Scope and arrangement
The Richard Barstow Papers consist of manuscripts, manuscript copies, printed scores, and instrumental parts, including approximately two boxes of circus music. Materials include works by Barstow, both individually and with others. There are also works by other composers, including songs by John Ringling North. Much of the material is undated.
The bulk of the items appear to be works associated with some of the numerous productions on which Barstow worked. There are several typescripts relating to productions. Of particular note are scores for the General Motors industrial shows Motorama and Powerama, as well as for M.O.D. (a.k.a. The RainbowYears), a 1958 performance marking the twentieth anniversary of the March of Dimes.
The Richard Barstow papers are arranged in five series:
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1940, 1943, 1956, and undated3 boxes
This series consists of manuscripts, copies, and parts mostly for songs by Richard Barstow individually and in collaboration with others. It also contains works possibly by Barstow.
- Sub-series 1 - By Richard Barstow, 1940, 1943 and undated
- Sub-series 2 - By Richard Barstow with Others, ca. 1940, ca. 1956, and undated
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1960-1977 and undated2.5 boxes
This series consists primarily of lead sheets and vocal lines for circus music solely by Richard Barstow, as well as works with composer William Pruyn, with Barstow as lyricist. There are also a number of scores by unknown composers filed at the end of the series.
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1927-1965 and undated3.5 boxes
This series contains mostly reproductions of lead sheets, parts, scores, and vocal lines for works by other artists, including Vernon Duke, George Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers, Jule Styne, and Vincent Youmans. Of particular note are some fifteen songs by John Ringling North. Works by unknown composers are filed at the end of the series.
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1950-19584 boxes
The Productions series consists mostly of reproductions of scores, lead sheets, and instrumental parts for productions on which Richard Barstow worked. These include Fred Allen's NBC-TV show (1950), an ice show, probably featuring "Belita," industrial shows Motorama '55by Victor Young and Powerama (More Power to You), for General Motors, and songs from the Judy Garland film A Star Is Born(1954). There are also scripts for Symphony of Fashion (1950) and Cavalcade of Fashion (1954).
The most thoroughly documented production is M.O.D. (a.k.a. The Rainbow Years) (1958), a performance marking the twentieth anniversary of the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (the March of Dimes). Richard and Edith Barstow produced and directed this event that featured celebrity performers such as Don Ameche, Eddie Cantor, Lillian Gish, and Rudy Vallee. There are piano, vocal, and conductor scores, as well as instrumental parts for two numbers from the show. There is also a script titled The Rainbow Years. A conductor's score for M.O.D. can also be found in the Oversized series.
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1958 and undated1 box
This series contains a photocopy of the piano and vocal score for Cole Porter's Jubilee and a conductor's score for 3 Shots for Louie from M.O.D.