Guide to the Papers of Andrew Ford, 1957-2018

Summary

Collection number:

MS 9549

Creator:

Ford, Andrew, Dr

Extent:

(24 ms boxes, 1 archive box, 1 map folio, 1 medium elephant folio, 1 small folio box, 10 medium folio boxes, 4 large folio boxes, 10 folio boxes,135 digital carriers, 49 audio visual carriers)

Language:

English and English

Preferred citation:

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Andrew Ford, National Library of Australia, [class/series/file/item number(s)]'.

Availability:

Available

Access conditions:

Permission required for research. Not for loan.

Background

Content Summary:

Cultural Sensitivity Advisory Notice: Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and other First Nations people are advised that this collection contains content that may be distressing and/or culturally sensitive, including references to Aboriginal deaths in custody; and outdated language, terms and descriptions which reflect the author's attitude, or that of the period in which the works were created, and may now be considered inaccurate, inappropriate or offensive. Details are provided in the finding aid at file level.

Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) Notice: This collection contains Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) of Aboriginal artist Rover Thomas, a Wangkajunga and Kukatja man. Specifically an image of Thomas' artwork.

Consignment Acc19.023 comprises manuscripts, sketches, recordings and other documentation of 22 music compositions, including an opera and two large-scale orchestral works; edited and unedited manuscript for "Earth Dances: music in search of the primitive" published by Black Inc. in 2015 along with page proofs with corrections and a copy of the published book; draft chapters, manuscript and copy of the published book published book "The Memory of Music" published by Black Inc.in 2017; Magazines, journals and newspapers containing articles by or about Andrew Ford; Concert programs and reviews plus letters received and email exchanges about music compositions.

The MS Acc14.075 comprises notebooks containing handwritten notes, ideas and music sketches; published book and annotated manuscripts for Try Whistling This: writings about music a collection of essays by Andrew Ford published in 2012; assorted papers including notes for an article and conference speeches; correspondence with personal and professional contacts; photographs of Andrew Ford; ephemera including concert programs, magazines and newspaper clippings containing articles about or by Ford; various manuscript scores and sketches both printed and handwritten with annotations; and an oil painted portrait of Ford by artist Tom Cooke.

Consignment MS Acc11.083 comprises original manuscript, annotated scores, sketches and correspondence for Ford's opera, Rembrandt's wife; pencil scores and sketches for 25 compositions dating from 2003-2010; correspondence with other composers, musicians, artists and writers; notebooks and recordings of interviews by Ford; drafts of writings, recordings of music; newscuttings; programs; photographs, juvenilia; and ephemera.

Consignment MS Acc08.080 comprises manuscript musical scores ; correspondence ; ephemera including reviews, concert tickets, programs, magazines containing articles and reviews by and about Ford ; CD recordings of Andrew Ford's music.

The MS Acc07.108 consignment comprises scrapbooks containing clippings relating to Ford's musical works, writings, and career (1975-2007) ; letters written by Ford to his parents (1977-2006) ; concert and festival programmes and magazines for which Ford has written ; copy of Ford's doctoral thesis (1993) ; scores of various operatic works by Ford.

The MS Acc06.105 instalment comprises four certificates, 1998-2005; manuscripts and sketches of ten compositions; manuscripts and drafts of two books (Speaking in tongues: the songs of Van Morrison, and, In defence of classical music); correspondence with various musical and literary figures; and, a packet of concert programs and other ephemera.

The Acc04.210 instalment comprises original music scores and 'transparencies' (music laid prepared on onion-skin paper ready for publishing). It also includes the scores of orchestral pieces and a full-length opera.

The Acc04.124a instalment includes music compositions, including 'Sketches of old lauds', 'Sounds and sweet airs' and 'The waltz book'; correspondence, including with Peter Sculthorpe, Miriam Hyde, Tom Shapcott and Jeffrey Smart; 14 audio cassettes relating to Andrew Ford; three CDs of an interview, Ford's annual address to the Music Council of Australia Assembly 2003 and recording of the Sculthorpe celebration at the National Library of Australia in 2002; and, colour transparencies of Ford. There are also annotated printed scores, published articles, programs, reviews and three items: 'History of Arts, Session 1', 'Piper's promise' and a photograph from a performance of the 'Poe' opera (1 oversize item).

