MS 9402

Papers of Keith Humble (1927 - 1995)



Scope and Content Note

Musical works and papers.

1920s–96

14.84 metres (includes 20 folio boxes)

Available for reference.

The papers were donated to the National Library by Mrs Jill Humble in 1999 under the Cultural Gifts Program.

The papers comprise the complete original musical works of Keith Humble, as well as research, teaching and publicity material.

Humble’s original musical scores and sketches date from the 1940s to the 1990s and comprise arrangements; controlled improvisation; early compositions; music for choir; chamber music; Nuniques (scores relating to the Nunique improvisatory music theatre); theatre works; piano music; orchestral music and songs and musical sketches. The musical sketches include some unfinished and unidentified material as well as research charts, graphs and computer print outs. Physical categories for the arrangement of Humble’s musical works were determined by Jill Humble in consultation with Keith Humble, and the results of this process culminated in a comprehensive musical catalogue prepared by Dr John Whiteoak. The Library has maintained this physical arrangement and used the catalogue as a basis for listing and citing the musical works and sketches.

The second part of the collection consists of teaching and research material. From 1966 to 1974 Humble lectured at the University of Melbourne Conservatorium where he was Senior Lecturer in composition. At La Trobe University from 1974 to 1989 where he was appointed Foundation Professor of Music in 1974 and the University of California, San Diego from 1970 to 1990, Professor of Music 1971-74. Humble also lectured on music for ABC radio programs from the 1950s to the 1980s and composed and performed music for the 1987 ABC television program ‘Australian Landscapes’. Many lecture notes and talks started as handwritten drafts that were later amended and typed. Musical scores or extracts from scores are often included with the notes.

An extensive collection of research articles and papers illustrate the diversity and breadth of Humble’s musical interests and knowledge ranging from technical explorations of twelve tone techniques to different aspects of electronic, contemporary and experimental music in Australia, Europe and the USA. Unlike many other composers working in Australia, Humble spent a substantial part of his working life abroad, mainly in France, but also in Europe and the USA. Many of the research articles are undated copies or extracts from a variety of musical journals and newspapers. There are also various research papers and a small collection of handbooks and other published materials.

The third part of the collection contains publicity and promotional material: posters; musical programs; brochures; leaflets; newspaper clippings; reviews; and general advertising for concerts and recitals where Humble played, conducted or accompanied other artists. A small collection of personal documents includes early musical examinations, results, certificates and awards; family photographs, newspaper clippings and assorted personal memorabilia.

Associated material

The National Library holds an interview with Humble recorded by Hazel de Berg in 1969 at ORAL DeB 417-419. A copy of this interview is in the Humble manuscript collection.


Biographical Note

Leslie Keith Humble was born in Geelong, Victoria, on 6 September 1927 and died in Geelong on 23 May 1995. A child prodigy, he was playing jazz before he left high school; he studied piano with Roy Shepherd at the University of Melbourne Conservatorium in 1947-49 and won a Royal Schools Scholarship to study composition at the Royal Academy of Music, London. He continued his studies in Paris where he studied piano at the Ecole Normali de Musique and composition privately with Rene Leibowitz. Humble spent a year as Leibowitz’s student, and then two years as his assistant in his classes on counterpoint, harmony and conducting, at the same time giving recitals throughout Europe. In 1956 he returned to Australia and was appointed chief study teacher for the piano and Lecturer in harmony and counterpoint at the Melbourne Conservatorium.

In 1957 he returned to Paris and resumed his work with Leibowitz. It was in 1959-60 that Humble established Le Centre de Musique at the American Centre for Students and Artists in Paris. The Centre functioned as a musical workshop where musicians could work under concert conditions and develop new music and new forms of presentation. Humble was Director of Music at the Centre from 1960 to 1966 and toured Europe as accompanist to suck artists as Ethel Semser, Robert Gartside, John Riley and Marcel Hubert.

In 1966 Humble took up a Senior Lectureship at the Melbourne Conservatorium, combining this with duties as a visiting Professor of Composition at the University of California, San Diego (1971-74). In 1974 he was appointed Foundation Professor of Musicat La Trobe University. He was co-founder and Musical Director of the Australian Contemporary Music Ensemble (ACME) based at La Trobe University from 1975 to 1978 and its successor the Australian Group for Contemporary Music 1979. Humble formed the progressive Society for the Private Performance of New Music, promoted electronic music studies, held creative music workshops and performed in KIVA a creative performance group based at the Centre for Music Experiment at the University of California, San Diego.

He was awarded the Order of Australia in 1982 for his services to music.

Humble continued performing, travelling, composing and researching after he retired from La Trobe University in 1989.

Humble married Jill Dobson in 1955.

Humble’s impact on Australian contemporary music was profound and continues through the many musicians whom he encouraged, influenced and taught. The range of his activities, performing, composing, teaching and researching almost to his death, made him one of the most important creative forces on the Australian music scene in the second half of the twentieth century.

