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The collection consists of a wide range of musical compositions composed by Rivard.

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 While a few of the pieces have been published and copyrighted, most are unpublished.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.

This volume contains pre-printed music staves, on which Jane Patton wrote musical notes and lyrics for compositions ranging from light opera to popular songs. Most of the works are instrumentals, but a number of vocal pieces are present. Some of the titles include "Hewitt's Quick Step" by T. Rebhun, "Listen to the Convent Bells," "La Poule," Kathleen Mavoreen," and "Oh! Dinna Ask Me," as well as a few pieces by Thomas Haynes Bayley, such as "Isle of Beauty, Fare Thee Well." Some tunes have manuscript notations such as "from Harriet Taylor" or "from Harriet Scott." The printed pages are marked "ORRS' IMPROVED."

This volume contains pre-printed music staves, on which Jane Patton wrote musical notes and lyrics for compositions ranging from light opera to popular songs. Most of the works are instrumentals, but a number of vocal pieces are present. Some of the titles include "Hewitt's Quick Step" by T. Rebhun, "Listen to the Convent Bells," "La Poule," Kathleen Mavoreen," and "Oh! Dinna Ask Me," as well as a few pieces by Thomas Haynes Bayley, such as "Isle of Beauty, Fare Thee Well." Some tunes have manuscript notations such as "from Harriet Taylor" or "from Harriet Scott." The printed pages are marked "ORRS' IMPROVED."

This collection is made up of 51 handwritten music books dating from 1764 to 1890, with the majority being from the 19th century. The music includes from transcriptions/variations of famous works, chorale music, original compositions, and dance music. Much of the collection has no stated geographical location, though Pennsylvania is well represented.

The manuscripts are predominantly in English or German. Vocal tunes comprise a majority of the music present, regardless of genre. Multiple volumes includes music with antiquated form of the C clef. Both men and women wrote or were in possession of these manuscripts and many include dedications to friends or family members. Some of the manuscripts are transcribed copies of popular music theory books; in these cases, the author only transcribed a portion of the original. Several manuscripts include multi-colored, watercolor or pen and ink illustrations and lettering.

The Manuscript Sheet Music collection is made up of manuscript music scores, correspondence, and composers' autographs.

The Manuscript Sheet Music collection (approximately 140 items) contains manuscript music scores and composers' autographs, as well as correspondence and other items.

The bulk of the collection is comprised of around 80 music scores, which range in length from one line to several pages; some are complete works, and some are fragments. Most of the brief melodies are accompanied by the composers' signatures and may have been intended as autograph gifts. The longer works are mainly piano and/or vocal scores, and some include lines for violin with piano accompaniment. Lyrics, when present, are written in English and German. Some of the scores are dated and signed, and a few were written in German cities. The cover of the score for "Barcarola" includes an engraving of "The Great Western crossing the Atlantic," and Harry Keyser's "Two Etudes for Pianoforte" is accompanied by a letter by the composer. A manuscript music book belonging to "Th. Hämb, Junior" contains several short pieces with lyrics in a Nordic language.

Additional autographed items include 25 autograph cards, 8 autograph musical quotations, 10 sheets of paper (some with inscriptions), and a photograph of violinist A. Rivarde. Many of the autographed cards, which are the size of business cards or visiting cards, are dated at Chicago in the mid- to late 1880s. The collection's 8 letters (in English, German, and Italian) include one man's opinion of a performance of "Wanda" and a letter illustrated with lines of music. Additional items are a program for a Manchester, New Hampshire, performance of the comic opera Jonah, an ink drawing of a decaying stone building, and lines of poetry or musical lyrics.