from Seattle theaters and
concert houses.
The scope of the LMC records is quite comprehensive up to the late
1940s. The later records do not included detailed minutes or financial records,
but some of this information can be obtained from the yearbooks and scrapbooks.
As much as possible, the original organization of the material by the club's
archivist has been preserved. Each of the eight series that comprise the LMC
records has its own descriptive note.
Use of the Collection
Restrictions on Access :
The collection is open to the public by appointment.
Restrictions on Use :
The Museum of History & Industry is the owner of the materials in
the Sophie Frye Bass Library and makes available reproductions for research,
publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from MOHAI
before any reproduction use. The museum does not necessarily hold copyright to
all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may
require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.
Preferred Citation :
Ladies Musical Club Records, Museum of History & Industry,
Seattle
Administrative Information
Arrangement :
Series I: Artist photographs, 1901-1957
Series II: Programs, 1891-1983
Subseries A: Artist recitals, 1891-1983
Subseries B: Members concerts, 1891-1983
Series III: Publications, 1891-1980
Series IV: Financial records, 1891-1944
Series V: Minutes and other records of meetings, 1891-1954
Subseries A: Minutes, 1891-1942
Subseries B: Attendance records, 1905-1954
Subseries B: Club members
Series VI: Scrapbooks, 1891-1983
Subseries A: Ladies Musical Club scrapbooks,
1891-1983
Subseries B: Mrs. Carlson's scrapbooks, 1929-1966
Series VII: Miscellaneous subject files, 1893-1941
Subseries A: Anniversaries and histories, 1941-1981
Subseries B: Concert manager's files, 1944-1966
Subseries C: Miscellaneous subjects, 1893-1941
Series VIII: Realia, 1940s
Acquisition Information :
The first set of materials forming the Ladies Musical Club Records was
presented by the club's archivist, Leotta (Mrs. Erroll) Rawson, to the Museum
of History & Industry in a ceremony marked by a concert on September 27,
1981. The records donated on behalf of the club at that time consisted
primarily of a comprehensive set of yearbooks and scrapbooks, an extensive set
of programs, and a large collection of autographed photographs of the many
internationally renowned performers who had participated in the club-sponsored
series of concerts in Seattle from 1901 through 1939. Other records forming a
part of the original gift included minutes and financial records dating from
the club's founding through the 1940s. At the time it was decided to fully
process the Ladies Musical Club Records, another set of albums containing
concert programs from the 1970s and early 1980s, not recorded on the original
accession, had been located in the museum. Mrs. Rawson apparently gave these
albums to the museum at another time after the date of the initial donation. A
set of similar materials, consisting mainly of scrapbooks and photographs, also
turned up at the museum. These items came from the collection of Adeline (Mrs.
Henning) Carlson, (possibly acquired through Rawson) but this collection
apparently was never formally accessioned. The later concert programs and the
Carlson materials have been integrated with the records from the original
accession.
Processing Note :
Processed by Helice Koffler in 2001.
Bibliography :
Berner, Richard C. Seattle in the 20th
Century. 3 vols. Seattle: Charles Press, 1991- 1997.
Blair, Karen J. "The Seattle Ladies Musical Club, 1890-1930."
Experience in a Promised Land: Essays in Pacific
Northwest History. Ed. Edwards, G. Thomas and Carlos A. Schwantes.
Seattle: U of WA Press, 1986.
Rawson, Leotta. Unpublished history of the Ladies Musical Club,
1981.
Rhoads, Mary. "Seattle's Ladies Musical Club." Abstract of paper
presented at the Pacific Northwest Historians Guild conference (Museum of
History & Industry, Seattle. 4 March 2000.). Pacific Northwest Historians
Guild. 15 February 2001.
Detailed Description of the Collection
Series I: Artist Photographs , 1901-1957
Contains standard publicity photographs of the numerous
individuals and groups who appeared as guest artists in each annual season of
the LMC-sponsored professional concerts that were held in a variety of Seattle
theaters beginning in 1901. The majority of the photographs in this series were
removed from five albums of photographs collected by Rose Gottstein, who served
as the LMC's first concert manager from the inception of the professional
artist series in 1901 until her death in 1939. These albums, which were
arranged alphabetically by artist, contained photographs of many of the
distinguished performers who appeared in the artist recital series. Most of the
photographs from these albums were autographed to Mrs. Gottstein. The five
albums had been disassembled prior to the current processing of the collection.