His works have included stage, vocal, instrumental and tape music and computer based composition.

Sources: The Oxford Companion to Australian Music, 1997


Series List

Series/Title

1 Personal documents, 1927-50

2 Musical scores, arrangements, 1930s-50s

3 Musical scores, piano music, 1947-92

4 Musical scores, chamber music, 1947-95

5 Musical scores, songs, 1950-89

6 Musical scores, orchestra, 1951-94

7 Musical scores, chamber music ensemble, 1960s-92

8 Musical scores, theatre music, 1962-64

9 Musical scores, Nuniques, 1968-80s

10 Musical scores, music for choir, 1968-91

11 Musical scores, controlled improvisation and tape, c1965-87

12 Musical sketches, 1940s–95

13 Publicity and program records, 1949-96

14 Articles and publications, 1950s-90s

15 Lectures, talks and media work, 1966-93

16 Administrative correspondence, 1978-83

17 Projects and miscellaneous papers, c 1950s-95


Series Description

Series 1 Personal documents, 1927-50

This series covers Humble’s birth in Geelong through boyhood and schooling in Melbourne, where the family moved when Humble was five, ending with his departure from Melbourne to London in 1949 on an Australian Music Examination Board Commonwealth scholarship. Humble was a child prodigy whose first public performance on the piano was at eight years of age. The series includes: Australian Music Examination Board certificates and exam results from 1936 to 1947; handwritten and undated adjudicator’s reports for various musical competitions held in Melbourne together with award certificates; and London College of Music (Melbourne) certificates and exam results. There is a scrapbook of newspaper reviews and concert and recital programs and some personal memorabilia including family photographs, a birth certificate extract, baptism certificate and other personal memorabilia.

Item/folder

1 Photographs

2 Personal documents, 1927-49

3 Personal memorabilia (schooldays)1930s-40s

4 Australian Music Examinations Board, certificates, 1936-47

5 Australian Music Examination Board, exam results, 1936-47

6 Musical competitions, awards, 1936-49

7 Musical competitions, adjudicator’s reports, 1936-49

8 The Australian Musical News, March, 1938 (article on Humble)

9 Concert programs, 1939-49

10 London College of Music (Melbourne), certificates, 1940-43

11 London College of Music (Melbourne), exam results, 1940-46

12 Scrapbook, 1944-50

13 Masons of Victoria, certificates, 1946, 1950

14 Handbook, Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, 1948

15 Radio interview, Keith Humble, 1949

16 Farewell concert, 25 October 1949

Series 2-11 Original musical scores, 1930s-95

These series comprise the original manuscripts of all Humble’s compositions and arrangements and include unfinished works, sketches, re-workings and fragments. The scores include stage, vocal, instrumental and computer based composition. The series headings are self-explanatory with the possible exception of the Nuniques series of music. The Nuniques are improvisatory music theatre for any number of performers and groups with or without audience participation. Inspired by the ideas of Pierre-Albert Birot the Nuniques consist of highly diverse materials being presented simultaneously in one large space. Humble held Nuniques performances in France, Australia and the USA from the 1960s to the 1980s.

A more detailed descriptive listing of Humble’s musical works can be found in the catalogue prepared by Dr John Whiteoak and the box listing prepared by Jill Humble. The Library has not organised Nuniques material into discrete performances and groups because of its largely improvisatory nature. The catalogue prepared by John Whiteoak contains a listing of source documents used in Nunique performances.

