Irving Wolfe Collection

Collection

Identifier: MSS.0525

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Irving Wolfe Collection (7.5 linear feet) consists of materials related to music pedagogy for children including songbooks, music scores, lyric sheets, pamphlets, sound recordings, and letters and correspondence. The materials reflect the work of Wolfe as a former Head of Division of Music at George Peabody College for Teachers, Nashville, Tennessee. Many songbooks and lyric sheets came from various nations across the world which Wolfe collected via collaborating with colleagues in countries including Australia, Denmark, Belgium, Brazil, India, and Ecuador, among others.

Dates

circa 1940–circa 1970

Conditions Governing Access

This collection may be viewed only in the reading room of Special Collections in the Jean and Alexander Heard Library. Collections should be requested 2-3 days prior to visiting in order to facilitate easier access. For questions or to request a collection, contact specialcollections@vanderbilt.edu.

Biographical / Historical

Irving W. Wolfe (1903-1977) was a musician, music educator, and administrator. Born in Iowa, Wolfe received his bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Northwestern University. Before assuming the role of chair of the music department at Peabody College for Teachers in Nashville in 1940, he taught at Illinois State Teachers College and Eastern Illinois State College. During his tenure, the music department experienced significant expansion, offering a number of graduate and undergraduate degrees and sponsoring several performing groups. In collaboration with Margaret Fullerton, he co-authored the school songbook series Together We Sing.

Extent

7.5 Linear Feet (6 Paige boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The Irving Wolfe Collection reflects the work of Wolfe as a former Head of Division of Music at George Peabody College for Teachers, Nashville, Tennessee. It consists of materials related to music pedagogy for children including songbooks, music scores, lyric sheets, pamphlets, sound recordings, and letters and correspondence.