Marie Nelson Bennett papers

Collection

Identifier: ACCN 1664

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Marie Nelson Bennett papers (1939-2013) contain copies and originals of Nelson's work. It also contains a biography prepared by Bennett herself, giving detail about her work in general, as well as details about specific pieces of her work. These works include Bennett's Symphony No. 1 through Symphony No. 8, Concerto No. 1 through Concerto No. 4, operas, choral works and arrangements, sonatas, piano music, organ music, guitar music, vocal solos, Christmas music, and orchestral arrangements.

Dates

1939-2013

Creator

Bennett, Marie Nelson (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.

Conditions Governing Use

The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library’s Use Agreement and Reproduction Request forms.

Biographical Sketch

Marie Nelson Bennett (B. 1926) began making up piano songs at the age of six and arranging vocal songs in junior high. At seventeen, she began attending the University of Utah, where she majored in music, minored in Theater and Art; she graduated in 1947. She began attending Yale and, with the help of Paul Hindemith, graduated with a bachelors of Music in two years. Later she received a Ph.D in composition from the University of Utah. After her husband's and daughter's deaths, in 1981, Bennett and her eldest son were left to run her husband's Salt Palace Travelodge; Bennett still found time to compose. In 1994, the Boston composer, William Thomas McKinley, "discovered" Bennett. He asked if he could record Bennett's work and began lining up premieres for her in Town Hall in New York City. She continued to compose symphonies, concertos, operas, and other works. In 1995 she was nominated for the Kennedy Center Freidheim award for orchestral composition. In 1996 she was awarded a Merit of Honor from the University of Utah Emeritus Alumni Association. In 2003 she married Wallace Grant Bennett.

Extent

125.25 Linear Feet (51 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The Marie Nelson Bennett papers (1939-2013) contain copies and originals of Bennett's work. It also contains a biography prepared by Bennett herself, giving detail about her work in general, as well as details about specific pieces of her work. Bennett received a Ph. D. in composition from the University of Utah. In 1995 she was nominated for the Kennedy Center Freidham award for orchestral composition and in 1996 she received a Merit of Honor from the University of Utah Emeritus Alumni Association.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Donated by Marie Barker Nelson Bennett (box 1) in 1997.

Donated by Marie Barker Nelson Bennett (boxes 2-48) in 2005.

Donated by Marie Barker Nelson Bennett (box 49) in 2009.

Donated by Marie Barker Nelson Bennett (box 50) in 2010.

Donated by Marie Barker Nelson Bennett (box 51) in 2016.

Related Materials

See also the Marie Nelson Bennett photograph collection (P0468) and the Marie Nelson Bennett music recordings (A0437) in the Multimedia Division of Special Collections.

Forms part of the Aileen H. Clyde 20th Century Women's Legacy Archives.

Processing Information

Processed by Jennifer Sessions in 2006.

Addendum processed by Betsey Welland in 2010.

Addendum (box 51) processed by Betsey Welland in 2018.

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