Series 2 Musical scores, arrangements, 1930s -50s

Item/folder

1 Early Childhood (Notes and sketches) 1930s-40s

2 2 arrangements for a mechanical organ, Mozart KV 608, c 1950s

3 4 pieces for clarinet and piano (Alban Berg), n d

4 Mozart Cadenza, n d

5 Spohr songs, n d

6 Piano variations (Alban Berg), n d

Series 3 Musical scores, piano music, 1947-92

Item/folder

1 Teddy Bear, The Wind, A dream-bewilderment, 1947

2 Two Preludes, F minor, F major, 1948

3 Essay for piano, 1949

4 Etude dedicated to Madame Bascourret de Gueraldi, Prelude, Album leaves, 1952 (includes 2 drafts)

5 To Jill-the first day of Spring, Paris, 1954

6 Sonata no.1, 1959

7 Three statements for piano, 1959

8 Three piano pieces, 1967

9 Folio for piano solo (original given to Amos), 1969

10 Sonata no. 2, 1980

11 Sonata no. 3, 1985

12 Sonata no. 4, 1990

13 Bagatelles nos.1-8, 1992

14 13 piano pieces, miniatures,? in progress

Series 4 Musical scores, chamber music, 1947-95

Item/folder

1 String trio, 1947

2 Sonata in C minor, piano, violin, 1951

3 Trio no. 1, violin, viola, cello, 1953-54

4 5 short pieces, violin, piano, 1967

5 Arcade 111(a), flute solo, 1969

6 Arcade 1V, guitar, percussion, 1974-75

7 Bon Appetit, tuba, piano, 1974-75

8 Kadenz, solo flute, c1975

9 Prime riff, percussion, tape, c1976

10 Etude op. 25 no. 7 (Chopin) arranged for, violin, cello, piano, 1980

11 Trio no. 2 and parts, violin, clarinet, piano, 1981

12 5 short pieces, violin, cello, piano, 1981

13 Trio no. 3, flute, perc, piano, 1985

14 (a) Sonata for percussion (b) module and parts, 1986

15 Trio no. 4, cello, violin, piano, 1986

16 Etchings for percussion quartet, 1988

17 Four all seasons (a quartet for strings), 1989

18 Trio no. 2 and parts (revised version), 1989

19 Chimes for Roy (chimes music for La Trobe clock tower), 1989

20 Sonata for flute and piano, 1991

21 Sonata for trombone and piano, 1992

22 A little sonata in 2 parts (cello solo), 1993

23 Trio no. 5, trumpet, trombone, organ ‘A mere Bagatelle’, 1995

24 Trio no. 4, violin, cello, piano, ‘Orpheus’, 1986

Series 5 Musical scores, songs, 1950-89

Item/folder

1 Rain, voice and piano, text by Riley, 1950

2 4 songs, voice and piano, 1951

3 To Blossoms, A child’s grace, The mad maid’s song, voice and piano, text by Robert Herrick, 1949-51

4 Three songs (1 and 2 The Miniatures), 3 The Fair, text by Eden Philpotts, 1951

5 Five songs for Baritone and piano, (1 and 2 Miniatures, 3 The Fair, text by Horsley, 4 Spring in Somerset, text by Humble, 5 Ultimate conceit), and an additional item untitled

6 Songs of Depression, soprano and piano, translated by Arthur Waley, 1955, Original sketches? , 2 songs unaccounted for in final version, Self Abandonment, Burial Song

7 Three fragments of war poems, voice and instruments, text by Harry Mathews, 1959

8 Song settings for Gartside, tenor and piano, 1964

9 A book of songs of love and death, voice and piano, Greek Mythology, translated by Rex Rexroth, 1966

10 Trois poèmes d’amour, tenor and piano, text by Pierre-Albert Birot, 1970

11 Songs sadly, voice and instruments, 1980

12 8 Cabaret songs, voice and piano, texts by W.B. Yeats, Robert Graves, A. D. Hope, William Wordsworth, W.H. Auden, 1985-89

Series 6 Musical scores, orchestra, 1951-94

Item/folder

1 Overture, 1951

2 Materials for Larountala-Strings, 1968

3 Après la Légende, piano and orchestra, 1969

4 Arcade V, orchestra, 1969

5 Statico III 1972-73

6 A Festival Fanfare, orchestra or brass/wind ensemble, 1981

7 Concert for flute and string orchestra, 1994

8 Concert II (b) for trombone and string orchestra, 1992-93

9 Symphony of Sorrows, orchestra, 1994

Series 7 Musical scores, chamber music ensemble, 1960s-92

Item/folder

1 Im-mobile for three percussions and flute, c 1960s

2 Ainsi s’achève, strings, bass, harp, piano, percussion, 1967

3 Four studies for 201, trumpet, trombone, piano, violin, viola, double bass, 1972

4 A music for baroque ensemble and parts, oboe, flute, double bass and harp, 1974

5 Polysaccharides 1 (Original score lost), pic/ fl, oboe, cl.B, doubling E, B cl, double bass, horn, trumpet, trombone, violin, cello, piano, 1977

6 Molly’s lament, flute, clar. violin, cello, trumpet, perc, piano, 1976 (revised 1978)

7 Ways-By-Ways, Chamber ensemble, fl, cello, trombone, perc, piano, 1985

8 Soundscapes, choir and chamber music ensemble, 1987

9 Concert 11A, Trombone and string sextet, 1992

Series 8 Musical scores, theatre music, 1962-94

Item/folder

L’ Entreprise, Paris, 1962

1 L’ Entreprise, script, pages 68-89

2 L’ Entreprise, script, pages 1-81

3 L’ Entreprise, original score, 44 pages

4 L’ Entreprise, individual parts

Le Printemps, Paris, 1963

5 Le Printemps, script, 101 pages

6 Le Printemps, original score, 154 pages

7 Le Printemps, individual parts

L’Armée des Saluts, Paris, 1964

8 L’Armée des Saluts, music, 201 pages

9 L’Armée des Saluts, script, 52 pages

10 L’Armée des Saluts, script and prologue

11 L’Armée des Saluts, script pages 29-52

12 Manilla folder containing Marie France, ? song, pencilled version of part of Marie France, original song from L’Armée des Saluts

13 The Legend (1970) version 1 and version 2

Series 9 Musical scores, Nuniques, 1968-80s

The Nuniques were musical happenings or events representing a complete break with musical tradition. Nunique performances were held in France, Australia and America from 1968 to the 1980s. Nunique material, which includes a mixture of scores, text and other documents, is held in two folio boxes together with Dr Whiteoak’s detailed listing of Nuniques source documents.

