Papers of Fred Blanks, 1916-2010 [manuscript]
- Bib ID:
- 5152300
- Format:
- Manuscript
- Author:
- Blanks, Fred R., 1925-2011
- Related Online Resources:
- Finding aid available at National Library of Australia
- Access Conditions:
- Available for research. Not for loan.
- Description:
-
- [1916-2010]
- 3.75 m. (25 boxes)
- Summary:
-
MS Acc10.080 comprises extensive correspondence with musicians and general public regarding musical criticism and reviews; correspondence with Australian and international performers, music scholars and composers, including Miriam Hyde, Winsome Evans, George Dreyfus, Larry Sitsky, Stuart Challender, Ann Carr-Boyd, Warren Thomson, Peter Sculthorpe, members of the Goossens family, and other public figures such as Leo Schofield, Bob Hawke and Gough Whitlam; correspondence with various organisations regarding Blanks' lectures and writings; programmes, correspondence, lecture notes and clippings from Sydney International Piano Competition and other music competitions.
The collection also includes Blanks' extensive concert diary and index summarising concerts, repertoire, venues, critiques and other data from 1944 onwards; files of clippings of concert reviews by Blanks, mostly published in The Sydney morning herald and North Shore times; research notes, correspondence, handouts, and outlines of lectures given by Blanks to various organisations such as the Australian Festival of Chamber Music (Townsville), Workers' Educational Association (WEA) Sydney, Centre for Continuing Education on various musical topics including conductors, singers, French, German, Italian, Russian and Czech operas, American musicals, contemporary music, composers, music and politics, music and literature, and concert-going; subject and biographical clipping files; ephemera including symphony concert programs and Opera Australia playbills; opera libretti; published music scores including three choral works by Eric Gross (21 boxes).
The Acc11.068 instalment comprises notebooks and files relating to Blank's performance history, consisting of handwritten notes, posters and miscellany, and music statistics (4 boxes).
- Biography/History:
-
Scientist and music critic. Fred R. Blanks was born Fritz Mayer on 31 May 1925 in Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany. His family fled to London in 1937 from Nazi persecution, and in 1938 they sailed for Sydney on the "Jervis Bay" and took the name Blanks. He gained a science degree from the University of Sydney in 1947 and worked as an industrial chemist for ICI in Sydney, Melbourne and Great Britain until he retired in 1984.
Fred Blanks was also one of Australia's most respected music critics. In 1952 he began to write music criticism for Australian Jewish news, from 1955 for the Musical times (UK), and from 1963-1998 for The Sydney morning herald. Later in life he wrote regularly for the North Shore times. He taught music history for various adult education organisations, including the WEA and the University of Sydney Continuing Education Centre. He was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 1988 in recognition of service to music. Blanks died on 15 March, 2011.
- Notes:
-
- Manuscript reference no.: MS Acc10.080, MS Acc11.068.
- Associated materials: Papers of Fred Blanks, 1944-1988 MS 10540.
- Subject:
- Time Coverage:
- 1916-2010
- Occupation:
- Other authors/contributors:
- Gross, Eric, 1926-2011
- Terms of Use:
- Permission is required to copy Fred Blank’s copyright material for research purposes during the lifetime of Christine Blanks.
- Copyright:
-
Copyright Undetermined
If you wish to copy or order copies, contact us. For access conditions return to the record display above.
- Reason for copyright status:
- A Manuscript Collection may have a range of formats and dates.
Copyright status was determined using the following information:
- Material type:
- Literary Dramatic Musical
Copyright status may not be correct if data in the record is incomplete or inaccurate. Other access conditions may also apply. For more information please see: Copyright in library collections.
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