Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections
James Niblock Papers
UA.17.318
Table of Contents
Summary Information
- Repository
- Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections
- Creator
- Niblock, James, 1917-
- Title
- James Niblock papers
- ID
- UA.17.318
- Date [inclusive]
- 1957-2016
- Extent
- 3.5 Cubic feet
- Language
- English
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: "Item title, Collection title, Collection Identifier, Michigan State University Archives & Historical Collections, East Lansing, Michigan."
Biographical Note
James Niblock was born in Scappoose, Oregon, in November 1, 1917. His musical background included violin study under Franck Eichenlaub of Portland, Oregon and Jascha Brodsky of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Niblock received his B.A. and B.Ed. from Washington State University in 1942. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1942-1946. He earned his M.A. in violin from Colorado College in 1948 and his Ph.D. from the University of Iowa in 1952.
Niblock began teaching at Michigan State College (now Michigan State University) in 1948. He stayed for 37 years, until 1985, teaching theory and composition. During his career, he served as chair of the music department for 15 years, composed over 150 pieces, more than 70 of which were published. Niblock was also Concertmaster of the Lansing Symphony Orchestra, a performer in the Beaumont String Quartet, and a composer, performer, and conductor at the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp.
Scope and Contents note
The James Niblock papers contain compositions written by him from the 1950s until 2012. The only work in the collection that was not written by him is the piece entitled "Collection Panorama, Dialogue and Duciana" by Gerard Billaudot. Niblock's music covers a broad range of instruments, including strings, piano, organ, horns, winds, choral, and percussion. Many of these pieces are oversized or have oversized copies, and they can be found in boxes 4143-4146.
The collection also holds Niblock's own collections of programs and newspaper articles from music events. The programs span the entire time frame of his teaching career up until the present. They include his own performances from Lansing, East Lansing, his trips to Argentina and Brazil, and programs from the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp.
Also included in the collection are two DVDs and one CD. One DVD is "Ruth", an opera Niblock wrote, and the other is called "The Verdehr Trio, Composers Series." The CD is titled, "The Making of a Medium."
Administrative Information
Publication Information
Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections May 2013
Conrad Hall888 Wilson Road, Room 101
East Lansing , MI, 48824
517-355-2330
archives@msu.edu
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Legal Status
Copyright: Michigan State University. Property Rights: Michigan State University.
Conditions Governing Use
Permission to publish material from this collection must be obtained from University Archives & Historical Collections, Michigan State University.
Custodial History
Transferred by the MSU Fine Arts Library.
Controlled Access Headings
Corporate Name(s)
- Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp.
- Verdehr Trio.
Genre(s)
- Concert programs
- Music
- Sound recordings
- Video recordings
Subject(s)
- Band music
- Concertos
- Opera
- Orchestral music
General Note
Research guide available at http://staff.lib.msu.edu/blackma/ms/niblock.htm
Collection Inventory
Papers |
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|
Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp Summer Festival Programs |
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| Box | Folder | |||
|
1991-1994 |
4141 | 1 | ||
|
2000-2001 |
4141 | 2 | ||
|
2004-2005 |
4141 | 70 | ||
|
2006-2007 |
4141 | 3 | ||
|
2008-2009 |
4141 | 4 | ||
|
2010-2012 |
4141 | 5 | ||
|
2013-2014, 2016 |
