Administrative/Biographical History
Robert Augustus Melcher was born in Ottumwa, Iowa on March 5, 1910 to John Rudolph Melcher and Catherine Adelaide Melcher. He attended Oberlin College, where he graduated from the Conservatory of Music in 1932 with a B.M.E. degree. He received the M.M.E. degree from Oberlin in 1940, and also received training at Teacher’s College, Columbia University (Summer, 1940), Pius X School of Liturgical Conservatorio di Santa Cecilia (1962).
Melcher began his teaching career in 1932 at the School of Fine Arts in Ottumwa, where he instructed students in piano and violin. In 1933 he moved to Ohio Northern University where he taught school music and violin. He remained at Ohio Northern until 1936, when he returned to Oberlin as a graduate assistant. In 1937 he became a Professor of Music Theory at the Conservatory, and remained at Oberlin for thirty-nine years, retiring from the faculty in 1976.
He co-authored four books: Music for Study (with Howard Murphy, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1960), and Music for Advanced Study, Music for Keyboard Harmony, and Music for Score Reading (all with Willard Warch, who was also a member of the Conservatory of Music faculty, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 1965, unknown, and 1971, respectively). Melcher was a member and past president of the Oberlin chapter of Pi Kappa Lambda, and was also a member and past president of the Ohio Theory and Composition Teachers Association. He was involved in committee work at the College, serving as chairman of the educational policy committee of the Conservatory. His main areas of professional interest were music theory and the music of the Roman Catholic Church. Melcher also directed church choirs in Cleveland from 1941 until 1964.
On July 13, 1935, Robert Melcher married Anna Schmidt (Oberlin Conservatory, ’32) of Moorestown, N.J. They had three daughters: Katherine, Charlotte and Marian. After a long illness, Robert A. Melcher died on May 11, 1983 in Oberlin, Ohio.
Author: Edward L. Lach, Jr. Subjects (links to similar collections) Forms of Material (links to similar genres) Administrative InformationThe papers of Robert A. Melcher, spanning the years 1891-1996, document Melcher's career as a student, teacher, and scholar. They also reflect in detail the nature of Melcher's research interest and his emphasis on the study of music theory. Material of a personal nature is virtually non-existent within the collection.
The Melcher papers are arranged into six record series: I. Book Manuscript, II. Course Material—Instructor, III. Course Material—Student, IV. Miscellaneous Teaching Texts, V. Miscellany, and VI. Writings of Robert Melcher. Within series, materials are arranged chronologically and therein alphabetically. The first series is a manuscript of a scholarly text that was apparently never published. The second series includes course material from Melcher's career as a teacher, and the third series consists of Melcher's course materials while a student.
The fourth and fifth series include items that Melcher used for teaching and research. The sixth series includes the writings of Robert Melcher. Melcher's writings focus on the study of music in areas such as score reading and keyboard harmony.
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS
Series I. Book Manuscript, n.d. (0.2 l.f.)
A manuscript bearing the title “Integrated Theory” exists, with chapters 1-37 intact and complete. This series gives a good representation of the type of material Melcher utilized in both teaching and research.
Series II. Course Material—Instructor, 1934-36, 1939-50, 1966-76, n.d. (0.4 l.f.)
The series is divided between material taught while Melcher was at Ohio Northern, and the material taught at Oberlin. The material consists mostly of lecture notes, with some course outlines and exams also included.
Series III. Course Material—Student, 1930-38 (0.2 l.f.)
Most of the material is from Melcher's days as a graduate student at Oberlin; a small portion is from his undergraduate work at Oberlin. Lecture notes and examinations make up the majority of this series. The series also contains a miscellaneous grouping of handouts and a copy of an early Melcher resume.
Series IV. Miscellaneous Teaching Texts, 1914-48, n.d. (0.3 l.f.)
Published texts cover topics such as applied harmony, orchestration, and singing. Texts often have Melcher's marginal notes and comments. Arrangement is alphabetical by title.
