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Dana Richardson collection of Constant Vauclain material

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Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]3420 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6206

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

Andre Constant Vauclain (1908-2003) was a composer and professor of music who developed a new system of composition that he called, "syntonality." Professionally, he was known as "Constant Vauclain" and by friends as "Connie."

According to Dana Richardson, "Syntonality is a system of composition designed to provide composers with the ability to control the tension/relaxation gradient at will, produce a coherent flow of harmony, and create a satisfying climax/denouement structure, in short, do everything that was possible to tonal composers, while employing all the chromatic resources of post-tonal composition." (1)

Vauclain was born on August 5, 1908 in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania to parents Andrew Constant Vauclain and Margaret Steen. He attended the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, graduating in 1930. From 1930 to 1935, Vauclain worked at the Philadelphia National Bank and studied music with Harl McDonald. Following this, Vauclain went to Italy to study with Rosario Scalero, but after only a few months in Italy, Scalero moved to Philadelphia to take up a teaching position at the Curtis Institute. Vauclain returned to Philadelphia upon obtaining a scholarship at Curtis, where he earned a Mus. B. in 1939 and a Mus. M. in 1940. Vauclain began work on a Ph.D. in music at the University of Pennsylvania, but his progress was delayed by the Second World War.

Constant Vauclain began teaching privately in 1938 and teaching music theory at the Curtis Institute in 1939. In 1941, he helped develop the music theory program at the New School of Music in Philadelphia (Now the Esther Boyer College of Music at Temple University) and taught there for two years. In 1945, he was asked to assist Randall Thompson at Princeton University, which he did for two years. In 1947, Constant Vauclain completed work on his Ph.D. and accepted an appointment as Assistant Professor of Music at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1953 he was promoted to Associate Professor and in 1961 he was appointed a Director of the Theodore Presser Company, a classical music publisher. Vauclain retired from Penn in 1979 and was awarded the position of Emeritus Professor of Music.

Constant Vauclain was married twice. In 1936 he married Lela Marie Maki (1913-1970), who also was a musician and composer. Her work was published under the pseudonym "Leo Marjamaki," due to her work being turned down for performance due to her being a woman. In 1983, Constant Vauclain married Sabine deCarbonnel deCanisy (1931-). Constant Vauclain had three daughters: Lisa, Elizabeth, and Margaret. Constant Vauclain died November 5, 2003.

Dana Dimitri Richardson (1953-), is a composer and music theorist who studied under Constant Vauclain from 1971 to 1976.

Matthew J. Colucci (1928-2017) was a composer and professor of music who taught at Temple University and the Curtis Institute of Music.

Sources cited:

(1) Richardson, Dana Dimitri. "Syntonality: A New System of Harmony." 2001, www.dana-richardson.org/syntonality8.pdf. Accessed March 1, 2024

The Dana Richardson collection of Constant Vauclain material is comprised of sheet music, audio cassettes, essays, notes and analysis of music, correspondence, newspaper clippings, event programs, photographs, poetry and lyrics.

This collection is organized into four series, one for each of the composers whose work appears in this collection.

All material is arranged alphabetically, unless otherwise noted.

I. Constant Vauclain papers

The majority of this collection is made up of materials related to the professional and artistic work of Constant Vauclain. This series is organized into eight subseries.

A. Music

The music subseries is further organized into 1) Musical compositions and 2) Recordings.

Musical compositions contains sheet music for original compositions by Constant Vauclain, most of which are original handwritten manuscripts.

Recordings contains audiocassettes with labels indicating that they are performances of Vauclain's music. It's unclear if Vauclain conducted or performed himself.

B. Writings

This subseries contains essays on music theory and a poem.

C. Teaching

This subseries contains sheet music, exercises, and syllabi for classes taught by Vauclain.

D. Research and notes

This subseries contains notes and research on music, particularly from his time as a student, but also his development of his theory of "Bisclarity."

E. Correspondence

This subseries contains a variety of letters received by Constant Vauclain, the majority of which were for the occasion of his retirement and appointment as an Emeritus Professor by the University of Pennsylvania in 1979. Additional correspondence is between Vauclain and Dana Richardson, which is largely concerned with discussions of music theory and each others work. Also present are some personal letters between Vauclain and his second wife, Sabine deCarbonnel deCanisy, as well as a variety of other letters received by Vauclain, including some from Eugene Ormandy and Leopold Stokowski, which are mainly of a professional nature.