The present arrangement follows the original order of the photographs in the
albums. An autographed photograph of the violinist, Jan Kubelik, is with the
oversize materials. The remaining photographs in this series were taken from a
group of materials that did not appear on the original accession of LMC
records. These items include photographs removed from an album commemorating
Adeline Carlson's tenure as concert manager from 1953-1957. These autographed
photographs originally were arranged in a chronological sequence, but are now
filed alphabetically by artist. Also included in this series is a second set of
mostly autographed photographs from Mrs. Carlson's collection, which were found
loose in an envelope. These photographs appear to date from Mrs. Carlson's
later terms as concert manager (1962-1966). They have been arranged
alphabetically by artist. A separate folder of the unsigned photographs taken
from this set also has been arranged alphabetically by artist. Other publicity
photographs of artists, as well as a few candid performance and
post-performance images can also be found in the scrapbooks (Series VI).
Container(s)
Description
Dates
Box
Folder
1
1
Album 1 -- Artists, A-C
1901-1940
1
2
Album 1 -- Artists, C-H
1901-1942
1
3
Album 2 -- Artists, F-G
1909-1926
1
4
Album 2 -- Artists, G-K
1904-1935
1
5
Album 3 -- Artists, K-N
1902-1936
1
6
Album 3 -- Artists, N-W
1904-1938
1
7
Album 4 -- Artists, S-W
1923-1939
1
8
Album 4 -- Artists, B-Z
1902-1930
1
9
Album 5 -- Artists, Flonzaley
Quartet & Scotti Opera
1920
1
10
Album 5 -- Artists, Flonzaley
Quartet & Scotti Opera
1920
1
11
Artists, A-O
1953-1957
1
12
Artists, P-W
1953-1957
1
13
Autographed -- Artists, A-C
1
14
Autographed-- Artists, D-G
1
15
Autographed -- Artists, H-L
1
16
Autographed -- Artists, M-R
1
17
Autographed -- Artists, S-T
1
18
Unsigned -- Artists
box:oversize
32
Photographs (Autographed) --
Artists, Kubelik, Jan
Programs have been arranged into two subseries: Artist recitals
and members concerts. The artist recital programs cover the annual series of
presentations by professional artists that was sponsored by the LMC. The
members concerts series programs includes programs for concerts given by
members of the LMC in various settings, including club meetings and free public
programs. Gaps in the holdings in this series are supplemented by the programs
found in the scrapbooks (Series VI).
Container(s)
Description
Dates
Subseries A: Artist recitals
Contains playbills, handbills, and broadsides, some of which are
annotated with comments such as indications of program changes and encores.
From its inception, the artist recital series consisted primarily of vocal,
orchestral, or instrumental soloist performances, but later grew to include
some operatic productions and dance recitals as well. A wide variety of venues
are represented by the programs including, the Metropolitan, Moore, and Palomar
theaters, and the Seattle Center Playhouse. This series of professional artist
programs was called variously the Artist Recital Course, the Concert Series,
the Artist Series, and the International Artist Series. Some of the programs
have been autographed by the artists.
1923-1982
Box
Folder
2
1
Programs
May 25, 1923-November 10, 1931
2
2
Programs
February 4, 1932-October 21,1936
2
3
Programs
January 20, 1937-October 25,1938
33
Program for Marian Anderson
concert [oversize]
March 1, 1938
2
4
Programs
February 24, 1939-October 23, 1940
2
5
Programs
February 18, 1941-December 9, 1941
2
6
Programs
March 24, 1942-November 24, 1945
2
7
Programs
March 4, 1947-October 15, 1951
2
8
Programs
January 21, 1952-December 3, 1952
2
9
Programs
March 18, 1953-November 8, 1954
2
10
Programs
January 23, 1955-April 23, 1956
2
11
Programs
November 9, 1956-October 27, 1959
2
12
Programs
January 11, 1959-March 7, 1962
2
13
Programs
February 4, 1963-March 8, 1965
2
14
Programs
January 30, 1967-April 1, 1968
2
15
Programs
October 14, 1968-November 10, 1969
2
16
Programs
January 19, 1970-March 15, 1971
2
17
Programs
October 25, 1971-September 25, 1972
2
18
Programs
April 8, 1973-March 18, 1974
2
19
Programs
November 4, 1974-April 28, 1975
2
20
Programs
March 15, 1976-April 18, 1977
2
21
Programs
November 28, 1977-April 16, 1979
2
22
Programs
February 18, 1980-April 26, 1981
2
23
Programs
November 27, 1982-April 11, 1983
Subseries B: Members concerts
Includes programs for public concerts given by members, as well
as recitals given by active members at their regularly scheduled meetings.
