Herbert L. Kirk Collection
Catalog Record: http://lccn.loc.gov/2006560201
General International Standard for Archival Description
Music Division Library of Congress Washington, D.C.
Finding aid encoded by Library of Congress Music Division, 2012
Encoded Archival Description
Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
Herbert L. Kirk Collection circa 1870-1993 (bulk 1970-1979)
Kirk, H. L.
Biographical History for: Herbert L. Kirk Collection circa 1870-1993 (bulk 1970-1979)
Biographical Note Herbert L. Kirk was a writer, editor and publishing consultant when he first met Pablo Casals in 1960. In his own words, "my first reaction was veneration." They became close friends and in 1966 Casals invited Kirk to write his authorized biography. Kirk was given extensive access to Casals and his records. The book was finished in 1973 within hours of Casals' death. In his will, Kirk left his research material and other related items to the Library of Congress. Herbert L. Kirk was born in Orlando, Florida, on July 26, 1926. He earned an A.B. degree from Wake Forest College, and attended graduate school at Columbia University and New York University. After serving in the U.S. Army, he made New York City his home and began pursuing a career in book publishing. He held various editorial and executive positions at Prentice-Hall, Ronald Press, Appleton-Century-Crofts, Macmillan, and Hill & Wang. He headed H. L. Kirk Associates, a small editorial consulting firm, and served as an advisory editor for McGraw-Hill. Although Mr. Kirk never studied the cello, he was an accomplished amateur pianist and very knowledgeable about classical music. He came to know Casals well during the time that the cellist was associated with the Marlboro Festival in Vermont, where Kirk and his wife had a summer house in nearby Jacksonville. Kirk's biography of Casals, Pablo Casals, a Biography, was his only notable published work. Kirk died in New York City, on October 31, 1994.
Scope and Content Note Herbert L. Kirk is best known in the field of musicology as the author of Pablo Casals, a Biography (Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1974), the authorized biography of Pablo Casals. The bulk of the material in the Kirk collection is related to this book and includes various drafts of the work and material gathered in researching the subject. The Correspondence series includes correspondence between Kirk and Casals, letters to and from Pablo and Marta Casals, business correspondence to and from Kirk regarding his research for the book and other projects, and a selection of acknowledgments from persons who received presentation copies of the book. It also contains photocopies of letters from Casals to Sir Donald Tovey. The Photographs series contains pictures, both candid and posed, of Pablo Casals that Kirk gathered in researching his book. It also inlcudes photographs of Casals' wife Marta, relatives, associates, houses, and awards. There are also pictures of Kirk and his family, some with Casals. Many photographs show Casals in performance, and with notable individuals. In addition, there is a complete set of illustrations that was used in the book. The Programs series contains an extensive set of programs documenting Casals' performances. The Pablo Casals Papers series contains materials directly related to Pablo Casals, including legal and business papers, transcripts of interviews that Kirk had with Casals, Casals' music lessons, chronologies of Casals' career, photocopies of some of his musical compositions, and scripts. The collection includes numerous drafts and proofs of Kirk's book--both of the main text and of the front and back matter--which can be found in the Pablo Casals Book Material series. Many of the versions contain corrections and annotations. The Research Material and Research Notes series contain respectively the files of research material that Kirk amassed and notes made in the course of researching and writing his book. These files were kept intact upon receipt and Kirk's original order of these materials has been retained. Additional research materials include newspaper and magazine clippings, whole magazines, and books about Casals and related subjects. The Realia series contains souvenir medals from Casals festivals and a pipe that Casals gave to Kirk. The Scrapbook contains clippings related to Kirk's book on Casals, and the Posters series contains two posters. The Kirk Business Papers series contains materials, including permissions, receipts, and promotional items, relating to Kirk's book and other activities.
series
Correspondence, 1891-1993
Includes correspondence between Kirk and Casals, letters to and from Pablo and Marta Casals, correspondence to and from Kirk regarding his research for the book and other projects, and a selection of acknowledgments from persons who received presentation copies of the book.
file
Correspondence between Herbert L. Kirk and Pablo and Marta Casals, 1961-1969
Correspondence between Herbert L. Kirk and Pablo and Marta Casals, 1970-1973
Correspondence from Pablo Casals to Donald Tovey, 1912-1938
Pablo Casals correspondence, 1891-1949
Pablo Casals correspondence, 1950-1970, undated
BBC Television, 1991
Brandt & Brandt, 1974-1986
Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1969-1975
Istomin, Marta and Eugene, 1971-1980
Snyder, Robert, 1968-1974
Snyder, Robert, 1976-1991
Snyder, Robert, undated
Society of Friends of Puerto Rico, 1970
"A-E" miscellaneous, 1965-1993
"F-M" miscellaneous, 1967-1992
"N-Z" miscellaneous and unidentified, 1967-1991
Acknowledgements to Kirk regarding Casals book, 1974
Miscellaneous correspondence, 1957-1975
Photographs, circa 1870-1974
Photographs of various sizes, in black and white, and color, including posed and candid shots, snapshots, and items from printed sources. Subjects include Casals, his wife and family, friends, and notable individuals. Includes slides and contact sheets.