4141 | 71 | ||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
James Niblock biography Undated |
4141 | 19 | ||
|
James Niblock music programs 1950-1959 |
4141 | 20 | ||
|
James Niblock music programs 1960-1965 |
4141 | 21 | ||
|
James Niblock music programs 1966-1969 |
4141 | 22 | ||
|
James Niblock music programs 1974-1979 |
4141 | 23 | ||
|
James Niblock music programs 1987-1989 |
4141 | 24 | ||
|
James Niblock music programs 1990-1999 |
4141 | 25 | ||
|
James Niblock music programs 2000-2009 |
4141 | 26 | ||
|
James Niblock music programs Undated |
4141 | 27 | ||
|
James Niblock newspaper articles 1947-1959 |
4141 | 28 | ||
|
James Niblock newspaper articles 1960-1966 |
4141 | 29 | ||
|
James Niblock newspaper articles 1970-1989 |
4141 | 30 | ||
|
James Niblock newspaper articles 2001-2003 |
4141 | 31 | ||
|
James Niblock newspaper articles Undated |
4141 | 32 | ||
|
Programs and reviews from Argentina and Brazil 1972-1973 |
4142 | 17 | ||
|
Ruth the opera poster 2001 |
4144 | 8 | ||
|
|
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Scores |
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| Box | Folder | |||
|
Andante and Allegro 1993 |
4141 | 6 | ||
|
Aria and Rondo 2010 |
4142 | 1 | ||
|
Aria for Violin and Piano 2010 |
4142 | 2 | ||
|
Autumn Fields undated |
4143 | 1 | ||
|
Bird and I - draft and published version 1986, undated |
4141 | 76 | ||
|
A Blue Lake Ballet: in Three Movements Andante- Allegro con Brio, Adagio, Allegro, with Orchestra 2004 |
4142 | 19 | ||
|
Canticle of Moses undated |
4141 | 7 | ||
|
The Canticle of Moses oversized score undated |
4143 | 2 | ||
|
Canto for contrabass and piano 2006 |
4142 | 3 | ||
|
Canto for Double-Bass and Piano Undated |
4141 | 72 | ||
|
Centella (Sparkle) undated |
4141 | 8 | ||
|
Chamber Symphony 2011 |
4142 | 4 | ||
|
Chamber Symphony Undated |
4143 | 3 | ||
|
Christmas Night 2005 |
4141 | 69 | ||
|
Clarinet Quatradecatet parts 2003 |
4142 | 5 | ||
|
Clarinet Quatradecatet score 2003 |
4142 | 6 | ||
|
Clarolin Variations 2010 |
4142 | 7 | ||
|
A Clear Midnight 2004 |
4141 | 9 | ||
|
Collection Panorama, Dialogue and Duciana, by Gerard Billaudot 1987 |
4143 | 5 | ||
|
Colloquy 2010 |
4142 | 8 | ||
|
Come with me 2003 |
4141 | 10 | ||
|
Concertino for Leonard Falcone Undated |
4141 | 11 | ||
|
Concertina for Leonard Falcone 2014 |
5469 | 7 | ||
|
Concerto for Double Bass undated |
4146 | 6 | ||
|
Concerto for Double Bass and Orchestra 1967 |
4141 | 12 | ||
|
Concerto for violin and orchestra 1950 |
4143 | 6 | ||
|
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra solo parts 1998 |
4141 | 13 | ||
|
Concerto for Violin, Clarinet, and Orchestra 1998 |
4142 | 9 | ||
|
Concerto for violin, clarinet, and orchestra Undated |
4143 | 7 | ||
|
Concerto No. 2 for Violin, Clarinet, and Orchestra 2007 |
4142 | 10 | ||
|
Concerto No. 3 for Violin, Clarinet, and Orchestra 2011 |
4142 | 11 | ||
|
Concerto No. 3 for Violin, Clarinet, and Orchestra Undated |
4142 | 12 | ||
|
Elegy for String Orchestra Undated |
4143 | 8 | ||
|
Entreat Me Not to Leave Thee Undated |
4141 | 16 | ||
|
Fanfare for Brass Undated |
4141 | 17 | ||
|
Fanfare for Brass and Percussion (No. 2) Undated |
4143 | 9 | ||
|
Four Vignettes for clarinet and piano 2006 |
4142 | 13 | ||
|
From the Songs of Solomon oversized score Undated |
4143 | 10 | ||
|
Gods for Bass, Voice, and Piano Undated |
4141 | 18 | ||
|
Gods oversized score Undated |
4143 | 11 | ||
|
I am the Alpha and Omega Undated |
4143 | 12 | ||
|
Jubilus for organ and piano Undated |
4141 | 33 | ||
|
"La Folia" Variations for Band 1967 |
4144 | 1 | ||
|
Let it be Forgotten Undated |
4141 | 34 | ||
|
Lullaby 1960 |
4141 | 35 | ||
|
Margo Evans Tapestries Undated |
4141 | 36 | ||
|
Mass for 3 part Male Chorus Undated |
4141 | 37 | ||
|
Medieval Suite clarinet and violin parts Undated |
4141 | 38 | ||
|
Medieval Suite piano parts Undated |
4141 | 39 | ||
|
Midwestern Sketches for Orchestra Undated |
4144 | 2 | ||
|
