Minutes, correspondence and papers. 1953-72.
On 11 June 1953 Council appointed a committee ‘to consider what action [should] be taken for the encouragement of this branch of anthropology’. Dr A.A. Baké, John Blacking, H.J. Braunholtz, Raymond Clausen, Revd A.M. Jones, Dr John Layard, Dr Otto Samson, and Prof. A.N. Tucker were appointed ‘to examine ways of promoting the scientific study of tribal music’. The first meeting of the Committee was held on 6 Aug. 1953 and Dr Layard was elected Chairman of the meeting. Prof. R.W. Firth succeeded as Chairman in 1956 and on his resignation in 1959 Dr K.P. Wachsmann was appointed. The latter resigned in 1963 on his appointment to the Chair of Music at UCLA. Dr A.A. Baké then became Chairman. Raymond Clausen was Hon. Secretary from 1954-60; he was succeeded by D.K. Ryecroft. In 1954 Corresponding Members were appointed all of whom were resident overseas. The British Institute of Recorded Sound started to build up a collection of ethnomusicological recordings and in 1956 the Committee recognising the need for a central depository recommended that the British in should be recognised as such. Council approved. (see minutes, 19 Apr. and 10 May 1956, Ethnomus. /85/1-2). The collecting of folk music and other ethnomusicological material was a joint venture with the International Folk Music Council during 1956-7 (published 1958). During the next two years preparation of a gazetteer of British Ethnomusicologists on cards commenced in 1960 and a three-day symposium, ‘Music and history in Africa and Asia’, was held from 19-21 Mar. 1962 with Dr Wachsmann in the Chair. The last meeting of the Committee appears to have been on 12 Nov. 1963 although minutes were either not kept or do not survive. The Report of the Council, 1964 lists members’ names only with J. O’Kell as Hon. Secretary. The Ethnomusicology Panel was constituted in the autumn of 1965 with Jeremy Montagu as Hon. Secretary (see Council minutes, 2 Dec. 1965, Item 5iv, f. 38). Meetings, usually fortnightly, were held until 1974 despite continuing difficulties with accommodation. The last reference to the Panel is in the Report of the Council, 1974. See ‘The work of the Ethnomusicology Committee of the RAI’ by Raymond Clausen, Ethnomusicology, vol. 2, no. 1, Jan. 1958, pp. 22-6 and ‘Ethnomusicology in Britain’ by D.K. Rycroft, Man, Dec. 1962, no. 291.
Members of the Committee between 1953-63: Dr A.A. Baké, Mrs Honor Beattie, Dr P.J. Bohannan, H.J. Braunholtz, Dr G.H.S. Bushnell, R. Clausen, P. Crossley-Holland, Dr S.D. Cudjoe, W.B. Fagg, Dr H.G. Farmer, Prof. R.W. Firth, Prof. M. Fortes, Prof. C. Fürer-Haimendorf, Frank Howes, N.A. Jairazbhov, Revd A.M. Jones, Miss Maud Karpeles, Dr J. Layard, J. Marr, J.P.S. Montagu, H.K. Penniman, Dr L.E.R. Picken, D.K. Rycroft, Dr O. Samson, Patrick Saul, J. Spillius, Prof. A.M. Tucker, Dr K.P. Wachsmann, Miss Beryl de Zoete.
Abbreviations
BIRS British Institute of Recorded Sound
GHSB G.H.S. Bushnell, Curator, University Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Cambridge
RC Raymond Clausen (d. 1993), Hon. Sec., 1954-60
WBF W.B. Fagg, CMG (1914-92), Keeper, Dept. of Ethnography, British Museum, 1967-74; RAI Hon. Sec., 1939-56, Honorary Editor of Man, 1947-65
RWF (Sir) Raymond Firth, FBA (1901-2002), Prof. of Anthropology, University of London, RAI Hon. Sec. 1936-9, President, 1953-5
MK Miss Maud Karpeles, Hon. Sec., International Folk Music Council
PS Patrick Saul, Secretary, British Institute of Recorded Sound
KPW K.P. Wachsmann (1907-84), Curator, Uganda Museum, Kampala, 1937-57, Prof. of Music, University of California, Los Angeles, 1963-8, Prof. of Music and Linguistics, Northwestern University, 1968-75; Chairman of the Committee, 1959-64
1/ 1953. General correspondence
1 Draft invitation to serve on the Committee by WBF, [July 1954] (autogr.)
2 WBF to prospective Committee member, 14 July – invitation to serve; notes names of those already appointed; refers to KPW’s lecture on 6 Aug. and first meeting of Committee on that date (tp.)