The MS Acc02.153 instalment comprises music manuscripts, literary drafts, sketches, photographs, brochures and programs, and articles and cuttings.

The first consignment consists of three main categories: correspondence, Ford's autograph scores and interviews with composers conducted by Ford. The correspondence has primarily two concerns: Ford's compositions and his book of interviews with composers, Composer to composer, published in 1993. The scores make up the bulk of the collection, but represent only about half of his output to date. The date range is 1981-2000, the greatest number occurring in 1991, 1993-94 and 1999. The set of interviews is also incomplete.

Biographical Note:

Andrew Ford was born in 1957 in Liverpool, England and is a composer, broadcaster and writer. Ford studied composition with Edward Cowie and John Butler at the University of Lancaster. He was a fellow in Music, University of Bradford, from 1978 until 1982, during which time he gained considerable experience conducting campus choirs and orchestras. In 1982 his Portraits for piano won the Yorkshire Young Arts Composers' Award.

Ford came to Australia in 1983, and was on staff of the Faculty of Creative Arts at the University of Wollongong for the next 12 years. He was composer in residence at the Sydney Opera House in 1985, with Evos, WA, in 1991, and with the Australian Chamber Orchestra from 1992 to 1994; and was the Peggy Glanville-Hicks Fellow in Composition from 1998 to 2000. Ford has also appeared as a conductor of contemporary ensembles.

Ford has composed for specific performers, such as tenor Gerald English and pianist Lisa Moore, and has received many commissions for works, both within Australia and internationally. He writes in a wide range of genres for concert hall, theatre and radio. Unusual in his output are his operas for young performers (The world knot, 1987-88 and The piper's promise (1986-87).

Ford's music has been performed in Australia, North and South America, Southeast Asia and Europe and has featured at international festivals in Aspen, Houston, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Huddersfield, Ferrara, Istanbul, Seoul and Salzburg. In 1998 he won the Marienberg-Sydney Spring award for the most outstanding original work of that year's Sydney Spring Festival of New Music, and more than 30 of his works have been commercially recorded.

In 1995, Ford left his academic post to pursue broadcasting with the ABC. His 10-part series Illegal harmonies was broadcast in 1997 by ABC Classic FM and later on Radio National. The book Illegal harmonies: music in the 20th century (1997) resulted from the series. Dots on the landscape was jointly commissioned by ABC Classic FM and Radio National and was broadcast in 2001. Ford won Sounds Australia Awards for his broadcasts on music in 1989 and 1990.

Ford has reviewed CDs for 24 hours since 1990 and his book Composer to composer: conversations about contemporary music was published in 1993. In 1998 he won the Geraldine Pascall prize for critical writing.

References:

McCallum, Peter, 'Ford, Andrew', The new Grove dictionary of music and musicians, Stanley Sadie (ed.), 2^nd edn., vol. 9, p. 86.

'Ford, Andrew', The Oxford companion to Australian music, edited by Warren Bebbington, Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1997, p. 225.

Andrew Ford Home Page http://www.andrewford.net.au

Collection Retrieval Advice:

Please note: each class in this collection has a separate box number sequence (i.e. there are multiple Box 1's). Please cite the relevant Class number as well as the Box number when requesting retrieval of material from the collection.

Reading Room Access Note:

For preservation reasons, we are unable to deliver digital and audiovisual carriers to the Special Collections Reading Room. Please contact (Ask a Librarian) to enquire about access.

Provenance:

The first consignment was donated to the Library by Andrew Ford under the Taxation Incentives for the Arts Scheme in February 2001. Further papers were received in 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2014 and 2019.

Conditions Governing Access:

Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn846962).

Conditions Governing Use:

Conditions for copying and publishing of this collection may apply, please refer to the collection's catalogue record for further information (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn846962).

Preferred citation:

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Andrew Ford, National Library of Australia, [class/series/file/item number(s)]'.

Location of this collection:

National Library of Australia

Parkes Place

Canberra ACT 2600, Australia

Contact:

Contact us