This small body of materials, which spans the years 1909 to 1957, documents James H. Hall's academic career as a student of music and as an instructor. It provides insight into his work as a writer, composer and musician. A series of detailed, reflective letters written home during a year's stay in Europe (1937-38) reveals the nature of his relationships with family members, friends and colleagues.

Hall's early aspirations and his love of music are illustrated by the contents of his scrapbook. The lecture notes he conscientiously recorded in Edward Dickinson's Musical History class in 1909-1910 and the deliberative quality of his later academic writings attest to his enthusiasm and dedication as a student. His assembly talks and other addresses, his published commentary, and the clippings and keepsakes he chose to compile all offer evidence of his interests as a musical scholar, of the ardor with which he approached his responsibilities as an educator, and of his involvement in the Oberlin musical community.

The collection has been divided into four series: I. Correspondence II. Talks
III. Writings IV. Scrapbook & Memorabilia.

Series I. Correspondence, 1937-1953 (.08 l.f.)

A succession of typewritten letters (many with Florence Jenney Hall's handwritten letters on the reverse) chronicles the Hall family's stay in Europe in 1937-1938. In his letters, Hall recounts the sightseeing tours he has taken and comments on the symphony concerts and opera performances he has attended. He describes time spent with other Oberlin College graduates, offers his reflections on political unrest in Europe, and reveals his interest in modern composers and works. Also present here is Hall's communication with The University of Oklahoma Press during the years 1948-1953 regarding the publication and printing of his work The Art Song.

Series II. Talks, 1934-1942 (.02 l.f.)

Contains several assembly talks given in the month of January ("Music in 1934", "Music in 1936", "Music in 1938", "Music in 1941") in which noteworthy compositions and musical events of the previous year are reviewed. Also includes a paper read on June 17, 1942 at the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone of First Church entitled "One Hundred Years of Music in The First Church in Oberlin".

Series III. Writings, 1909-1957 (.2 l.f.)

The writings have been divided into two subseries: SS1. Writings by James H. Hall and SS2. Writings by other individuals. Three examples of Hall's academic writing, including his AM thesis "Patronage of the Art of Music", 1922, and a book of lecture notes he kept in Musical History class, 1909-1910, can be found in the first subseries. Also present are season, concert and recital reviews published in the Oberlin College Alumni Magazine, 1933-1935; of particular note is Hall's report on Artur Rodzinski's first appearance in Oberlin as conductor of The Cleveland Orchestra, December, 1933. Original scores for numerous Hall compositions (e.g. "To our Alma Mater", "Troubadour Song", "In Flanders Fields", "The Silver River") reside in subseries I. The second subseries consists of a student submission received in History of Music II, "The Parisian Salon of 1830-1840", Helen E. Phillips, June 3, 1930, and a handwritten essay by Florence Jenney Hall entitled "Folk Song in America", n.d.

Series IV. Scrapbook & Memorabilia, 1907-1925 (.4 l.f.)

The scrapbook contains various keepsakes (e.g., photographs, cards, announcements, programs, letters) accumulated by Hall during his last year of high school and first year at Oberlin; notations in his hand are inscribed throughout. Programs and other printed matter found in his scrapbook offer an account of his early interests and work as a musician. News clippings he gathered as a faculty member at The College of Wooster and at Oberlin nearly all deal with musical subject matter; most are recital and concert reviews. Hall's certificate of membership in the American Guild of Organists, September 27, 1915, has been classified here along with programs from piano recitals he gave while at Wooster and Oberlin, 1915-1920.

Edward Dickinson Papers [30/25]

Former Faculty, Staff & Trustees [28/3]

Graduates and Former Students [RG 28]

Hall, James Husst. 1953. The Art Song. Oklahoma: Norman. University of

Oklahoma Press. [784.3 H143A]

A reproduction of Hall's talk One Hundred Years of Music in The First Church in Oberlin exists in Special Collections [285.877.1 ob212H143]