3 KPW to RAI, Biarritz, 15 July – on his lecture of 6 Aug. (autogr.)
4 Ibid., Paris, 20 July – wishes to accept invitation to attend the meeting of the Committee on 6 Aug. and to adjust lecture accordingly (autogr.)
5 RAI to GHSB, 28 July – sends copy of letter circulated to Committee members; hopes he will attend the meeting and lecture (tpc.)
6 RAI to KPW, 28 July – invitation to attend the dinner after his lecture as the guest of honour from the Dining Club (tpc.)
7 RAI to Mme H. Subandrio, 28 July – invitation to attend the meeting and lecture (tpc.)
8 Mme H. Subandrio to RAI, 30 July – hopes to attend the meeting and lecture (tp.)
9 Ibid., 8 Aug. – regrets she was unable to attend meeting and lecture (tp.)
10 John Blacking (1928-90), later Prof. of Social Anthropology, University of the Witwatersrand and then of Queen’s University, Belfast to WBF, 21 Sep. – encloses bibliography of ethnomusicology (see Minutes, 15 Oct. 1953, Item 3); asks about possibility of duplicating it (autogr. with annotation by WBF)
11 Bibliography by John Blacking (tp. with autogr. corrections)
12 Ibid., (mimeo.)
13 WBF to L. Farrer-Brown, Secretary, Nuffield Foundation, 19 Oct. – writes in support of Hugh Tracey’s proposed Library of Recorded African Music (tpc.)
14 L. Farrer-Brown to WBF, 26 Oct. – Trustees wish to help; will be discussed with Hugh Tracey (tp.)
15 Institute of Contemporary Art to WBF, 18 Nov. – encloses notice of Alain Gheerbrant’s lecture, ‘Music of the Orinoco Indians’ (tp. with autogr. note by WBF)
16 Notice of Gheerbrant’s lecture (mimeo.)
17 WBF to members of the Committee, 23 Nov. – encloses notice of lecture (tpc.)
18 A.A. Baké to RAI, 1 Dec. – much regrets he cannot attend Gheerbrandt’s lecture; committed elsewhere (tp.)
2/ July - Aug. 1953. Invitation to serve on Committee accepted by:
1 John Layard, 14 July
2 Douglas H.F. Wilson, Hon. Treasurer, 16 July
3 A.A. Baké, 17 July
4 O.W. Samson, Curator, Horniman Museum, 18 July
5 Prof. A.M. Tucker, 20 July
6 Revd A.M. Jones, 20 July
7 Raymond Clausen, 4 Aug.
3/ 1954. General correspondence
1 Draft letter from WBF to PS, 13 Jan. - regrets delay in writing since last Committee meeting; Council has agreed the expansion of the Committee; would welcome two members from BIRS (autogr.)
2 Draft notes by WBF on objectives of the Committee. 2 leaves (autogr.)
3 PS to WBF, 19 Jan. - BIRS wishes to be associated with Committee; will send names of representatives (autogr.)
4 Leader from The Times, 15 Jan., ‘Tunes and dances’ (clipping)
5 Letter to The Times, 20 Jan., from RWF ‘Study of folk music’ (clipping)
6 MK to RWF, 20 Jan. - encloses copy of letter to The Times; interested in Committee (tp. copy)
7 Letters to The Times, 11 Feb., from Douglas Kennedy, Director, English Folk Dance and Song Society and Maud Karpeles, IFMC (clippings)
8 Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia to RAI, 30 Mar. - Mme Subandrio, with the Ambassador, has left; for Moscow (tp. with autogr. notes)
9 Dr Kenneth Little, Dept of Social Anthropology, University of Edinburgh, 20 Apr. - notes the appointment of Frank Howes and Patrick Saul to the Committee; suggests the appointment of Dr S.D. Cudjoe (autogr.)
10 RWF to WBF, 13 July - reports his meeting with J.K. Thompson and a colleague at the Colonial Office; both interested in social significance of music and dance in Africa; suggests Committee might prepare a memorandum; Thompson may get in touch (tp. with attached note dated, Jan.12 1955, by WBF)
11 Inter-American Expedition, NY to Adrian Digby, Dept of Ethnography British Museum, 28 Sept. - outlines objectives of the expedition including the recording of folk music; inquires whether the Committee would be interested in receiving copies of tapes (tp. with autogr. notes)
12 Invitation to serve on the Committee sent to Profs E.E. Evans-Pritchard, C. Daryll Forde, M. Fortes, and C. von Fürer Haimendorf from WBF, 6 Oct. (tpc.)