Series 10 Musical scores, music for choir, 1968-91

Item/folder

1 Trois poèmes à crier et à danser (text by Pierre-Albert Birot), 1968

2 The seasons. A setting of 7 haiku for 4 mixed choirs, 1971

3 ACCJ. A choral chance for John, 1979

4 Wooloomooloo (original and 1 copy), 1982

5 3 nocturnes, chorus only, texts by Wen T’ing Yun, 1988

6 3 nocturnes, choir and chamber ensemble, 1990

7 In Pace, a book of introits, chorales and choral preludes, (Includes a 1 page draft of In Pace in Keith Humble’s hand writing), 1991

Series 11 Musical scores, controlled improvisation and tape, c1965-87

Item/folder

1 Music for Monuments, bassoon and tape

2 Treatments

3 Piecès Méchants

4 Soundscapes too

5 Tape music, And Tomorrow (La Jolla), Sounds for violincello and electronics Queenscliff) Parodie 11 of 1V, III of IV, IV of IV (La Jolla)

6 Material for Monuments - for the Marcovich family, Paris, 1965-67

7 Solfège II, Melbourne, 1969

8 Collage no. 2, quartet for piano, harp, flute, violincello, Paris, 1964

9 Paraphrase ‘In five’ and ‘Mass’ Statico II for organ and electronic tape, Queenscliff, 1972

10 In five for any number of wind, brass and/or string instruments, n d

11 Statico I for organ and 2 synthesisers, Melbourne, 1971

12 Arcade I for percussion and organ

13 Soundings for bass and electronics, sounds for (a) v’cello and/or (b) electronics, Queenscliff, 1972

14 ACF, A Chart for Felix (extension of Treatments no. 2), May 1981

15 ?ACF

16 Kal Ida’s Cope, Queenscliff, 1986-87

Series 12 Musical sketches, 1940s-95

These musical sketches for many of Humble’s conventionally notated works have been divided into ten groups or categories. All sketches were coded and numbered within these ten categories by Dr Whiteoak. The groups include many unidentified and undated items and various research sets, rolls of row workings and folders of research notes. From the 1950s onwards Humble worked to develop his own theory of pitch rotation; his engagement with this research and its application to his own output can be seen in the working notes and research sets in this series. A collection of research charts has been included with the musical sketches on the basis that the charts appear to be the continuation, if not the culmination, of the working and research material contained in this series.

Item/folder

Group one

1 Poèmes à crier et danser

2 Materials for Larountala

3 The seasons

4 Trio no.5

5 In Pace

6 Prime one

7 Trois poèmes

Item/folder

Group two

1 Symphony of Sorrows

2 Kal Ida’s cope

3 Ways-By-Ways

4 Soundscapes

5 Molly’s lament

6 Polysaccarides

7 Information about Polysaccarides

8 Trio no.2

9 Trio no. 3

10 Trio no. 4

11 Four all seasons

12 Three pieces in two parts

13 Cabaret songs

14 Five popular songs

Item/folder

Group three

1 Nocturnes

2 Landscapes

3 Arcade V

4 A Festival Fanfare

5 A Festival Fanfare

Item/folder

Group four

1 Une petite sonata en deux parties

2 Etchings for percussion quartet

3 Concert for flute, 1991

4 Sonata no. 3, 1985

5 Bagatelles VIII

6 Piano sonata no. 4, 1990

7 Sonata for trombone and piano, 1991

Item/folder

Group five

1 Visible music, 1964

2 Unidentified sketches

3 Work charts from 1960s

4-8 Unidentified sketches

9 Three war songs

10 Exercise book with chord tables

Item/folder

Group six

1 Jazz sketches

Item/folder

Group seven

1 (Item removed)

2 Trio V

3 Patches

4 Sketches in progress (including Clouds), 1985

5 Arcade III and IV

6 Miscellaneous workings (including In Pace)

7 Soundscapes originals

8 Sonata IV

9 Sketches of scores and soundings

10 Sketches (a) module (b) sonata for solo

11 Five short pieces for violin and piano

Item/folder

Group eight

1 Item removed March 1999

2-4 Unidentified sketches

5-6 Research work

7 Charts (1-145)

8 Source hexachord printout

9 Set classes compositional theory

10 Work on sets

11 Unidentified sketches

12 Source set

Item/folder

Group nine

1 Matoum and Trevibar, Opera 1971, incomplete

2 Work in progress, Vol 1 1985

3 Work in progress, Vol 2 1985

4-5 Unidentified working notes, n d

Item/folder

Group ten

1- 4Unidentified research (handwritten working notes, tables, musical notations),n d

5 Two rolls of row workings, n d

Research charts

This group of charts consists of various research charts, computer printouts, and handwritten working notes. Dr Whiteoak numbered the research charts and the Library has retained this numerical sequence. Four pages of notes in Humble’s handwriting entitled ‘Notes on a lifetime’, 1995, were included with these charts. The notes represent an unpublished final statement about musical theory and were typed and circulated to colleagues after his death. (See also series 17.) Rolled musical scores that were transferred with the research charts are stored in one elephant folder for preservation reasons (Group ten/Folder 5).

