Jacob Frederic Goossen papers

Collection

Identifier: MSS-0579

Scope and Contents

The collection contains the writings, teaching materials, musical compositions, and correspondence of Jacob Frederic Goossen, long time professor of music at the University of Alabama.

NOTE: Jacob Frederic Goossen's correspondence is closed until 5 years after Dr. Goossen's or his wife's death, or until January 1, 2015, whichever comes last.

Dates

1940-1995

Creator

Goossen, Frederic (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Jacob Frederic Goossen's correspondence is closed until 5 years after Dr. Goossen's or his wife's death, or until January 1, 2015, whichever comes last.

Conditions Governing Use

Jacob Frederic Goossen's correspondence is closed until 5 years after Dr. Goossen's or his wife's death, or until January 1, 2015, whichever comes last.

Biographical / Historical

Jacob Frederic Goossen was born on 30 July 1927, in St. Cloud, Minnesota, the only child of Jacob Frederic and Marcia Elizabeth Eldred Goossen. He attended public schools in St. Cloud and began the private study of piano at age 10; he composed his first musical work at age 12. He was educated at the University of Minnesota, completing a PhD in 1954 under Donald Ferguson (composition), James Aliferis (composition and theory), and William Lindsay (piano). He also studied privately with Arthur Shepard (composition) and Melville Smith (counterpoint) at the Longy School of Music, Cambridge, Massachusetts. He composed over 100 works in a variety of genres, many of which have been recorded by CRI, New World, and Opus One.

After teaching at University of Minnesota and Berea College (KY), where he met and married Shirley Reed, Goossen joined the faculty of the University of Alabama where he remained as Professor of Composition and Director of Graduate Studies until retiring as Professor Emeritus. For many years during his tenure at Alabama, Goossen wrote a weekly column on various aspects of the arts for the Tuscaloosa News and also served as the newspaper’s chief arts critic, writing reviews of concerts, recitals, plays, and art shows. Goossen served as Director of Graduate Studies in Music at the University of Alabama for more than 25 years on the faculty of music at Alabama until his retirement in 1996.

Goossen died on 10 June 2011.

Extent

8 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Overview

Correspondence, writings, teaching materials, and musical compositions of this former faculty member of the University of Alabama.

Provenance

Gift of J. Frederic Goossen, 1994, additions 1995, 1996, 2008

General

Upon his retirement from the University’s music faculty, Goossen undertook to promote and publicize the works of his teacher Arthur Shepherd. An important part of this effort was to deposit copies of all of Shepherd’s orchestral works, together with complete sets of instrumental parts, in the Edwin A. Fleisher Collection of Orchestral Music in the Free Library of Philadelphia. This Collection makes available to conductors and other musicians the orchestral and band works of American composers for study and performance. The Collection also contains all of Goossen’s works for orchestra and band.

Goossen's catalog of original musical compositions, the manuscripts of which are housed in the Hoole Collection, numbers well over 100 works in every genre except opera. His music was published by Peer-International Corp., New York, and by the American Composers Alliance, New York, of which Goossen is a member. It was recorded on numerous labels including CRI, Owl, New World, Opus One, and the First Edition series of the Louisville Orchestra. In 1991 Goossen received an award for lifetime achievement in music from the American Academy and Institute (later the American Academy) of Arts and Letters in New York upon the recommendation of the composers Ross Lee Finney, Robert Ward, and Andrew Imbrie.

Copies of any of Goossen’s original compositions may be obtained from the American Composers Alliance, New York. Scores and parts for compositions for orchestra and band may be rented from the Edwin A. Fleisher Collection housed at the Free Library of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.