13 RAI to RC, 15 Oct. - encloses letter from Inter-American Expedition (/11 above) (tpc.)
14 RAI to A.A. Baké, 26 Oct. - encloses letter of refusal from Prof. A.J. Hutchings; suggests he may wish to talk to him (tpc.)
15 A.A. Baké to WBF, 5 Nov. - has written to Prof. Hutchings; does not think he will change his mind; he is interested in influence of the music of the ‘lesser advance strata in India’ upon European medieval music (tpc.)
16 RAI to RC, 9 Nov. - encloses letter from Robert Black [not present]; and notes of informal meeting (tpc.)
17 RAI to Robert Black, 9 Nov. - acknowledges letter about Committee (tpc.)
18 WBF to P.J. Bohannan, Institute of Social Anthropology, University of Oxford, 9 Nov. - invitation to serve on the Committee (tpc.)
19 Inter-American Expedition to RAI, 30 Nov. - acknowledges letter of 2 Nov. [not present]; will write again when recordings are completed; see also /11 above
4/ 1954. Prepared to serve on the Committee
1 T.K. Penniman, Curator, Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford to WBF, 12 Oct. - willing to serve; refers to material obtained for Ancient Mining and Metallurgy Committee (autogr.)
2 D.K. Rycroft, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, to WBF, 13 Oct. - willing to serve (autogr.)
3 PS to WBF, 13 Oct. - ibid; BIRS starting to create a library of records and a central depository of information (tp.)
4 M. Fortes, William Wyse Professor of Social Anthropology, Cambridge University to WBF, 13 Oct. - ibid; hoping to develop musicology in the Faculty (tp.)
5 Frank Howes, Music Correspondent, The Times to WBF, 14 Oct. – ibid (tp.)
6 GHSB to WBF, 14 Oct. - willing to serve; thought he was already on the Committee (autogr.)
7 Beryl de Zoete, author of Dance and drama in Bali (with Walter Spies), 1938, Dance and magic drama in Ceylon, 1957, and The other mind, 1953 to WBF, 17 Oct. - ibid; refers to correspondence about the ‘Nayars’ self defense technique & the Kalaris’; wishes to know names of those on the Committee and who proposed her (autogr. pc.)
8 Prof. C. von Fürer-Haimendorf, School of Oriental and African Studies; RAI President, 1975-6 to WBF, 18 Oct. - willing to serve but has no specialised knowledge (tp.)
9 Dr S.D. Cudjoe to WBF, 24 Oct. - willing to serve (autogr.)
10 Dr P.J. Bohannan to WBF, 18 Nov. - ibid (tp.)
11 Dr Henry G. Farmer, author of Oriental studies: mainly musical, 1953 to WBF, [Nov.] - ibid (tp.)
5/ 1954. Refuse to serve on the Committee
1 Prof. E.E. Evans-Pritchard (1902-73), Prof. of Social Anthropology, University of Oxford; RAI President, 1949-51 to WBF, 9 Oct. - knows nothing about the subject; suggests Dr P.J. Bohannen (see /4/10 above) (tp.)
2 Prof. A.J.B. Hutchings, Department of Music, University of Durham, 23 Oct. - declines invitation; interested in ‘technical changes in Western medieval music’; not an authority on ethnomusicology (tp.); see also /3/14-15 above
6/ 1954-5. Corresponding members
1 WBF to Dr - Norlind [and others], 6 Oct. 1954 - invitation to serve as a Corresponding member; notes aims of the Committee; minutes and other documents will be circulated (tp.)
2 Dr Karl Gustav Izikowitz, Director, Etnografiska Museet, Göteborg to WBF, 11 Oct. - qualified acceptance of invitation to serve (tp.)
3 Dr E. Emsheimer, Director, Musikhistoriska Museet, Stockholm to WBF, 13 Oct. - willing to serve (tp.)
4 Prof. Erich Seemann, Deutsches Volksliedarchiv, Freiburg i. Br. to WBF, 15 Oct. - ibid (tp.)
5 Mrs C.J.A. Kunst-van Wely, Amsterdam to WBF, 16 Oct. - accepts provisionally for her husband, Jaap Kunst who is in USA (autogr.)
6 Dr Andre Schaeffner, Musée de 1’Homme, Paris to WBF, 20 Oct. - willing to serve; refers to meeting of musicologists with ethnologists in Wégimont near Liège (tp.)
7 Jaap Kunst, author of Music in Flores, 1942, Music in Java, 3rd edition, 1973 etc., Chicago to WBF, 23 Oct. - willing to serve (autogr.); see also /5 above
8 WBF to Mme H. Subandrio, 24 Oct. - informed by the Indonesian Embassy she was now in Moscow; hopes she will continue as a Fellow; and invitation to serve as a Corresponding member (tpc.)