Called "musicales" early on, he programs for the earliest concerts are simple
manuscript or typescript listings of the numbers performed at a given event.
Later programs tend to be somewhat more elaborate and detailed. The bulk of
these materials (1970-1982) were removed from a set of albums compiled by the
program committee. This committee was responsible for arranging the free public
concerts given by LMC members that, for many years, were held at the Seattle
Public Library. In addition to the programs themselves, some ancillary
materials also were found in the albums, including printing proofs for the
programs, index cards containing the speaker's introductory notes for concerts,
and some correspondence between the scheduled performers and the event
organizers (1970-1972). These materials are contained in two separate folders
of background notes. Additional programs for various types of member's concerts
also can be found in the meetings albums (Series V) and the scrapbooks (Series
VI).
This series is comprised of official club publications including
yearbooks, records of season, prospectuses, by-laws, club directories, and
newsletters. The yearbooks (or members' books, as their covers read) were
annual publications generally containing a list of officers, sketch of work,
concert dates, by-laws, constitution, and member lists. The yearbooks were
issued on a biennial basis beginning with the 1932/34 edition.
Both the records of season and the season prospectuses contain
announcements to the membership regarding plans for the upcoming season, an
outline the work of the club, and a listing of members. The design of the
prospectuses, however, appears to reflect a distinct emphasis on the growing
prominence of the LMC's rapidly expanding professional artist recital series
over what earlier had been an established focus on the activities of the club
members themselves in the records of season. Unlike the simpler covers of the
records of season, the prospectus covers are lavishly decorated with numerous
photographers of the performers featured in LMC concerts. Publication of the
prospectus appears to have been suspended after the death of concert manager
Rose Gottstein in 1939. This series also includes miscellaneous other LMC
publications. For example, separate printed by-laws were published in several
editions. Other LMC publications, including issues of the newsletter,
Notes and Ties, can also be found in the LMC
scrapbooks (Series VI).
Contains various financial records of the club. The club's
archivist originally divided these financial records into three different
categories: cashbooks, treasury books, and record books. The cashbooks record
general club revenue and expenses. There does not appear, however, to be much
discernible difference between those items identified as treasury books and
those described as record books. Both the treasury books and the record books
chiefly list expenses relating to individual seasons or concerts in the artist
recital series. Accounting methods vary considerably in formality. Gottstein's
original treasury book, described on the accession list as dating from 1900
(item no. 81.7337.311), contained numerous loose receipts, statements,
computations, and other materials, dating from 1901-1918, inserted between the
pages. These materials have been removed from the book, arranged
chronologically, and filed separately. A complete listing of these materials,
citing the pages from which they were removed is included as an appendix.
Container(s)
Description
Dates
Box
Folder
5
1
Cashbook [.305]
1891-1899
5
2
Cashbook [.306]
1899-1900
5
3
Treasury Book [.311] (Gottstein's
original account book, receipts removed)
Series V: Minutes and other records of
meetings , 1891-1954
This series consists of three subseries: Minutes, attendance
records, and meeting albums.
Container(s)
Description
Dates
Subseries A: Minutes
The surviving minute books have been arranged chronologically
and by type. The earliest recording secretary's minute book contains the
original club constitution and by-laws. It also contains programs (either
transcriptions or pasted in), minutes of various types of meetings, and
treasurer's reports. The recording secretary's minutes and scrapbook spanning
1934-1941 includes a report on a gift of $5,000 made to the Children's
Orthopedic Hospital in 1940. The minutes of the executive board, which appear
in the early recording secretary's minute books, can be found in separate books
after 1930. There are no original records for 1919-1929, but some missing
information can be found in the yearbooks that cover the period (Series
III).
1891-1942
Box
Folder
8
1
Recording secretary's minutes
[.317]
1891-1897
8
2
Recording secretary's minutes
[.318]
1897-1901
14
Recording secretary's minutes
[.319] [oversize]
1902-1909
15
Recording secretary's minutes
[.320] [oversize]
1909-1918
16
Recording secretary's minutes
and scrapbook [.321] [oversize]
1934-1941
8
3
Board minutes [.312]
1930-1936
8
4
Board minutes [.313]
1936-1942
Subseries B: Attendance records
The membership book (1905-1910) is an alphabetical directory of
members and their addresses. The 1938-1943 attendance book records attendance
at monthly meetings and the purchase of tickets for individual seasons. The
1942-1954 attendance book consisted of sign-in sheets with member's signatures.
