Scope and arrangement
The papers of Norman Dello Joio (1898-2003) document his professional life from the early 1920s until 2003. The few items found within this collection that precede the dates of his life are all connected to his professional career. For example, Dello Joio most likely acquired the published music La Passione di Cristo Secondo S Marco (Box 45, Folder 14) for his further study of oratorios.
A good amount of manuscripts that reveal the evolution of several of Dello Joio’s most notable scores are within the collection. For example, Dello Joio’s creative path to The Triumph of St. Joan, can be found within this collection under the various names it held through revision—i.e. Triumph of Joan, Trial at Rouen and, finally, Triumph of St. Joan. Furthermore, there is an extensive amount of compositional work in this collection on his 1961 opera Blood Moon. His scores, manuscripts and reproductions, make up the bulk of the collection. However, there is limited material on his award winning compositions Meditations on Ecclesiastes (José Limón’s There is a Time) and The Louvre.
Norman Dello Joio’s papers contain few personal items; one of the few exceptions would be the correspondence he received from family members (Box 1, Folder 23-24).
The Norman Dello Joio papers are arranged in eight series:
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1930 - 19922.5 linear feet (5 boxes)
This series is composed of 2 sub series: Individuals and Organizations. The first sub series contains the correspondence (letters, cards and telegrams) sent from various individuals. The second sub series contains the correspondence that Dello Joio received from (and on rare occasions sent to) organizations. The focus of the majority of letters, for either sub series, was business related.
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1920 - 20032 linear feet (4 boxes)
This series contains the awards, certificates, photographs, interviews, as well as the numerous biographical and financial materials found within the collection. Proofs of several chapters for Thomas A. Bumgardner’s book Norman Dello Joio can be found within this series (Box 8, Folders 5-12).
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1941 - 20033 linear feet (6 boxes)
This series is composed of two sub series: Compositions and Organizations. The first sub series contains items that document the performance of individual Dello Joio compositions—i.e. leaflets, pamphlets and souvenir programs that focus on individual compositions are within this sub series. The second sub series contains items related to performances of multiple Dello Joio works for individual events sponsored by an organization.
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1933 - 199510 linear feet (30 boxes)
This series is composed of 2 sub series: Works by Norman Dello Joio and Works by Other Artists. The first sub series includes manuscripts of scores by Dello Joio including Air Power, Blood Moon and There is a Time (Meditations on Ecclesiastes). The second sub series includes scores of artists such as Paul Hindemith and Abraham Skulsky.
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1944 - 20031.5 linear feet ( 3 boxes)
This series consists of photocopied clippings about Norman Dello Joio compositions, organizational connections and interests.
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1937 - 1984.5 linear feet (1 box)
This series consists of blank postcards, brochures, pamphlets, maps and programs that have no clear connection to any file in another series.
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1940- 19772.17 linear feet (4 boxes)
This series consists of twenty-three chronological scrapbooks filled with clippings, programs and other career related materials. For the majority of scrapbooks, there is no central theme dominating. However, two scrapbooks focus on particular subjects: St Joan material, i.e. Triumph of S. Joan and Trial at Rouen, can be found in Box 51, Folders 9-10; and material dealing with Dello Joio’s time as Dean with the Boston School of Fine and Applied Arts in Box 53, Folders 1-2.
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1940 - 199512.38 linear feet (13 boxes)
This series is composed of two sub series: 1) Personal and Performance Related and 2) Scores. The first sub series contains oversized items such as honary degrees and awards connected to his personal life or performance files. The second sub series contains the oversized scores of Dello Joio, as well as those of other artists.