Guide to the Papers of John Antill, 1872-1987

Summary

Collection number:

MS 437

Creator:

Antill, John

Extent:

23.88 metres and (1 folder + 36 ms boxes + 3 cartons + 13 small folio boxes + 25 medium folio boxes + 4 large folio boxes + 46 sound/av carriers)

Language:

English

Preferred citation:

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of John Antill, National Library of Australia, MS 437, [box number and series and/or file number]'.

Availability:

Available

Access conditions:

Part available for research; part requires permission of the Central Land Council for research (selected illustrations).

Background

Content Summary:

The score of Corroboree was presented to the Library by John Antill in 1956. After Antill's death, six consignments of his papers were received by the Library between 1987 and 1993.

Half of the Antill Papers consists of music manuscripts and other papers relating to the composition and performances of his works. Most of Antill's works are represented in the papers. The works span over 65 years of Antill's life and include a range of musical forms such as opera, ballet, oratorio, orchestral, fanfares, anthems, choral music, songs and film, television and radio music.

The remainder of the papers relate to Antill's education; employment as a musician, conductor and music editor with the Australian Broadcasting Commission; participation in the South Pacific Festival of Arts in Fiji; and his personal life. The papers include correspondence, diaries, notebooks, financial papers, speeches and broadcasts, scrap albums, photographs, newspaper cuttings and programs.

The Antill Papers also contain Antill Family papers inherited and collected by Antill throughout his life. The family papers include correspondence and memorabilia dating from his father's service in the Middle East during the First World War, and a collection of early postcards.

Due to the lack of a discernible order, the Antill Papers have been entirely rearranged to form the present series structure, with the exception of the contents of some files which are in original order.

Biographical Note:

John Henry Antill was born on 8 April 1904 and grew up in Sydney. He was educated at St. Andrew's Cathedral Choir School (1914-18) and Trinity Grammar School (1918-19) where he showed an early interest in music. In 1920 he left school and was apprenticed to the engineering workshops of NSW Railways, composing music in his spare time. After completing a five year apprenticeship, Antill resigned to concentrate fully on his music. Antill studied at the NSW State Conservatorium of Music where his teacher for composition was Alfred Hill.

After graduating from the Conservatorium, Antill joined the J.C. Williamson's Imperial Opera Company as a singer and rehearsal conductor, touring Sydney, Melbourne and New Zealand during 1932 and 1933. In 1933 he formed the Mastersingers Male Quartet and began broadcasting work with the ABC. From 1934-35 he joined the Fuller Opera Company as a chorus member, backstage conductor and clarinet player and in 1936 played bass clarinet with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

In 1936 Antill joined the permanent staff of the ABC as Assistant Music Editor and director of the Sydney Wireless Chorus. He remained with the ABC until his retirement from the position of Federal Music Editor in 1968.

Antill composed music throughout his life, and rose to international prominence with the performances of his symphonic ballet Corroboree in 1946. He was awarded the OBE for his services to Australian music in 1971, and received an Honorary Doctorate in Creative Arts from the University of Wollongong in 1985.

John Antill died on 29 December 1986.

See also Gentle genius: a life of John Antill by Beth Dean and Victor Carell (Sydney: Akron Press, 1987)

Conditions Governing Access:

Access conditions may apply to this collection, please refer to the collection's catalogue record for further information (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2655031).

Conditions Governing Use:

Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.

Preferred citation:

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of John Antill, National Library of Australia, MS 437, [box number and series and/or file number]'.

Location of this collection:

National Library of Australia

Parkes Place

Canberra ACT 2600, Australia

Contact:

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