Publication Date
Spring 2022
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
Department
Music and Dance
Advisor
Erica Buurman
Subject Areas
Music
Abstract
Buried deep under the Spreckels Temple of music, the bandstand In San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, lay a treasure trove of sheet music and concert programs belonging to the Golden Gate Park Concert Band. This band, which has delighted audiences and park-goers in San Francisco for 140 years, had over a thousand scores and programs each waiting to be archived and preserved. From documents marked “Property of the WPA,” to handwritten letters from composers, to photographs of since forgotten events, these newly archived materials detail historic trends that shed light on San Francisco’s unique civic culture. Along with conventional critical research, the data paints a picture depicting civic history, developing class identities, and the cultural value of music in a highly tangible way. Thorough examining of the materials in the band’s archives, the thesis tracks some of San Francisco’s most prominent cultural trends, as seen along the lines of major historical events and eras including: the turn of the twentieth century, The Great Depression and World War Two, the post-war years, and the birth of the hippie counterculture in San Francisco. This case study provides a look at how musical ensembles forge not only an identity for themselves but exist as a reflection of the world around them.
Recommended Citation
Pergamit, Nathaniel L., "Buried Treasure in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park: Changing Tastes in the Twentieth Century as Seen Through the Music of the Golden Gate Park Concert Band" (2022). Master's Theses. 5271.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.31979/etd.p8rg-4cjd
https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/5271
