This collection documents a wide range of musical compositions composed by Dr. Rivard, 1951-1999. There are compositions for orchestra, band, and small instrumental groups and solos, and these pieces may include conductor’s scores and/or various instrumental parts. While a few of the pieces have been published and copyrighted, most are unpublished. They are in good condition. For processing reasons, the collection has been organized by size, legal-size or oversized materials, and then alphabetically by title. Sometimes because of size differences, the score is physically separated from the musical parts. Boxes 1-2 are legal-sized materials. Boxes 3-4 and oversized materials and are housed in oversized, flat drop-front boxes.
Musicians may prefer the following list organized by musical genre. Orchestra: 1. Cupid and Psyche—Symphonic Poem, M.M. Thesis, 1951, Score; 2. Concerto Sinfonia for chamber orchestra—Ph.D. dissertation project, 1958, Score and Parts; 3. Overture to War of the Comedians—full orchestra, 1956, Score and Parts. Band: 4. Capriccio Concitato, 1955, Score and Parts; 5. Four Jazz Originals, 1976, Score and Parts, copyright 2008 by Nancy Rivard; 6. Concerto for Brass Quintet and Band, 1987, Score and Parts; 7. Echoes from the Twilight Zone, 1997, Score only. Small Instrumental Groups and Solos: 8. Three Biblical Scenes, Brass Choir, 1957, Score and Parts; 9. Sombrero Fallout-Incidental Music, Brass, Woodwind, and Percussion, 1978, Score and Parts; 10. Arioso and Scherzo, Woodwinds and Harpsichord, 1958, Score and Parts; 11. Sonata for Trombone and Piano, 1955, Score and Parts, published in 1969 by Tenuto Press, now G. Schirmer; 12. Set for Alto Saxophone and Piano, 1991, Score and Parts; 13. Quadrivalence, Bass Trombone and Piano, 1990, Score and Parts, to be published 2010; 14. A Lenten Contemplation, Trumpet and Organ, 2007, Score and Parts; 15. Philosophical Hautboy, Oboe, Strings, Percussion, 1953, Score and Parts; 16. Four Songs from the Masques of Ben Johnson, SATB, 1967, Scores; 17. Elizabethan Song Set, Mezzo-soprano and Piano, 1993, Score.
All the material in Acc#72163 was digitized and is available in the CMU digital collections, Scholarly and Creative Works under Rivard Collection of Music Scores.
Acc#76882, is not digitized. It was processed in late 2020-early 2021, and is found in Boxes 2 and Box 5. In the back of Box 2 are five legal-size Rivard original show tunes scores and parts for the CMU Marching Band, mostly pen on manuscript stave4 paper, with some copies and one written in pencil. Box 5 includes Rivard’s eleven Jazz and seven Show Tunes scores and parts and a lead sheet for CMU jazz and marching bands as well as a red Notebook of Show Tune scores. The Jazz scores and parts are all printed ink on cream colored or white paper. Some of the Jazz folders include a photocopy of the piano score by the original composer. The six Show Tunes are photocopies of Rivard’s compositions on white paper with acid stains where the pages were once taped together. Handwritten notations that were on the originals are visible on the copies. The Show Tunes music stave Notebook includes undated scores by Rivard in pencil, most of which have additional notation added by him in pencil and/or ink. The red Notebook scores include: Strike Up The Band, Rockin’ Chair, Caravan, Chicago, Stampin’ at the Savoy, Rhapsody in Blue, Everything’s Turning Up, Jazz My Blues (Segué), ½ Time P-G Fanfare, and ½ Time Pre-Game Fanfare, At some point, the front right lower corner of the red Notebook got wet and bled through pages of the first three scores to varying degrees, although none were rendered illegible or seriously damaged. Researchers with allergies please note: The Notebook has a light musty smell, but does not have mold.
Biography:
William H. Rivard was born on August 31, 1928 in Lewiston, Idaho, the son of G.A. Rivard and Margaret (Schmid) Rivard. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict, 1951-1953. He married Nancy Love Hill on November 28, 1953.
From Puget Sound William earned his B.A. Degree, M.U.S. from Florida State, and his Ph.D. from the University of Iowa. Dr. Rivard was Professor Music at Central Michigan University (CMU), from 1959 to 1992, when he retired. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Mount Pleasant, Michigan.
On March 12, 2008, William died at Central Michigan Community Hospital. He was survived by his wife, Nancy, and children David (Leanne), Nancy E., and Derek A. Rivard, a granddaughter, two brothers, and a sister. His parents preceded him in death. (This information is from his obituary, published in the Morning Sun on March 13, 2008, p. 2A.)
A Trombone Scholarship Endowment at CMU was established in Dr. Rivard’s honor in 1993. (This information is from Professor Robert Lindahl of the CMU School of Music.)