F. Programs, press releases, and news clippings

The material in this subseries is related to performances of Vauclain's music.

G. Personal and family materials

This subseries contains a variety of material from Constant Vauclain's childhood, education, and personal life. It includes children's books, family and personal photographs, mementos, certificates, and biographical information. It does not include any material from his first marriage to Lela Marie Maki.

H. Reference materials

This collection of writing by others covers topics from music theory to the psychology of sound.

II. Dana Richardson papers

The Dana Richardson papers is the second largest series in this collection and is organized into three subseries.

A. Musical compositions

This series contains sheet music for original compositions by Dana Richardson. A handful are dedicated to Constant Vauclain.

B. Writings

This subseries contains a range of writing by Dana Richardson, particularly on music theory and analysis, as well as some poetry.

C. Recordings

Recordings contains audiocassettes and CD-ROM's with labels indicating that they are performances of Richardson's music. It is unclear if Richardson performed on these recordings.

III. Leo Marjamaki (Lela Maki, Lela Vauclain) materials

Lela Maki, who was Constant Vauclain's first wife, published her work under the pseudonym Leo Marjamaki. This series contains handwritten sheet music of original compositions.

IV. Matthew Colucci materials

This series contains sheet music of original compositions by Matthew Colucci.

I. Constant Vauclain papers

a. Music

1. Musical compositions

2. Recordings

b. Writings

c. Teaching

d. Research and notes

e. Correspondence

f. Programs, press releases, and news clippings

g. Personal and family materials

h. Reference materials

II. Dana Richardson papers

a. Musical compositions

b. Writings

c. Recordings

III. Leo Marjamaki (Lela Maki, Lela Vauclain) materials

IV. Matthew Colucci materials

Gift of Dana Richardson, October 2019

Publisher
University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts
Finding Aid Author
Kenneth Cleary
Finding Aid Date
2024 March 1
Access Restrictions

The bulk of this collection is open for research use, but some exceptions are noted below.

Use of the original audio media in box 4, folder 15, and boxes 5 and 6 is restricted. If the original does not already have a copy, it may be sent to an outside vendor for copying. Patrons are financially responsible for the cost. The turnaround time from the time of request to delivery of digital items will depend on the nature of the material and is subject to review for condition. Please contact the Kislak Center (kislak@upenn.edu) for cost estimates and ordering. Researchers should be aware of specifics of copyright law and act accordingly.

Use Restrictions

Copyright restrictions may exist. For most library holdings, the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania do not hold copyright. It is the responsibility of the requester to seek permission from the holder of the copyright to reproduce material from the Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts.