Series V. Miscellany, 1891, 1925-36, 1939-96, n.d. (0.3 l.f.)
Series consists of handwritten notes, printed material, and sheet music. Items cover such topics as musical phrasing and the Schnecker Principle for musical synthesis. Items are arranged chronologically. Included is a scrapbook containing concert programs collected by Robert Melcher, 1925-36. Also included are books collected by Melcher.
Series VI. Writings of Robert Melcher, 1960-71 (0.4 l.f.)
Melcher's writings (co-authored with Willard Warch) cover such topics as Melcher's harmony and score reading. Texts contain additional pages of printed materials and notes as placed there by Melcher. Arrangement is alphabetical by book title.
INVENTORY
Series I. Book Manuscript, n.d.
Box 1
Manuscript—Integrated Theory,
Chapter 1-19 (2f)
Manuscript—Integrated Theory,
Chapter 20-37 (2f)
Series II. Course Material—Instructor, 1934-36, 1939-50, 1966-76, n.d.
Box 1 (cont.)
SM 222 Orchestral Instruments, Winter
1935 and 1936, Ohio Northern
Elementary Methods Teaching Notes,
1934-35, Ohio Northern
Intermediate Methods Teaching Notes,
1934-36, Ohio Northern
Senior Methods Teaching Notes, 1935
Ohio Northern
Box 2
German Wordlist, n.d.
Hindemith System, n.d.
Pronunciation of Italian, n.d.
Theory Class Teaching Notes & Assignment,
1939-50, Oberlin
Theory Class Teaching Notes, 1966-74 (2f)
Oberlin
Theory Class Teaching Notes & Assignment,
1967-76, Oberlin
Series III. Course Material—Student, 1930-38
Box 2 (cont.)
SM 2 Conducting, 1936-37
SM 3 Gen. & Educational Psychology, 1936-37
SM 4 Principles of Teaching, 1936-37
SM 5, 6 Practical Instrumentation, 1936-37
SM 7 Sight-singing, Ear-training, and Melody
Writing, 1936-37
SM 8 Orchestration, 1936-37
Box 3
SM 9 Music in the High School, 1936-37
SM 10 Philosophy and Psychology of School
Music Teaching, 1936-37
SM 2 Conducting, 1937-38
SM 8 Grade School Vocal Methods, 1937-38
SM 9 Music in the High School, 1937-38
SM 10 Philosophy and Psychology of School
Music Teaching, 1937-38
Handouts for Practice Teachers, 1938 (2f)
Misc. Materials, Oberlin, 1930s
Senior Year Teacher Observations, 1930
Student Course Material, SM 10, 1931-32
Series IV. Miscellaneous Teaching Texts, 1914-48, n.d.
Box 4
Miscellaneous Teaching Texts, 1914-48
Applied Harmony, Book II, by George A. Wedge
A Book of Songs, ed. Archibald T. Davison,
Thomas Whitney Surette, and
Augustus D. Zanzig
Harmony, by Walter Piston
Harmony for Ear, Eye and Keyboard (First Year),
by Arthur E. Heacox
Project Lessons in Orchestration,
by Arthur E. Heacox
Revised Music Notation and Terminologies,
by Karl W. Gehrkens
Series V. Miscellany, 1891, 1925-36, 1939-96, n.d.
Box 4 (cont.)
Miscellany, 1939-1970, n.d.
The Melchers in Oberlin, 1966-96, n.d.
Box 5
Concert programs, scrapbook, 1925-36
Box 6
Keyboard Approach to Harmony by
Margaret Lowry, 1949
Sixteenth-century Polyphony by Arthur
Tillman Merritt, 1939
Fugue by Ebenezer Prout, 1891
Series VI. Writings of Robert Melcher, 1960-71
Box 7
Writings of Robert Melcher, 1960-1971
Music for Advanced Study
Music for Keyboard Harmony
Music for Score Reading
Music for Study
Music for Study: A Source Book of Excerpts
