Guide to the Music scores and papers of Keith Humble, 1920-2005

Summary

Collection number:

MS 9402

Creator:

Keith Humble

Extent:

32.55 metres and (55 ms boxes + 7 cartons + 15 large folio boxes + 6 medium folio boxes + 7 map folios + 558 sound/av carriers + 1 digital carrier)

Language:

English

Preferred citation:

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Music scores and papers of Keith Humble, National Library of Australia, MS 9402, [box number and series and/or file number]'.

Availability:

Available

Access conditions:

Available for research. Not for loan.

Background

Content Summary:

The papers comprise the complete original musical works of Keith Humble, as well as research, teaching and publicity material.

Humble's original musical scores and sketches date from the 1940s to the 1990s and comprise arrangements; controlled improvisation; early compositions; music for choir; chamber music; Nuniques (scores relating to the Nunique improvisatory music theatre); theatre works; piano music; orchestral music and songs and musical sketches. The musical sketches include some unfinished and unidentified material as well as research charts, graphs and computer print outs. Physical categories for the arrangement of Humble's musical works were determined by Jill Humble in consultation with Keith Humble, and the results of this process culminated in a comprehensive musical catalogue prepared by Dr John Whiteoak. The Library has maintained this physical arrangement and used the catalogue as a basis for listing and citing the musical works and sketches.

The second part of the collection consists of teaching and research material. From 1966 to 1974 Humble lectured at the University of Melbourne Conservatorium where he was Senior Lecturer in composition. At La Trobe University from 1974 to 1989 where he was appointed Foundation Professor of Music in 1974 and the University of California, San Diego from 1970 to 1990, Professor of Music 1971-74. Humble also lectured on music for ABC radio programs from the 1950s to the 1980s and composed and performed music for the 1987 ABC television program 'Australian Landscapes'. Many lecture notes and talks started as handwritten drafts that were later amended and typed. Musical scores or extracts from scores are often included with the notes.

An extensive collection of research articles and papers illustrate the diversity and breadth of Humble's musical interests and knowledge ranging from technical explorations of twelve tone techniques to different aspects of electronic, contemporary and experimental music in Australia, Europe and the USA. Unlike many other composers working in Australia, Humble spent a substantial part of his working life abroad, mainly in France, but also in Europe and the USA. Many of the research articles are undated copies or extracts from a variety of musical journals and newspapers. There are also various research papers and a small collection of handbooks and other published materials.

The third part of the collection contains publicity and promotional material: posters; musical programs; brochures; leaflets; newspaper clippings; reviews; and general advertising for concerts and recitals where Humble played, conducted or accompanied other artists. A small collection of personal documents includes early musical examinations, results, certificates and awards; family photographs, newspaper clippings and assorted personal memorabilia.

Biographical Note:

Leslie Keith Humble was born in Geelong, Victoria, on 6 September 1927 and died in Geelong on 23 May 1995. A child prodigy, he was playing jazz before he left high school; he studied piano with Roy Shepherd at the University of Melbourne Conservatorium in 1947-49 and won a Royal Schools Scholarship to study composition at the Royal Academy of Music, London. He continued his studies in Paris where he studied piano at the Ecole Normali de Musique and composition privately with Rene Leibowitz. Humble spent a year as Leibowitz's student, and then two years as his assistant in his classes on counterpoint, harmony and conducting, at the same time giving recitals throughout Europe. In 1956 he returned to Australia and was appointed chief study teacher for the piano and Lecturer in harmony and counterpoint at the Melbourne Conservatorium.

In 1957 he returned to Paris and resumed his work with Leibowitz. It was in 1959-60 that Humble established Le Centre de Musique at the American Centre for Students and Artists in Paris. The Centre functioned as a musical workshop where musicians could work under concert conditions and develop new music and new forms of presentation. Humble was Director of Music at the Centre from 1960 to 1966 and toured Europe as accompanist to suck artists as Ethel Semser, Robert Gartside, John Riley and Marcel Hubert.

In 1966 Humble took up a Senior Lectureship at the Melbourne Conservatorium, combining this with duties as a visiting Professor of Composition at the University of California, San Diego (1971-74). In 1974 he was appointed Foundation Professor of Musicat La Trobe University. He was co-founder and Musical Director of the Australian Contemporary Music Ensemble (ACME) based at La Trobe University from 1975 to 1978 and its successor the Australian Group for Contemporary Music 1979. Humble formed the progressive Society for the Private Performance of New Music, promoted electronic music studies, held creative music workshops and performed in KIVA a creative performance group based at the Centre for Music Experiment at the University of California, San Diego.

He was awarded the Order of Australia in 1982 for his services to music.

Humble continued performing, travelling, composing and researching after he retired from La Trobe University in 1989.

Humble married Jill Dobson in 1955.

Humble's impact on Australian contemporary music was profound and continues through the many musicians whom he encouraged, influenced and taught. The range of his activities, performing, composing, teaching and researching almost to his death, made him one of the most important creative forces on the Australian music scene in the second half of the twentieth century.

His works have included stage, vocal, instrumental and tape music and computer based composition.

Sources: The Oxford Companion to Australian Music, 1997

Provenance:

The papers were donated to the National Library by Mrs Jill Humble in 1999 under the Cultural Gifts Program.

Indexed terms

Subjects:

Performing arts

Conditions Governing Access:

Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn1816276).

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], Music scores and papers of Keith Humble, National Library of Australia, MS 9402, [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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