These sheets were contained in a loose-leaf binder. The contents of this binder
have been removed and divided into two folders.
1905-1954
Box
Folder
8
5
Membership book [.314]
1905-1910
9
6
Attendance book [.315]
1938-1943
9
7
Attendance book [.316]
1942-October 1948
9
8
Attendance book [.316]
November 1948-1954
Subseries C: Meetings albums
Consists of three albums containing photographs of club members
in performance at active members monthly meetings and public concerts.
Programs, sometimes annotated, are also present for most of the events. Many of
the performers and some of the other individuals in the photographs are
identified. A complete listing of the photographs is available.
The scrapbooks are arranged chronologically in two subseries: LMC
scrapbooks and Mrs. Carlson's scrapbooks.
Container(s)
Description
Dates
Subseries A: Ladies Musical Club Scrapbooks
The LMC scrapbooks contain clippings, programs, photographs
(artist publicity shots and snapshots of club members), publications (e.g. the
Notes and Ties newsletter), various publicity
material (including flyers and brochures), sample election ballots,
correspondence, and invitations. The earliest LMC scrapbooks appear to have
been the work of Rose Gottstein. Most of the later LMC scrapbooks have
annotations by either the compiler, or Leona Rawson, who served as the club
archivist.
1891-1983
Box
18
Scrapbook no. 1 [.288]
[oversize]
1891-1943
19
Scrapbook no. 2 [.289]
[oversize]
1943-1949
20
Scrapbook no. 3 [.290]
[oversize]
1949-1956
21
Scrapbook no. 4 [.291]
[oversize]
1956-1958
22
Scrapbook no. 5 [.295]
[oversize]
1951-1959
23
Scrapbook no. 6 [.296]
[oversize]
1959-1966
24
Scrapbook no. 7 [.297]
[oversize]
1966-68 ; 1979-1980
25
Scrapbook no. 8 [oversize]
1978-1983
Subseries B: Mrs. Carlson's scrapbooks
These scrapbooks compiled by Adeline Carlson interfile LMC club
materials similar to those found in the LMC scrapbooks along with items
relating to areas of Carlson's personal life (e.g. holiday cards) and other
interests (allied arts organizations, social events).
Series VII: Miscellaneous subject files
, 1893-1981
This series consists of three subseries: Anniversaries and
histories, concert manager's files, and, miscellaneous subjects.
Container(s)
Description
Dates
Subseries A: Anniversaries and histories
Contains originals and copies of different versions of a club
history that was prepared by Leotta Rawson, the LMC archivist, and presented on
various occasions; a book containing a 1947 inventory of club records at
Rawson's house; and one folder of miscellaneous clippings and various
handwritten lists of club members, club officers and dates of their terms, and
LMC scholarship recipients. Also included in this subseries is a separate
folder of programs for several LMC anniversary concerts.
1941-1981
Box
Folder
10
1
Club histories
1978-1981
10
2
Archivist's notebook
1947
10
3
Clippings, notes, and lists
10
4
Anniversary concert programs
1941-1981
Subseries B: Concert manager's files
Contains materials from Adeline Carlson's terms as concert
manager, including: one folder of promotional materials and other ephemera
related to various programs in the artist recital series (1952-1958); one
folder of correspondence to the concert manager from Herbert Barrett, the agent
for Elie Siegmeister, the performers, Artur Schnabel and Elizabeth Schwarzkopf,
regarding their appearances in Seattle; and one folder of clippings, brochures,
and the program relating to a concert given by Jacob Lateiner (1966).
1944-1966
Box
Folder
10
5
Correspondence
1944-1960
10
6
Promotional materials
1952-1958
10
7
Jacob Lateiner concert
1966
Subseries C: Miscellaneous subjects
Contains one folder with a copy of an appraisal letter regarding
the violin and bow given to Julius Durleshkaivich as part of an aid package
presented to him in 1909 by the LMC to support his music studies. Also included
in this folder are transcriptions of reviews of Durleshkaivich's performances,
a program for one of his concerts, and a photograph of the violinist. Oversize
items in this subseries include a photograph of LMC charter members taken at
the 1941 anniversary meeting at the D.A.R. house in Seattle and an 1893
certificate of recognition to the LMC from the Columbian Exposition.