Series 13 Publicity and program records, 1949-96

This series contains programs and publicity material associated with Humble’s diverse career as an accompanist, performer, conductor and composer in Australia and overseas. The newspaper and magazine clippings comprise reviews and critiques of Humble’s musical activities throughout his career. The clippings are from a range of magazines including university newspapers, specialist musical magazines and daily newspapers-European, Australian and American. There are original programs, tickets, pamphlets, information sheets, notes on performers and general promotional and advertising material.

Where possible, the Library has maintained the approximate chronological ordering and grouping of the material. For example, material on the Centre of Music in Paris and particular tours/concerts was kept in separate folders and separate folders have been retained. There is an extensive collection of posters starting with Humble’s 1949 farewell concert in Melbourne and covering performances in Europe, USA and Australia in his subsequent career. There are six elephant folders of posters.

Item/folder

1 Programs, 1950s

2 Programs, 1950s

3 Travel arrangements, 1951-59

4 Tour, Humble/Semser, German press reviews, 1955

5 Tour, Humble/Berk, German press reviews, 1955

6 Press reviews (French), 1955-59

7 Programs, publicity, Melbourne, 1956

8 Press reviews (UK and Australia), 1956-58

9 Tour, Humble/Riley, Italian press reviews, 1958

10 Tour, Humble/Gartside, Netherlands press reviews, 1959

11 Tour, Humble/Riley, German press reviews, 1959

12 Lyrics, program extracts, late 1950

13 Programs, publicity, Centre de Musique, 1960-66

14 Programs, publicity, Centre de Musique, 1960-66

15 Reviews, performances, Centre de Musique, 1963-68

16 Black and white photographs, Centre de Musique

17 Press clippings, Europe, 1960s

18 Programs, 1960s

19 Programs, 1960s

20 Programs, publicity, Australia, 1960s

21 Handwitten outline of music program, c1960s

22 Correspondence, Society for the Private Performance of New Music, 1966-67

23 Correspondence, Margaret Sutherland fund, 1966-68

24 Concert arrangements, Melbourne, 25 August 1969

25 Programs, publicity, USA, 1969-73

26 Geelong concerts, Society for the Private Performance of New Music, 1970-71

27 Programs, publicity, 1970-74

28 Programs, publicity, 1970-74

29 Electronic music seminar, Melbourne, 1971

30 Miscellaneous correspondence, 1972-74

31 Programs, publicity, USA, 1974-75

32 Programs, publicity, 1975-77

33 Programs, publicity, Australian Contemporary Music Ensemble, 1976-78

34 Piano recital, Keith Humble, reviews, 1977

35 Programs, publicity, France, 1977-78

36 Programs, publicity, 1978-79

37 Programs, publicity, Australian Group for Contemporary Music, 1979

38 Programs, publicity, 1980s

39 Programs, publicity, 1980s

40 Programs, publicity, USA, c.1982-84

41 Kiva Ensemble at La Trobe University, 1985

42 Programs, publicity, USA, 1985-90

43 Programs, publicity, USA, 1985-90

44 Programs, publicity, USA, 1986

45 Programs, publicity, USA, 1987-90

46 Programs, publicity, 1989-96

47 Posters, reviews, programs, Centre de Musique, 1963-68

48 Posters, publicity, France, 1960’s

49 Posters, publicity, 1960’s

50 Posters, publicity, France, 1960’s

51 Posters, publicity, 1964-83

52 Posters, publicity, 60th birthday and ‘get well’ messages

Series 14 Articles and publications, 1950s-90s

Humble maintained a wide-ranging collection of reference and teaching materials covering every aspect of music-technical, experimental, contemporary, traditional-reflecting the diversity of his musical interests. Most of the articles and papers in this series were collected and accumulated from 1950 to the early 1990s and the series date range reflects this, although it contains some earlier material. Research articles and papers include photocopies from specialist musical journals, newspapers and magazines, copies of research papers, musical scores, musical examples, biographical notes, essays and newspaper clippings. Much of the information is not dated or sourced. If articles were grouped together by subject, for example, under the heading Science and Music, the Library has maintained this arrangement. The Library has grouped other information into broad subject areas where possible, to assist retrieval and use of this diverse information because of the difficulty of imposing a chronological order. A small collection of journals, handbooks and magazines kept with the research materials has been included in this series.