Collection Inventory

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6th Symphony, undated.
Box 1 Folder 1
Accompaniment to a Vision, undated.
Box 1 Folder 2
Chronologue, undated.
Box 1 Folder 3
Composition fragments, undated.
Box 7 Folder 1
Composition fragments, undated.
Box 1 Folder 4
Concertino, undated.
Box 7 Folder 2
For Sabine, undated.
Box 1 Folder 5
The Miller's Daughter for voice and piano, 1955.
Box 1 Folder 6
Motet on verses from Psalm 22, undated.
Box 1 Folder 7
Orchestral piece, untitled, circa 1944.
Box 1 Folder 8
Orchestral piece, untitled, undated.
Box 1 Folder 9
Phoenix, undated.
Box 1 Folder 10
Piano quintet, undated.
Box 1 Folder 11
Pressed Flowers, undated.
Box 1 Folder 12
Proud Maisie for voice and piano, 1954.
Box 1 Folder 13
Quintet for piano and strings, undated.
Box 1 Folder 14
Richard Le Gallienne (song), undated.
Box 1 Folder 15
Sonata for piano, undated.
Box 1 Folder 16
Sonata for piano, four hands, undated.
Box 1 Folder 17
Sonata for violin and piano, undated.
Box 1 Folder 18
Sonata for violin and pianoforte, undated.
Box 1 Folder 19
Sound Web, undated.
Box 1 Folder 20
Sound Web, undated.
Box 7 Folder 3
String quartet, undated.
Box 1 Folder 21
String quartet and piano, undated.
Box 7 Folder 4
Suite on Bach, undated.
Box 1 Folder 22
Suite on Bach, undated.
Box 7 Folder 5
Symphony #5 (Dedicated to Elizabeth Donner Norment), undated.
Box 7 Folder 6
Third movement of a piece for violin and piano, untitled, undated.
Box 1 Folder 23
Trio #1, undated.
Box 1 Folder 24
Trio #2, undated.
Box 1 Folder 25
Trio #3, undated.
Box 1 Folder 26
Variations on a Theme by Hayden, undated.
Box 1 Folder 27
Violin concerto, 1951.
Box 1 Folder 28
Bartok: Fugue - audio cassette, undated.
Box 5
Bartok: music for strings, etc., fugue separated - audio cassette, undated.
Box 5
Bellak: Lincoln Center - audio cassette, 1983 May 8.
Box 5
Cocco: Works - audio cassette, undated.
Box 5
Constant Vauclain: Curtis - audio cassette, 1996 October 5.
Box 5
For Sabine, piano suite - audio cassette, 1985 March 17.
Box 5
Margot Martens Recital - audio cassette, 1992 February.
Box 5
Music of Constant Vauclain - audio cassette, undated.
Box 5
Phoenix - audio cassette, undated.
Box 5
Piano Trio #2 - audio cassette, undated.
Box 5
Piano Trio #2 and Virtuosi della Rosa - audio cassette, 1981, 1987.
Box 5
Pronunciation - audio cassette, undated.
Box 5
Richard Bellak - audio cassette, undated.
Box 5
Richard Bellak, Fugal Dreams, Preludes & Fugues for Piano - audio cassette, 1977.
Box 5
Richard's introduction: Curtis concert - audio cassette, 1996 October 5.
Box 5
Selected works of Ann Callaway - audio cassette, undated.
Box 5
Sonata for Violin & Piano - audio cassette, 1990.
Box 5
Suite on Bach - audio cassette, undated.
Box 5
Suite on Bach - audio cassette, 1975.
Box 5
Suite on Bach - audio cassette, undated.
Box 5
The Holy Presence of Joan D' Arc - audio cassette, undated.
Box 5
untitled cassette, undated.
Box 5
Violin Octet - audio cassette, undated.
Box 5
You Mean More to me Now - audio cassette, undated.
Box 5
"An Experiment in Musical Texture," The Musical Quarterly, April 1965, 1965 April.
Box 1 Folder 29
Bartok: Beyond Bi-modality, The Music Review, March-April, 1983, 1983.
Box 1 Folder 30
Some Sonorous Arithmetic, The Music Review, August-November, 1978, 1978.
Box 1 Folder 31
Voyager (poem), 1930 June 10.
Box 1 Folder 32
Harmony, undated.
Box 1 Folder 33
Music 25 course, undated.
Box 1 Folder 34
Sheet music, undated.
Box 1 Folder 35