Pablo Casals, alone, circa 1882-1970
Pablo and Marta Casals, circa 1957-1971
Casals family members (with and without Pablo Casals), circa 1870, 1933, 1953
Pablo Casals with cello, alone, 1907-1971
Pablo Casals with cello, with Marta, circa 1970
Pablo Casals with cello, with others, 1929-1970
Pablo Casals at piano, circa 1970
Pablo Casals conducting, circa 1930, 1963-1971
Pablo Casals and notables, 1897-1923, 1955-1970
Pablo Casals with others, circa 1900-1971
Marta Casals, alone, circa 1969
Photographs of artwork
Photographs of the cello
Photographs of documents
Photographs of exteriors
Photographs of interiors
Photographs of various individuals
Photographs of royalty
Miscellaneous photographs of individuals
Miscellaneous photographs
Slides of Casals, 1969-1971
Miscellaneous slides (some of Kirk), 1967-1974
Photographs and illustrations for Kirk's book on Casals
Materials relating to photographs and illustrations appearing in Kirk's book on Casals
Contact sheets
Oversize photographs
Negatives of various sizes (DO NOT SERVE)
Programs, 1891-1976
Covers a selection of performances by Casals, includes photocopies and a few originals.
Undated and miscellaneous programs
Pablo Casals Papers, 1937-1976
Miscellaneous materials related to Pablo Casals, including legal and business papers, transcripts of interviews that Kirk had with Casals, Casals' music lessons, chronologies of Casals' career, photocopies of some of his musical compositions, and scripts.
Casals business and legal papers, 1937-1949
Interviews with Pablo Casals, 1966-1972
Transcripts of five Pablo Casals lessons, 1954
Miscellaneous materials
Casals chronologies, 1967, undated
Music by Casals
Scripts for various projects about Casals, 1964-1976, undated
Miscellaneous United Nations materials, 1958-1971
Pablo Casals Book Material, 1971-1973
Typewritten manuscripts and photocopies of drafts and galley proofs for Kirk's book, Pablo Casals, a Biography. Some versions contain annotations and corrections. Includes material relating to the front matter, back matter, and the dust jacket, as well as handwritten pages and fragments.
Drafts of Kirk's book Pablo Casals, 1971-1972
Photocopy of manuscript, 1973
Annotated photocopies, circa 1973
Setting copy, circa 1973
Annotated photocopy
Photocopied fragments and miscellaneous photocopied pages
Galleys
Proofs
Sample pages and annotated proofs
Annotated, typed drafts of acknowledgements; appendix 1, discography; appendix 2, honors and awards; bibliography; captions; and corrections
Annotated, typed drafts of footnotes, index, jacket, outline, preface, and table of contents
Research Material
Research material Kirk gathered in researching the Casals book.
Clippings, correspondence, notes, maps, brochures, booklets, programs and other materials
Research Notes
Handwritten and typed notes that Kirk made in researching the Casals book; includes index cards
Clippings, 1890-1976
Newspaper and magazine clippings that Kirk gathered on Casals and related subjects (originals and photocopies), 1890-1976, undated
Magazines and Magazine Articles
Magazines and articles that Kirk gathered in the course of researching his book on Casals
Realia
Two souvenir medals from Casals Festivals and a pipe that Casals gave to Kirk
Scrapbook
Scrapbook with reviews and clippings about Kirk's book on Casals
Books
Books about Pablo Casals that Kirk collected in the course of researching his book. Five of the books listed here were presented to Kirk and inscribed by their authors. These have been retained, along with Kirk’s annotated working copy of his own book, and are shelved with the collection. The remaining volumes have been placed in the general collections or, in the case of duplicates, disposed of. A complete list of these volumes is available in the Library of Congress Music Division collection file.
Baldock, Robert. Pablo Casals. London: Victor Gollancz Ltd., 1992
Conte, Arthur. La légende de Pablo Casals. Perpignan: Éditiones Proa, 1950
Costabella, J. Navarro. Pablo Casals. S.l.: Version Castellna del Mismo Autor, n.d.
Forsee, Aylesa. Pablo Casals, cellist for freedom. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell, 1965
Kirk, H. L. Pablo Casals, a biography. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1974
Maragall, Joan. Correspondencia Maragall-Roura. Barcleona: Ediciones Polígrafa, 1969
Posters
Two posters related to Casals appearances
Kirk Business Papers, 1970-1978
Selection of materials relating to Kirk's book and other activities.
Permissions, 1970-1973
Promotional materials, 1974
Receipts and expenditures, 1970-1978
Returned items and author's questionnaire, 1972-1973
Miscellany
Material that is unrelated to Casals