Item/folder

Electronic music

1 Yamaha DX 7 digital synthesizer n d

2 Oscillators, n d

3 Bibliography

4 Papers, articles, c1960-70

5 Reference materials, c1960-80

6 Music Educator’s Journal (electronic music), 1968

7 Don Banks Music Box, c1968

Experimental/contemporary music

8 Two articles on improvisations, by Jeff Pressing, 1984

9 Music a new generation, by Benjamin Boretz, 1965

10 Music improvisation lab. La Trobe University c1970

11 Performance , by Charles Kemp, c1980

12 Three articles by Jean-Charles Francois, 1977-89

13 The new dada in Spanish music, 1967

14 Article, by Kenneth Gaburo, 1985

15 Ballade Console (instrument design) c1987

16 The School of Cage, by Warren Burt, 1976

17 Noise, political economy of music, by Jacques Attali, n d

18 Loops, by Robert Erickson, 1973,

19 New music and psychology, by Robert Erickson, n d

20 Relevance. Liberation., by Benjamin Boretz, 1987

21 Recent ideas and activities of Randall & Boretz, by Fred Maus, n d

22 Linear motion exercises (extract) n d

23 Structural pluralism, by de Lio, n d

Miscellaneous articles

24 Australian music resources, n d

25 Papers on Opera, 1953-77

26 The Theory of Proportion in Architecture (extract), by Scholfield, 1958

27 Some comments on bird music, by K.C. Halafoff, 1965

28 Typed articles (French language), by Paul Lengrand, 1975, 1977

Musicians/composers

29 Articles on Anton Bruckner, 1936-42

30 Article: Howard Ferguson in 1983, 1983

31 Article: Ernst Krenek, n d

32 Articles on Percy Grainger, 1938-82

33 Articles on Arnold Schoenberg

34 Articles on Edgard Varese, n d

35 Article on Ernst Krenek, 1972

36 Articles on Anton von Webern, 1946-55

37 Article on Anton von Webern, n d

38 Article on Ludwig von Beethoven, n d

39 Articles on George Crumb, 1973-75

40 Interview with Pierre Boulez, 1974

41 Articles on Alban Berg, 1936-52

42 Articles on Bela Bartok, 1949-51

43 Article on Karlheinz Stockhausen, 1974

44 Articles on Richard Strauss, c1950

45 Articles on Igor Stravinsky, c1950-82

46 Articles on Gustav Mahler, 1941-?51

47 Article on Bela Bartok, n d

48 Article on Hans Gal, c1985

49 Articles on Arnold Schoenberg, 1992

50 Essay/lecture on Luciano Berio, by Keith Humble, n d

51 Article on interpreting Bach, 1971

52 Articles on René Leibowitz n d

53 Papers, notes on René Leibowitz, lecture 1983

Publications

54 Assortment of magazines, reports, journals, 1933-1991

Research papers/essays

54 Manual of Quartertone Harmony, Vyshnegradski

55 A set analysis program, by Mark Pollard, 1979

56 Engineering and production in music communications, by John Campbell, 1979

57 Analysis of Arnold Schoenberg, by Alban Berg,(includes handwritten notes by Keith Humble)

58 Two American composers, Milton Babbitt & Ben Weber, n d

59 Karlheinz Stockhausen’s Klavierstuck, n d

60 Sonata da camera, Don Banks, n d

61 The role of vagrant harmonies in selected lieder, by William Cratty

62 Notes on the statue scene in Don Giovanni, by Luigi Dallapiccola, 1950

63 Ear training and percussion, by Jean-Charles Francois, 1969

64 On the spontaneity of Schoenberg’s music, Jalowetz, 1944

65 Arnold Schoenberg opus 33a revisited, Nachum Schoffman, n d

66 A304 Unit 30, by Trevor Bray, n d

Science and Music

67 Six articles, 1959-74

68 Linguistics articles, 1961-66

69 Articles on Psycho-Acoustics, 1963-1971

70 Bibliography on Psychology of Music, 1970

71 Manfred Clynes, two articles, 1970

Theory

73 Introduction to twelve tone Music, by René Leibowitz, translated by J&K Humble, 1952 (2 copies)

74 A treatise on twelve-tone compositions, René Leibowitz, n d

75 Articles/papers on Combinatoriality, 1978-83

76 The numerical basis of tune (2 copies), 1989

77 Music, language and meaning, n d

78 Two bound articles, by Robert P Morgan and William Mitchell (Humble research collection), n d

