AC 27 R.P.I. Glee Club Records T.A. Gobert Institute Archives and Special Collections, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY June 22, 2010 T.A.GobertJune 24, 2010 English June 25, 2010 Modified Overview of the Collection Institute Archives and Special Collections, Folsom Library, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180 R.P.I. Glee Club R.P.I. Glee Club Records 1874-1983 2.3 linear ft. Glee Club records include correspondence, programs, reports, photographs, sheet music, audio recordings, and related materials documenting the organization’s long history at Rensselaer. AC 27 Collection materials are in English. Organizational History

Rensselaer’s Glee Club was one of the longest-lived student organizations on campus. Preceded by class glee clubs, an Institute-wide organization was established in 1874. The all-male singing group continued until it disbanded around 1983. The club enjoyed particular success during the mid-20th century, especially under the direction of Professor Joel Dolven. From the late 1940s until his retirement in 1970, the group performed widely, both on campus and off, often with the RPI orchestra and/or musicians from other colleges. The Glee Club also performed on radio broadcasts and in competitions, taking first place at both a Welsh eisteddfod (Utica, 1949) and the Harvest Song Festival (Carnegie Hall, 1950). The club’s annual Campus Carols performances were popular among both students and local townspeople, drawing large crowds to the festively decorated Houston Field House. The group also produced several LP albums, which were digitized by alumnus Charles Kelly in 2005.

 Scope and Contents

Glee Club records include correspondence, programs, reports, photographs, sheet music, audio recordings, and related materials documenting the organization’s long history at Rensselaer. The recordings capture Glee Club performances, often with music organizations from Rensselaer and/or other colleges. These are stored in a variety of formats, such as LP phonograph albums (1949-1968), audio tapes (1954-1992, mostly cassettes), and compact disks (digital re-recordings of LP albums, 1998-2005). Includes multiple versions titled Songs of Rensslear. Click here for a link to the digitized songs.

 Arrangement

The Glee Club records are organized into three series: general records, photographs and oversized materials, and sound recordings.

 Related Material

See also:

R.P.I. Music Organizations, Recordings, #2010-10. Charles Kelly, Four Horsemen Album, #2005-31. Institute Publications Collection, Song Books.

 Subject and Genre Headings Dolven, Joel. Songs of Rensselaer. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute -- Glee Club. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute -- Songs and music. Access Restrictions

Access to this collection is unrestricted.

 Preferred Citation

R.P.I. Glee Club Records, #AC 27. Institute Archives and Special Collections, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY.

 Inventory General records Correspondence 1938-1949 1 1 Correspondence 1950-1959 1 2 Correspondence 1970-1983 1 3 Membership lists 1946-1983 1 4 Programs 1946-1983 1 5 Programs 1912-1923 1 6 Programs 1938-1949 1 7 Programs 1950-1955 1 8 Programs 1956-1959 1 9 Programs 1961-1966 1 10 Programs 1967-1980 1 11 Programs 1981-1983 1 12 Broadsides 1886-1980 1 13 Reports 1938-1978 1 14 Seals n.d. 1 15 Newspaper clippings 1946-1954 1 16 Newspaper clippings 1955-1980, n.d. 1 17 Miscellany 1886-1983 1 18 Photographs and oversized materials Oversized photographs and broadsides 1950-1964, n.d. 2 1 Photographs 1955-1957 2 2 Photographs 1958 2 3 Photographs 1959-1970 2 4 Photographs - tour 1982-1983 2 5 Photographs - Campus Carols n.d. 2 6 Photographs - miscellaneous n.d. 2 7 Photographs - unidentified n.d. 2 8 Photograph album n.d. 2 9 Sound recordings Phonograph albums ca. 1948-1968 RPI Glee Club n.d. 3 Songs of Rensselaer 4 album set ca. 1948 3 125th Anniversary of Rensselaer - RPI Glee Club and Orchestra 3 album set 1949 3 Requiem _ RPI Glee Club and Orchestra, Emma Willard Choire, Russell Sage Glee Club 1950 3 Songs of Rensselaer ca. 1952 3 Rensselaer Sings with the New Paltz Glee Club 1956 3 Magnificat in D Major - Mount Holyoke Choir and RPI Glee Club 1958 3 Paul Paray Mass - State University at Oneonta and RPI Glee Clubs 1960 3 Gloria in G Major and A German Requiem - Simmons College and RPI Glee Clubs and Orchestras 1963 3 Belshazzar's Feast and Concerto in F - RPI Glee Club and Orchestra, Elmira College Chorus 1965 3 King David - RPI Glee Club and University of Rochester Women's Glee Club 1966 3 Carmina Burana - RPI Glee Club and Orchestra, Elmira College Chorus 1968 3 Audio tapes 1957-1981 and n.d. Songs of Rensselaer n.d. 4 Rensselaermen 1957 4 King David 1966 4 RPI Glee Club 1979 4 RPI Glee Club and Union College Women's Glee Club 1980 4 Union Women's Glee Club Combined choruses RPI Glee Club 1981 4 RPI Glee Club and Blue Jackets Choir RPI Glee Club and Brass Quintet Compact disks ca. 1948-1966 and n.d. Songs of Rensselaer ca. 1948 4 125th Anniversary of Rensselaer 1949 4 Requiem 1950 4 Songs of Rensselaer ca. 1952 4 Rensselaer Sings with the New Paltz Glee Club 1956 4 Magnificat in D Major 1958 4 Paul Paray Mass 1960 4 Gloria in G Major and A German Requiem - Simmons College and RPI Glee Clubs and Orchestras 2 CD set 1963 4 Belshazzar's Feast and Concerto in F 2 CD set 1965 4 King David 1966 4 20th Century Folk Mass - RPI Glee Club with Russell Sage College 1968 4