Jack Saul (1923-2009) supported the local music scene in Cleveland, Ohio, by attending performances, collecting recordings of many genres of music (including classical music and Judaica), lending his recordings to institutions such as the Cleveland Orchestra, and helping to produce radio programs. Saul's collection numbered between 200,000 and 300,000 total documents and recordings; no formal count was ever made. Saul was a graduate of Glenville High School's class of 1940 and of Western Reserve University. He was also actively involved in the Sir Thomas Beecham Society, an international organization devoted to the career of the English conductor. Saul's large collection of recordings, programs, and other documents related to his interests was stored in his home, a warehouse, and at Quality Furniture, the store he owned on Woodland Avenue in Cleveland. Before his death, Saul began the process of donating much of his collection to various institutions interested in what he had collected over his lifetime. Approximately 60,000 records were donated to the Judaica Sound Archives at Florida Atlantic University, filling several 18-wheel semi trucks.
The Jack Saul Papers 1893-2007 and undated, consist of correspondence, musical scores, newsletters, pamphlets, press releases, programs, and scrapbooks.
This collection is valuable to researchers studying classical and orchestral music history in Cleveland, Ohio; local orchestras, choirs, and bands; and local Jewish music. Of particular interest is the 1893 musical score for the Saengerfest (Sangerfest), a German competition between singing groups (sangerbunds), that was held in Cleveland, and the 1919 program for the Royal Opera. Also of special interest are the programs from groups associated with Workmen's Circle, including its Karl Marx branch. The collection includes a significant number of programs of performances by local musical groups, including but not limited to The Cantors Assembly of America, The Cleveland Civic Chorus, The Cleveland Concert Course, The Cleveland Music School Settlement, The Cleveland Opera Association, The Cleveland Orchestra, The Cleveland Philharmonic Orchestra, The Cleveland Women's Orchestra, The Jewish Singing Society, The Northern Ohio Opera Association, The Singers' Club of Cleveland, and Workmen's Circle.
The collection is arranged alphabetically by subject and then alphabetically by document type.
The researcher should also consult MS 5337 Sir Thomas Beecham Society Records, and MS 5339 Glenville High School Class of 1940 Reunion Records.
Processed by M. Alexander Kaufmann in 2015.
None.
[Container __, Folder__ ] MS 5338Jack Saul Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio.
Gift of Hinda Saul in 2013.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.