Scope and arrangement
The Robert Savage Collection dates from 1975 to 1994 and consists of scores, personal files, and sound and video recordings. The scores make up the bulk of the collection and span works he produced in college to works he produced shortly before his death in 1993. The scores reflect the entirety of his titled and untitled compositions and also contain unidentified score fragments. Many of the scores are undated. Savage's sole orchestral work, An Eye-Sky Symphony, and its various incarnations - Dark Night of the Soul, Endless Spring, Jalal - are included in the collection along with a handmade score of the complete work. There is one file of early and incomplete works. Savage's compositions are described in detail at the website of The Estate Project for Artists with AIDS (http://www.artistswithaids.org/artforms/music/catalogue/savage.html). Researchers should consult the site for composition titles, dates, and possible recordings.
Personal files include programs from Savage's memorial service at Greenwich House and an audiocassette recording of the event; a catalogue of work and biography, both compiled by Severine Neff; and a complete set of essays written by Savage for The Mountain Record.
There are video recordings of a recording session on Fire Island in 1992, of Savage conducting meditation instruction at the Gay Men's Health Crisis, and two interviews with Savage from 1991 and 1992. Inquiries regarding audio/visual material in the collection may be directed to the Rodgers and Hammerstein Archives of Recorded Sound (rha@nypl.org). Audio/visual materials will be subject to preservation evaluation and migration prior to access.
Arrangement
The collection is in two divisions, scores and personal files. Scores are arranged alphabetically by title.