79 Extracts from Chopin’s manuscript book? n d

80 Articles on hexachord, von Webern, by George Rochberg, n d

81 Three articles by Milton Babbitt, n d

82 Article on Pitch set equivalent, n d

83 Article on theory of set complexes, c 1965

84 The twelve-tone system, by Diana Deutsch & Robert Erickson, n d

85 Evolution of the tone row, 1941

86 Segmentation and process in post-tonal music, c 1981

87 Strict serial technique in classical music, by Hans Keller, n d

88 The twelve-tone pitch system, n d

89 Tonality in Schoenberg’s opus II, n d

90 Organic structure in Sonata form, by Heinrich Schenker, n d

91 Exploration of timbre, by Risset&Wessel, n d

92 Composition and improvisation, by J. Sloboda, n d

93 Grouping mechanisms in music, by Diana Deutsch, n d

94 Linear structure in the twelve-tone system, (2 copies) by William Rothstein, n d

95 The future of tonality, by Joseph Jasser, (Handwritten), 1930

96 Cycles, Laurie Whiffen, 1978

97 Style and Idea, Arnold Schoenberg (extract)

Series 15 Lectures, talks and media work, 1966-93

This series consists of lectures on music given by Humble from 1966 to 1993. The lectures contain handwritten and typed notes and, occasionally, musical scores or excerpts from musical scores. Some have overhead transparencies and research articles appended to lecture notes. The lecture notes were kept in folders under broad headings such as ‘Art of Listening’. Individual folders have different lecture material despite sharing the same titles. Sometimes segments of teaching notes from Melbourne University were incorporated in later La Trobe lectures. The La Trobe lecture notes also include lecture material prepared by other lecturers (Frank Revell and Gerald Lester) in the Music Department and a 1983 submission on the Music Department. As visiting Professor at the University of California from 1969 to the early 1990s, Humble was very involved in the creative and experimental music for which this campus was a world leader. Information on this music tends to be information project/research material and not lecture notes. There is also one folder of musical material from the University of Strasbourg where Humble was visiting Professor in 1991-93. Undated lectures are listed separately as are public addresses.

Humble gave a series of talks on composers for ABC radio from 1966 to 1991 and composed and played music for the ABC television program ‘Australian Landscapes’ in 1986 and 1987. The ABC talks are often handwritten and typed although there are some which are only in handwritten form. The theme of ‘Australian Landscapes’ was different ways of discovering Australia.

Item/folder

University of Melbourne

1 Lecture notes, Harmony Part IV, 1966

2 Lecture notes, Music and Harmony, 1966-69

3 Lecture notes, Orchestration, 1966-69

4 Lecture notes, Orchestration, 1966-69

5 Lecture notes, Orchestration, 1966-69

6 Electronic Music Seminar, 1971

La Trobe University

7 Lecture notes, Art of Listening, 1974-76

8 Lecture notes, Art of Listening, 1974-76

9 Lecture notes, Art of Listening, 1974-76

10 Lecture notes, Art of Listening, 1974-76

11 Lecture notes, Art of Listening, 1974-76

12 Lecture notes, Orchestration, ?1974-76

13 Lecture notes, Bela Bartok, 1981

14 Lecture notes, Set theory, Humble/Revell, 1982

15 Lecture notes Set theory, Revell, 1982

16 Lecture notes, Set theory, Revell/Humble, 1982

17 Lecture notes, Combinatoriality, Lester, c 1982

18 Lecture notes, Combinatoriality, Humble/Lester, 1982-84

19 Lecture notes, various, 1982-86

20 Lecture notes, Set theory, Revell, c 1983

21 Lecture notes, Combinatoriality, Lester/Revell, 1983

22 Submission to Academic Board on Music Course, 1983

23 Lecture notes, Issues in composition, 1984

24 Lecture notes, Variations on a theme, 1984

25 Lecture notes, Combinatoriality, Revell, c 1986

University of California (San Diego)

