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Finding Aid

Dayas, William Humphreys, fonds. -- 1877-1929. -- 6 cm of textual records. -- 1 photograph : b&w.

William Humphreys Dayas, pianist and composer, was born in New York of English parents in 1863 and orphaned at an early age. He studied organ and composition, and travelled to Germany in 1881 where he eventually became a pupil of Franz Liszt. Although he was a gifted pianist, he was not totally comfortable on the stage; he devoted himself to teaching. He taught at several conservatories throughout Europe and in 1896 was appointed principal professor of pianoforte at the Royal Manchester College of Music in England. He championed the music of Liszt, as well as publishing a number of his own compositions, primarily in Germany. He died in 1903 in Manchester.

The fonds (15-1993) consists of correspondence mainly to his sister, Emma, with one letter to his fiancée, Margarethe Vocke, as well as other correspondence; his marriage certificate; his appointment letter to Manchester; a lecture on Liszt; a photograph, printed sheet music and other documents.

Title based on content of fonds.
Fonds was purchased from J&J Lubrano, Great Barrington, MA, USA in 1993.
Finding aid available, prepared by Lubrano, in hard copy and electronically. See also "William Humphreys Dayas Collection," Library Research News n.s. 3, no. 2 (Fall 1993): 2-3.
There are no access restrictions.
Further accruals are not expected.

Contact: archives@mcmaster.ca
Last Reviewed: May 21, 2003
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