Sheet music, undated.
Box 2 Folder 1
Sheet music, undated.
Box 2 Folder 2
Sheet music, undated.
Box 2 Folder 3
Teaching materials, syllabi and notes., undated.
Box 2 Folder 4
Bisclariy, 1960 December 3.
Box 2 Folder 5
Counterpoint exercises, undated.
Box 2 Folder 6
The Golden-Mean Form in Music, undated.
Box 2 Folder 7
Learning studies: fugues, counterpoint, and canon, circa 1936-1937.
Box 2 Folder 8-9
Learning studies: fugues, counterpoint, and canon, circa 1936-1937.
Box 7 Folder 7
Notes and analysis of 20th century composers, including studies on Bartok, undated.
Box 2 Folder 10-13
Letter to Miss Margaret Steen from Andrew C. Vauclain (Constant's father), 1905 May 18.
Box 2 Folder 14
Letters to Constant Vauclain, 1939-1979.
Box 2 Folder 15
Letters to/from Dana Richardson, undated.
Box 2 Folder 16
Letters to/from Sabine Vauclain, 1993-1995.
Box 2 Folder 17
Retirement letters "from students, colleagues, and friends", 1979.
Box 2 Folder 18
News clippings, 1947-1959.
Box 2 Folder 19
News clippings, 1947-1998.
Box 2 Folder 20
Programs and press releases, 1945-1979.
Box 2 Folder 21
Programs and press releases, 1946-1990.
Box 2 Folder 22
Composer questionnaire, undated.
Box 2 Folder 23
Constant Vauclain, interview, undated.
Box 2 Folder 24
Constant Vauclain, letter summarizing his career and education, 1957 November 25.
Box 2 Folder 25
Constant Vauclain, music catalog, circa 1950.
Box 2 Folder 26
Constant Vauclain, performances list, circa 1969.
Box 2 Folder 27
Constant Vauclain, "research data" - summary of research interests written by Vauclain, undated.
Box 2 Folder 28
Das Harmonische Familienleben, by Robert Hogfeldt, 1945.
Box 3 Folder 1
Das Hogfeldt Buch, by Paul Neff Verlag, 1937.
Box 3 Folder 2
Doctorate of Music diploma from The Curtis Institute of Music, 1957 May 11.
Box 7 Folder 8
Drafting tool, undated.
Box 3 Folder 3
Emeritus faculty certificate and list, 1979-1980.
Box 3 Folder 4
Ephemera, undated.
Box 3 Folder 5
Italian residence document, 1939 June 19.
Box 3 Folder 6
Marriage certificate of Andre Constant Vauclain and Sabine deCarbonnel deCanisy, 1983 January 8.
Box 3 Folder 7
Photographs, circa 1870-1980.
Box 3 Folder 8
Real estate records, 1908, 1943.
Box 3 Folder 9
Small notebook with personal and musical notes, circa 1990.
Box 2 Folder 10
The Curtis Institute of Music, catalogs, 1939-1941, 1962-1963.
Box 3 Folder 11
The Curtis Institute of Music, job offer letters to Vauclain, 1960-1962.
Box 3 Folder 12
The Curtis Institute of Music, transcripts of Vauclain as student, 1940-1942.
Box 3 Folder 13
The Mount Holyoke, 1898 February.
Box 3 Folder 14
Introducing Vauclain's Piano Trio, by unknown, undated.
Box 3 Folder 15
Music theory, 1923 and undated.
Box 3 Folder 16
Postlude, by Paul Hume, 1960 May 5.
Box 3 Folder 17
Psychology and physiology of sound, 1937, circa 1970-1980.
Box 3 Folder 18
Report of the Department of Music, University of Pennsylvania, 1958 April.
Box 3 Folder 19
Second Letter to a Musical Friend by Christopher Longuet-Higgins, 1962.
Box 3 Folder 20
Sensory Substitution and Qualia by Paul Bach-y-Rita, 1996.
Box 3 Folder 21
Sociological Aspects of Music Programs, unknown author, undated.
Box 3 Folder 22
Speech transcript: Reddy, Erman, Fennell, and Neely, "The Hearsay Speech Understanding System," Carnegie Mellon University, undated., undated.
Box 3 Folder 23
Webern Mysteries, by Robert Craft, The New York Review, 1977 May 26.
Box 3 Folder 24
Welsh Music, Vol. IV No. 2, 1972.
Box 3 Folder 25