9 Dr H. Hickmann, Cairo to WBF, 2 Nov. - willing to serve (tp.)
10 Prof. Melville J. Herskovits, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois to WBF, 2 Nov. - ibid; suggests two other additions as Corresponding members (tp. with autogr. note by WBF)
11 Hugh Tracey, Hon. Secretary, African Music Society, Roodepoort, Transvaal to WBF, 2 Nov. - hopes work of his society will assist the Committee; John Blacking will be joining staff (tp.)
12 Dr Curt Sachs, New York University to WBF, 4 Nov. - willing to serve (tp.)
13 Prof. Percival R. Kirby, Grahamstown to WBF, 4 Nov. - ibid; has retired from his Chair at the University of Witwatersrand; now resident in Grahamstown; refers to his current research (autogr.)
14 [WBF] to Prof. M.J. Herskovits, 10 Nov. - pleased he is willing to serve; may be possible to extend Corresponding membership (see /10 above); is flying to NY (tpc.)
15 Mme H. Subandrio to WBF, Moscow, 15 Nov. - willing to serve; may have suggestions after receiving minutes (tp.)
16 H. Pepper, Institut d’Etudes Centrafricaines, Brazzaville to RAI, 25 Nov. - willing to serve (tp.)
17 KPW, Uganda Museum, Kampala to WBF, 29 Dec. - willing to serve (tp.)
18 John F. Carrington, BMS Missionary, Basoko, Belgian Congo to WBF, 17 Jan. 1955 - hesitates to accept, acts in same capacity to African Music Society, has many demands on time; would like to accept if it would be helpful (tp.)
7/ 1955-8. General correspondence
1 MK to WBF, 10 Jan. 1955 - interested to hear the Committee is collecting recordings of traditional music; suggests meeting (tp. with autograph note)
2 [WBF] to RC, 17 Jan. - inquires about next Committee meeting; refers to Miss Karpeles letter and suggested meeting (tpc.)
3 Ibid to RWF, 29 June 1956 - hopes he will be able to attend Committee meeting on 6 July; wishes to propose him as permanent Chairman (tpc. with autogr. note)
4 G.E.S. Turner, Secretary, University Museum, Oxford to M.W. Smith, 18 Oct. 1957 - would like to have a lecture from a member of the Committee to address the Oxford University Anthropological Society (tp.)
5 M.W. Smith to G.E.S. Turner, 23 Oct. - suggests names of possible lecturers (tpc.)
6 Manual for collectors of ethnomusicology - preliminary draft for comment, [Nov.] (mimeo.)
7 Ibid. - proposed revisions (mimeo.)
8 RWF to M.W. Smith, 17 Jan. 1958 - on Wenner-Gren Foundation application for a grant towards publication of the Manual (tp.); see Minutes, 14 June 1957
8/ 1961-2. Symposium: Music and history in Africa and Asia
1 KPW to members of the Committee, Aug. 1961 - on proposed symposium (mimeo.)
2 Ibid., 12 Dec. 1962 - postponement of meeting due to weather conditions; matters to be discussed include importance of no further delay in the publication of the symposium proceedings and the possible inclusion of the discussions; next meeting on 14 Jan. 1963 (tpc.); the proceedings were not published; see Minutes, 27 Feb. 1963 for RAI’s inability to fund publication
9/ Minutes
6 Aug. 1953 8 May 1963 complete as follows:
1953 8 Aug. Ethnomus/82/1
15 Aug. Ethnomus/83/2
1954 [20 Oct.?]
1956 19 Apr. [Ethnomus/85/1]
10 May Ethnomus/85/2
6 July [Ethnomus/85/S]
1957 14 June [Ethnomus/86/1]
27 Nov. MC/87/1
1958 25 Apr. MC/87/2
13 June [MC/87/3]
13 June Summary of discussion led by KPW
1959 24 Apr. MC/88/1
22 June MC/88/2
22 June Memorandum from the Chairman
26 Oct. [MC/88/3]
Oct. Memorandum
3 Nov. notice of meeting to discuss Secretary’s Memorandum
1960 22 June MC/89/2 13 Nov.
1961 [17 Feb.] no minutes available; matters referred to in minutes of 14 June
14 June
5 Dec.
1962 20 June
1963 14 Jan.
Jan. 1963 Project by KPW
27 Feb.
8 May
12 Nov. no minutes
Ethnomusicology Panel:
1970 Spring Programme
1971 Autumn programme
1972 Summer programme
