Music Collection of Professor Sir Herbert Stanley Oakley (1830-1903)

This material is held atEdinburgh University Library Heritage Collections

  • Reference
    • GB 237 Coll-450
  • Dates of Creation
    • 1855-1901
  • Language of Material
    • English; German
  • Physical Description
    • 4 boxes

Scope and Content

The collection contains music, orchestrations and arrangements for strings, wind, brass etc by Professor Sir Herbert Stanley Oakley. Many of the sheets are stamped Edinburgh University, Musical Society. There are also board-mounted diplomas and certificates, with list of these.

Music in Box 1:

  • Die Ehre Gottes in der Natur
  • It was a friar of orders grey
  • The Briton's fatherland
  • Volkslied by Mendelsohn
  • Freedom
  • Up in the morning early
  • Die Wacht am Rhein
  • Thuringian Volkslied
  • Alma mater
  • Scots wha hae
  • Duncan Grey
  • Ye banks and braes
  • Polka serenade
  • Canadian boat song
  • Here's a health unto Her Majesty
  • The two roses
  • Drink to me only
  • Whae'll be King but Charlie
  • Ever be happy and light

Music in Box 2:

  • The red wine flows
  • Der Vampyr by Marschner
  • O wert thou
  • Come away - Polka serenade
  • Shall I tell you
  • Kelvin Grove
  • Here's to the year that's awa
  • War song - Locheil's March
  • Maiden fair
  • Schwertlied - Sword song
  • O happy fair
  • You gentlemen of Britain
  • Home they brought the warrior dead
  • Coro - Non far motto - Lucrezio Borgia
  • Glorious Apollo
  • The winds whistle cold - Glee and chorus
  • O ruddier thou the cherry
  • Aquipense-t-il?
  • Omnia vineit amor

The board-mounted diplomas and certificates are:

  • L'Accademia de' Quiriti, Rome, 1865
  • Professorship of Music, Edinburgh, 1865
  • Doctor of Music, Canterbury, 1871
  • Doctor of Music, Oxford, 1879
  • LL.D. University of Aberdeen, 1881
  • Composer of Music to Her Majesty in Scotland, 1881
  • Member of the Philharmonic Society, London, 1884
  • LL.D. University of Toronto, 1886
  • LL.D. Trinity College, London, 1887
  • Doctor of Music, Trinity, Dublin, 1887
  • Address from the University Choral Society, Dublin, 1887
  • Doctor of Music, University of St. Andrews, 1888
  • Hon. Member, La Reale Accademia Filarmonica di Bologna, 1888
  • Diploma of Fellowship of Guild of Organists, 1889
  • Diploma of Fellowship of Church Choir Guild, 1889
  • Hon. Member, Academie Litteraire & Musicale de France, 1889
  • Diploma, Circolo Promotore Partenopeo, Giambattista Vigo, Naples, 1889
  • Diploma, Unione Operaja Umberto I delle Societa di Mutuo Soccorso, Naples, 1899
  • Diploma, Propaganda di Scienza Popolare, Naples, 1889
  • LL.D. University of Edinburgh, 1891
  • Hon. Member, Reale Academia S. Caeciliae, Rome, 1892
  • Hon. Member, La Reale Accademia Filarmonica, Rome, 1894
  • Doctor of Music, University of Adelaide, 1895
  • Doctor of Music, University of Edinburgh, 1899
  • LL.D. University of Glasgow, 1901

Administrative / Biographical History

Herbert Stanley Oakley was born in Ealing on 22 July 1830. He was educated at Rugby and studied at Christ Church, Oxford, where he graduated in 1853. He also studied at Dresden and Leipzig. Between 1858 and 1868 he was the music critic of The Guardian. Oakley was appointed Professor of Music at Edinburgh University in 1865 by which time he had established his reputation as an organist, composer, and musician. He was knighted in 1876 and was made Composer of Music to Queen Victoria in Scotland in 1881. Oakley resigned his Chair in 1891. Professor Sir Herbert Stanley Oakley died on 26 October 1903.

Access Information

Generally open for consultation to bona fide researchers, but please contact repository for details in advance. In poor condition.

Acquisition Information

Accession No: E2006.09, March 2006.

Related material at Dc.4.101-103 Oakley, Dk.2.14, p.14, Dk.7.38/5, being: Letters to Bennett, purchased January 1967, Accession no. E67.3; Letter to Leeds, purchased October 1968, Accession no. E68.29; Letter to publishers, purchased October 1968, Accession no. E68.30; Letter about articles, purchased November 1968, Accession no. E68.40.

Note

The biographical/administrative history was compiled using the following material: (1) Rice, D. Talbot (compiled). The university portraits. pp.163-165. Edinburgh: The University Court, 1957. (2) Who was who ... 1897-1916. London: A. and C. Black, 1920.

Compiled by Graeme D Eddie, Edinburgh University Library, Special Collections Division.

Other Finding Aids

List of Diplomas. Important finding aids generally are: the alphabetical Index to Manuscripts held at Edinburgh University Library, Special Collections and Archives, consisting of typed slips in sheaf binders and to which additions were made until 1987; and the Index to Accessions Since 1987.

Physical Characteristics and/or Technical Requirements

Material re-packaged from previous storage. Re-wrapped but still requires conservation work. Poor soiled condition (at 23/03/06).

Custodial History

To Edinburgh University Library, Special Collections, from the Reid Music Library, April 2001. Was EUA accession Acc 01/018.

Accruals

Check the local Indexes for details of any additions.

Related Material

The local Indexes show references to Oakley related material (check the Indexes for more details): Dc.4.101-103 Oakley, Dk.2.14, p.14, Dk.7.38/5, being circa 10 letters, including: letters to Joseph Bennett music of the Daily Telegraph about music; letter about articles in the Essex Herald and the Chelmsford Chronicle; letter to Leeds Parish Church about an anthem; a letter to Miss Muir; and, a letter to a firm of publishers with proof corrections for a pamphlet. There is also a portrait photograph at JY 1202.

Subjects

Corporate Names