Adonais for High Voice and Piano, 1991.
Box 3 Folder 26
Bacchanalia for piano, 1983.
Box 3 Folder 27
Be Bop Suite for alto sax, trumpet, piano, and bass ***, undated.
Box 3 Folder 28
Bisclariy, 1999.
Box 3 Folder 29
Diptych for piano solo, 1999.
Box 3 Folder 30
Discovery Vol. II, 1993.
Box 8 Folder 1
Discovery, for large orchestra, 1994.
Box 3 Folder 31
Fantacycle for solo piano, 1980.
Box 3 Folder 32
Fantasy and Fugue, 1980.
Box 8 Folder 2
Fugue and postlude #2 for organ, 1981.
Box 3 Folder 33
Fugue in F for piano, 1995.
Box 3 Folder 34
Heartbreaker, 2001.
Box 3 Folder 35
I Look into my Glass, co-wrote with Thomas Hardy, 1992.
Box 3 Folder 36
Kyrie for 8-part Choir a Cappella, 2000.
Box 3 Folder 37
Landscapes of Desire I, 4 songs for mezzo-soprano, clarinet, and piano, 1987.
Box 3 Folder 38
Landscapes of Desire II, for baritone (or mezzo) and piano, 1988.
Box 3 Folder 39
A Liquor Never Brewed, twelve songs for mezzo-soprano and piano, 1988.
Box 3 Folder 40
Nocturne for woodwind quintet and violin, 1983.
Box 3 Folder 41
Piano sonata, 1992.
Box 3 Folder 42
Seikilos, 1999.
Box 8 Folder 3
Sextet for flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, bassoon, and piano, undated.
Box 3 Folder 43
Sonata for French horn and piano, 2001.
Box 3 Folder 44
String quartet #1, 1981.
Box 3 Folder 45
String quartet #2, undated.
Box 3 Folder 46
String quartet #3, undated.
Box 3 Folder 47
String quartet #4, undated.
Box 3 Folder 48
String trio, undated.
Box 3 Folder 49
Symphony #1, undated.
Box 8 Folder 4
The Fish, undated.
Box 8 Folder 5
The Smile of Eternity, 1986.
Box 3 Folder 50
Valediction for String Orchestra, 1995.
Box 3 Folder 51
Variations for organ for David Hatt, 1991.
Box 3 Folder 52
Violin sonata, 1978.
Box 3 Folder 53
Violin sonata #2, 1981.
Box 3 Folder 54
Violin sonata #3, 1987.
Box 3 Folder 55
Aphrodite and other poems, 2001.
Box 4 Folder 1
Beethoven: Structure and Process, undated.
Box 4 Folder 2
Biscalarity essay, undated.
Box 4 Folder 3
Boulez the Revolutionary, undated.
Box 4 Folder 4
Correspondence between Richardson and Vauclain on music theory and compositions, 1986-2009.
Box 4 Folder 5
Form and Expression in the Debussy Preludes, Book 1, 1995.
Box 4 Folder 6
Modernism in Music: Bela Bartok, broadcast on WBAI, 1990 August 6.
Box 4 Folder 7
Music analysis, undated.
Box 4 Folder 8
Music and Modernism: Arnold Schoenberg, broadcast on WBAI, 1990 April 2.
Box 4 Folder 9
Notes to Fantacycle, undated.
Box 4 Folder 10
Poems, 1989-1996.
Box 4 Folder 11
Resume, circa 2001.
Box 4 Folder 12
The Structural Function of Dance Tenors in the 13th Century Motet, undated.
Box 3 Folder 13
Voyage to Kythera, 1995.
Box 4 Folder 14
Adonais [audio cassette], undated.
Box 6
Chamber Music 1 [CD-ROMs], circa 2008.
Box 4 Folder 15
Chamber Music 2 [CD-ROMs], circa 2008.
Box 4 Folder 15
Diptych [audio cassette], undated.
Box 6
Fantacycle for Piano [audio cassette], undated.
Box 6
Fantasy on Dies Irae [audio cassette], undated.
Box 6
House Concert [CD-ROMs], 2004 December 4.
Box 4 Folder 15
Live Recordings, Part 2 [CD-ROMs], circa 2007.
Box 4 Folder 15
Live Recordings (2 copies) [CD-ROMs], circa 2000.
Box 4 Folder 15
Record [audio cassette], undated.
Box 6
Sonata for Harp and Violin [audio cassette], undated.
Box 6
String Quartet #5 [audio cassette], undated.
Box 6
Three Nocturnes for Solo Flute [CD-ROMs, cracked], undated.
Box 4 Folder 15
WBAI Broadcast, Modernism in Music: Bartok [audio cassette], undated.
Box 6
WBAI Broadcast, Modernism in Music: Berg and Strauss [audio cassette], undated.
Box 6
WBAI Broadcast, Modernism in Music: Ravel [audio cassette], undated.
Box 6
WBAI Broadcast, Modernism in Music: Shoenberg [audio cassette], undated.
Box 6
WBAI Broadcast, Modernism in Music: Stravinsky [audio cassette], undated.
Box 6

Aallotar, symphony in one movement, undated.
Box 8 Folder 6
Eve's Dream for contralto solo and orchestra, 1955.
Box 8 Folder 7
Ilmarille for string orchestra, undated.
Box 8 Folder 8
Two letters and a concert program, 1957, 1978, and undated.
Box 4 Folder 16
Untitled string quartets, circa 1938.
Box 8 Folder 9
Violincello concerto, The Reactionary, undated.
Box 8 Folder 10

Two Canons and a Fugue, 1960.
Box 8 Folder 11
For Sketches for Piano and Cello, 1961.
Box 8 Folder 11
Lyrics and notes by Calucci and Murphy, undated.
Box 4 Folder 17

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