MSU Fight Song for string quartet Undated |
4141 | 40 | ||
|
MSU Fight Song for violin, clarinet, and piano Undated |
4141 | 41 | ||
|
Never a Child as He Undated |
4141 | 42 | ||
|
None other Lamb, None other Name 2004 |
4141 | 43 | ||
|
Odilon Redon Suite for viola and cello Undated |
4144 | 3 | ||
|
Opening Fanfare parts Undated |
4141 | 44 | ||
|
Opening Fanfare score Undated |
4144 | 4 | ||
|
Paganiana Undated |
4141 | 45 | ||
|
Pastel for harp and strings 1999 |
4142 | 14 | ||
|
Pentangle for flute, English horn, and guitar 2010 |
4142 | 15 | ||
|
Pentangle for flute, English horn, and guitar oversized Undated |
4144 | 5 | ||
|
Pentangle for flute, English horn, and guitar [with corrected French horn part] 2010 |
5469 | 8 | ||
|
Petite Concertant 2004 |
4144 | 6 | ||
|
Poco a poco, fuoco for double bass and piano 2010 |
4142 | 16 | ||
|
Quartet for Trombones Undated |
4141 | 46 | ||
|
Quintet Undated |
4141 | 73 | ||
|
Quintet for oboe, horn, violin, viola, and cello Undated |
4144 | 7 | ||
|
Quintet for oboe, French horn, violin, viola, and violoncello 2011 |
5469 | 9 | ||
|
Quintet for String Quartet and 5 and 7 Tempered Piano Undated |
4141 | 47 | ||
|
Rondino for band 2009 |
4142 | 18 | ||
|
Ruth and Naomi the opera, condensed rehearsal score 2008 |
4141 | 48 | ||
|
Ruth and Naomi corrected full score 2008 |
4144 | 9 | ||
|
Ruth the opera oversized condensed rehearsal scored Undated |
4145 | 1 | ||
|
Ruth the opera, condensed rehearsal score Undated |
4141 | 49 | ||
|
Ruth the opera programs 2001 |
4141 | 50 | ||
|
Sextet for Flute, Clarinet, Oboe, Horn, Bassoon, and Piano Undated |
4145 | 2 | ||
|
Six Short Motets Undated |
4141 | 52 | ||
|
Sing Aloud unto God Undated |
4141 | 51 | ||
|
Soaring for solo clarinet 2006 |
5469 | 1 | ||
|
Soliloquy oversized copy 2008 |
5469 | 2 | ||
|
Soliloquy and Dance 1957 |
4141 | 53 | ||
|
Soliloquy for Violin and String Orchestra Undated |
4141 | 54 | ||
|
Sonata for Oboe and Piano 2010 |
5469 | 3 | ||
|
Sonata for Violin and Viola Undated |
4145 | 5 | ||
|
Sonata Passacaglia Undated |
4145 | 3 | ||
|
Sonatina for the 5 and 7 tempered piano Undated |
4145 | 4 | ||
|
Song of Moses from Deuteronomy Undated |
4141 | 55 | ||
|
Stars, Songs, Faces Undated |
4141 | 56 | ||
|
String Quartet No. 1 Undated |
4141 | 57 | ||
|
String Quartet No. 1 parts Undated |
4145 | 8 | ||
|
String Quartet No. 2 Undated |
4145 | 9 | ||
|
Symphony for Band oversized circa 1970s |
4145 | 6 | ||
|
Symphonic Overture Undated |
4145 | 7 | ||
|
Symphonic Overture for orchestra 2010 |
5469 | 4 | ||
|
That Music Always Round Me Undated |
4141 | 59 | ||
|
Three Miniatures for oboe and violoncello 2010 |
5469 | 5 | ||
|
Terzina and Trio Undated |
4141 | 58 | ||
|
That Music Always Round Me Undated |
4146 | 1 | ||
|
That Music Always Round Me parts Undated |
4146 | 2 | ||
|
This Earth for soprano Undated |
4141 | 60 | ||
|
Three American Dances Undated |
4141 | 61 | ||
|
Three American Dances 1960 |
4146 | 3 | ||
|
Three Cantos for Orchestra Undated |
4141 | 62 | ||
|
Three Miniatures for Oboe and Cello Undated |
4141 | 63 | ||
|
Three Songs from Hildegard of Bingen 2002 |
4141 | 64 | ||
|
A Time for Every Purpose Undated |
4141 | 65 | ||
|
Tocatta for Organ Undated |
4141 | 66 | ||
|
Trio Fantasy on Dvorak's Romanza Undated |
4141 | 67 | ||
|
Trio Fantasy on Dvoraks Romanza 2012 |
5469 | 10 | ||
|
Triptych for Brass 1959 |
5469 | 6 | ||
|
Two Introits 2004 |
4141 | 74 | ||
|
Vanity of Vanities score and parts (2 copies) 1952 |
4146 | 4-5 | ||
|
W.E. for Violin and Bb Clarinet Undated |
4141 | 68 | ||
|
Whither Thou Goes, I Will Go 2005 |
4141 | 75 | ||
|
|
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Audio Visual materials |
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| Box | Folder | |||
|
DVD of Ruth the opera and CD titled The Making of a Medium 1998-2001 |
4141 | 14 | ||
|
DVD, "The Verdehr Trio, Composers Series" 2008 |
4141 | 15 | ||
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