26 Department of Music, creative music, handbooks, 1970s

27 Department of Music, program notes, papers, c 1970-74

28 Department of Music, course notes 1971-72

29 Department of Music, creative music, papers, 1971-87

30 Department of Music, Centre for Music Experiment, 1972-80

31 Department of Music, miscellaneous student papers, 1972-90

32 Computer music, studio handbook, 1986

33 Creative/experimental music/ Projects c 1986

34 Creative music papers, notes assembled by Professor John Silber, c1990s

35 Will Ogdon retirement concert, 1991

University of Strasbourg

36 Centre de Formation de Musiciens, notes and papers, 1991-93

Addresses

37 Current social trends in music, n d

38 Music and Technology, ? Inaugural speech, La Trobe University, 1975

39 Occasional address, graduation ceremony, La Trobe University, 1976

40 Lecture on music (together with four tapes), Geelong College, 1981

41 Political economy of music, Deakin University, 1990

Unsourced and undated lectures

42 La Mer, Claude Debussy, (notes and tape)

43 Neo-Romanticism (handwritten notes)

44 Wozzeck lecture (notes and transparencies)

45 Conducting (notes, scores, diagrams)

46 Musical scores (Schoenberg examples), transparencies

47 Lecture, handwritten notes, scores, transparencies, (1b La Trobe University)

48 The Acoustic Scale, handwritten notes, diagrams, scores

49 Music in the classroom, handwritten, typed notes

50 Examples for Combinatorial talk, Mark Pollard

51 Fugue exercises

52 von Webern, op.11 no. 3 for cello and piano

53 von Webern Symphony Op 21 series-analysis

54 Violin-bowing techniques

55 Bass techniques

ABC talks

56 Richard Strauss, n d

57 Introduction to Anna Lockwood, n d

58 Alban Berg, von Webern, Arnold Schoenberg, Claude Debussy, n d

59 Hector Berlioz, 1966

60 Claude Debussy, Gustav Mahler, 1966

61 Bela Bartok, 1967

62 ABC talks 1-6, 1969

63 Electronic music 1 and 11, 1969

64 Pierre Boulez, 1971

65 André Boucourechliev, Harrison Birtwhistle, 1971

66 The Divine Proportion, Bela Bartok, 1981

67 Franz Schubert, von Webern, 1981

68 Research notes for Divine Proportion

69 Hector Berlioz, 1983

70 Olivier Messiaen, 1986

71 Arnold Schoenberg’s Gurrelieder, 1987

72 Olivier Messiaen, 1988

73 Tannhauser, 1989

74 Interval talk, 1991

ABC Television

75-77 Australian Landscapes, music compositions and program sequences, 1986-87

Series 16 Administrative correspondence, 1974-83

This series covers the administration of the musical programs and activities of the Australian Group for Contemporary Music, a group of musicians attached to the Music Department at La Trobe University. The AGCM was the successor to the Australian Contemporary Music Ensemble (ACME) which was disbanded in 1978 because of lack of funding support. There is some brief correspondence on arrangements for Humble to address different community groups.

Item/folder

1 Public speaking/workshops, administrative arrangements, 1974-83

2 Australian group for contemporary music (AGCM) submissions, 1979

3 AGCM, in service activities, 1979

4 AGCM, administrative arrangements, 1979

5 AGCM, reports, 1979

6 AGCM, schedules, 1979

7 AGCM, ABC and FM, 1979

8 AGCM, schools activities, 1979

9 AGCM, tertiary institutions, 1979

10 AGCM, composer/performer encounter, 1979

11 AGCM, Deakin University, 1979

12 AGCM, Tasmania, activities, 1979

13 AGCM, Monash University/Canberra activities, 1979

14 AGCM, World Music week, Melbourne, 1979

Series 17 Projects and miscellaneous papers, c 1950s-95

This series consists of a miscellany of copies of poetry, plays, scripts, pamphlets, oddments and book extracts. Some of the material in this series appears to have been accumulated by Humble, perhaps for personal interest, inspiration or research. It has been grouped together as potential project material. The series also includes: three substantive thesis sketches from the early 1950s, an exercise book containing handwritten notes on post-tonal music, draft speech notes for the Lyceum Club containing an outline biography, handwritten notes on recording schedules and biographical notes including a copy of the National Library oral history tapes. The series also includes other personal fragments and papers and the ‘Notes on a Lifetime’, 1995, a final unpublished statement on music. (See also series 11. )

Item/folder

1-3 Thesis sketches, (Keith Humble), 1952-54

4 Blue bound ‘Velin’ exercise book (French) c 1950s

5 Miscellany of poetry, stories(extracts), n d

6 Biographical material extracts, 1965-72

7 Introduction to the Legend, c 1970s

8 Recording project notes, c 1980s

9 Lyceum Club talk (handwritten outline), 1987

10 New Music criticism (panel discussion), 1988

11 Manila folder (pencil sketch of Humble):n d

12 Draft thesis, extracts, John Whiteoak, 1993

13 Unpublished final statement about music, (typed and handwritten)1995

14 Miscellaneous photographs

15 Fragments, n d

16 Fragments, n d


Box list

Box Series Folder
1 2 1-6
1 3 1-15
1 4 1-12
2 4 13-24
2 5 1-6
3 5 7-12
3 6 1-9
4 7 1-9
5 8 1-6
6 8 7-12
7 9 List in box
8 9 List in box
9 10 1-7
9 11 1-16
10 12 (group 1) 1-7
11 12 (group 2) 1-7
11 8 13
12 12 (group 2) 8-14
13 12 (group 3) 1-5
14 12 (group 4) 1-7
15 12 (group 5) 1-10
16 12 (group 6) 1
16 12 (group 7) 1-11
16 12 (group 8) 1-6
17 12 (group 8) 7-12
18 12 (group 9) 1-5
18 12 (group 10)1-4
Elephant folder 12 (group 10) 5
19 12 Research charts
20 1 1-16
21 13 1-10
22 13 11-14
23 13 15-19
24 13 20-24
25 13 25-28
26 13 29-35
27 13 36-38
28 13 39-40
29 13 41-43
30 13 44-46
Elephant folders 13 47-52
31 14 1-7
32 14 8-28
33 14 29-42
34 14 43-55
35 14 56-69
36 14 70-74
37 14 75-88
38 14 89-97
39 15 1-3
40 15 4-6
41 15 7-12
42 15 13-17
43 15 18-25
44 15 26-30
45 15 31-35
46 15 36-41
47 15 42-47
48 15 48-55
49 15 56-74
50 15 75-77
50 16 1-14
51 17 1-15
Elephant folder 17 16
March 2000
Updated August 2000