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Papers of Marjory Kennedy-Fraser

 Fonds
Identifier: Coll-1036

Scope and Contents

The content of the Papers at shelfmark Gen. 273-286 include a manuscript volume of Gaelic songs, manuscripts and proofs of The songs of the Hebrides, papers relating to The Seal Woman, proofs of Life of Song, and newspaper cuttings. Correspondence at shelfmark Gen. 519-520 includes letters from various members of the Kennedy family in Italy to the family at home, 1879-1880, letters to Marjory Kennedy-Fraser, and lectures and miscellaneous papers.

The collection also includes 296 wax cylinder recordings. Many of these cylinders contain more than one item, up to five at most: each a sample verse or two allowing Kennedy-Fraser to notate the music. It is estimated that there are 544 separate items recorded..

Dates

  • Creation: 1879-1930

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Due to format, there is no current listening access to the recordings.

Biographical / Historical

Marjory Kennedy-Fraser, singer, pianist, folk-song collector and arranger, was born in 1857. She was the daughter of singer David Kennedy (1825-1886). Her series of works The songs of the Hebrides, published variously between 1909 and 1922 remain a useful resource for both Gaelic and English speakers. She collected songs chiefly in the Western Isles. Aware that the material collected would, in the concert performance, lose something of the original essence, she provided the songs with sensitive accompaniment. For service rendered to the cause of music in Scotland, an honorary degree of Doctor of Music was conferred on her in 1928. Marjory Kennedy-Fraser had also been awarded the C.B.E. She died on 22 November 1930.

Extent

14 boxes, 1 manuscript book, 2 envelopes (1 linear metre)

22 boxes (Compartmentalised boxes holding 296 wax cylinders)

Physical Location

Gen.273-287; Gen.519-520

Outsize items (Gen.287) on 505.24.6.6

Processing Information

Original box list compiled by Dr. Per Ahlander; keyed into ArchivesSpace by Stephen Willis in June 2020; authority terms added by Stephen Willis and Aline Brodin.

Title
Papers and Correspondence of Marjory Kennedy-Fraser (1857-1930)
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script

Repository Details

Part of the University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections Repository

Contact:
Centre for Research Collections
University of Edinburgh Main Library
George Square
Edinburgh EH8 9LJ Scotland
+44(0)131 650 8379