Finding Aid for Otto Mesloh Music and Papers, 1871-1913 | The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
By Adriana Cuervo and Mandi Goodsett
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Title: Otto Mesloh Music and Papers, 1871-1913
ID: 12/9/131
Primary Creator: Mesloh, Otto (1867-1923)
Extent: 2.0 cubic feet
Arrangement: Organized in two series: Series 1, Original and Published Music, 1871-1902 and Series 2, Personal Papers, 1888-1913. Series 1 is arranged alphabetically by title and Series 2 is unarranged.
Date Acquired: 05/29/2013
Subjects: Band Musicians, Bands, Music - Instruction and study, Sousa, John Philip
Languages: English
Scope and Contents of the Materials
Consists of original and published music, photographs, correspondence, dairies, maps, cornet and flute method books, and a flute documenting Mesloh's career as a musician with the John Philip Sousa Band and the Elite Musical Four, music teacher between 1870 and 1913.
Biographical Note
Otto Friedrich Mesloh was born in New Bremen, Ohio on February 26, 1867 to John Henry and Wilhelmina (Boesel) Mesloh. Although a machinist by trade, according to Karl R. Mesloh, "his love of music won out and Otto became a professional musician." His mother and two sisters, Emma and Dora Mesloh, were all pianists. As a young musician Otto played both cornet, flute, piccolo, and saxophone with The Big Six Band of Springfield, Ohio, and traveled with the Waite Comedy Company and the Bubb and Bennett and Waite's Western Company ensembles. He performed as a cornetist with the John Philip Sousa Band between September 7 and December 4, 1898. He also played as the band's cornet soloist durng the ensemble's Manhattan Beach concerts between June 17 and September 4, 1899. Other military bands that Mesloh performed with included the 69th Regimental Band, Callahan's New York Marine Band, the British Bards Band, and Somerset's Military Band.
After departing the Sousa Band in 1899, Mesloh joined the Elite Musicial Four, considered at that time to be one of of the greatest musical vaudeville teams which performed a variety of popular music selections on cornets, flugelphones, saxophones, and xylophones. The quartet was involved in a serious train derailment on June 11, 1906 when it was returning to New York City from a performance in Atlantic City. The ensemble's manager, George Van Duzen, was killed and Mesloh was badly injured. Mesloh was eventually able to continue his career as a performer and teacher in 1908, the injuries that he sufferred from this train accident impacted his work as a musician for the rest of his life.
Subject/Index Terms
Administrative Information
Repository: The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
Acquisition Source: Susan Boecker Durnbaugh
Acquisition Method: Gift. The items donated by Susan Boecker Durnbaugh, Otto Mesloh's great niece, were made in memory of her mother, Margaret Henning Boecker, Otto Mesloh's niece, and her grandmother, Emma Mesloh Henning, Otto Mesloh's sister.
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[Series 1: Original and published music, 1871-1902],
[Series 2: Personal Papers, 1888-1913],
[All]
- Series 1: Original and published music, 1871-1902
- Consists of original and published music for cornet, flute and band, and early flute and cornet method books that were used by Mesloh while both a student and a performing musician between 1871 and 1913. The music is arranged alphabetically by title. Of particular interest is an early edition of the Arban's Method for the Cornet and Saxhorn (1881) that was probably used by Mesloh to learn to play the cornet.
- Box 1
- Folder 1: Believe Me, if all those endearings; The Last Rose of Summer; Sing, Smile, Slumber; Killarny (P), undated
- Cornet solos.
- Composer/arranger: unknown
- Folder 2: The Holy City (P), undated
- Composer/arranger: Adams, Stephen; arr. Prendville, Harry
- Folder 3: Jung Werner's Parting Song (P), undated
- Composer/arranger: Nessler, V. E.; arr. Boettger, E.
- Folder 4: Let Me Dream Again (P), undated
- Composer/arranger: Sullivan, A.
- Folder 5: The Lost Chord (P), 1916
- Composer/arranger: Sullivan, A.; Beyer, F.
- Folder 6: Love's Old Sweet Song; In Old Madrid (P), 1889
- Composer/arranger: Molloy; Trotere, H.; arr. Laurendeau, L. P.
- Folder 7: Marriage Bells (P), undated
- Composer/arranger: Boettger, E.
- Folder 8: Non e ver; Sing, Smile, Slumber (P), undated
- Composer/arranger: Mattei, T.; Gounod, Ch.; arr. Tobani, Theo. M
- Folder 9: Pretty Peggy (P), undated
- Composer/arranger: unknown
- Folder 10: The Ratcharmer's Song; Asthore; Can I Forget?; For All Eternity (P), 1901
- Composer/arranger: Neuendorff, A.; Trotere, H.; deKoven, R.; Mascheroni, A.; arr. Thomas, L.
- Folder 11: Sally in Our Alley; Alice, Where Are You?; The Low-Backed Car; A Day Dream (P), undated
- Composer/arranger: Ascher; Lorer, S.; White, Fred; arr. White, Fred
- Folder 12: Serenade, Am Meer, undated
- Composer/arranger: Schubert, F.; arr. Greissinger, F. H.
- Folder 13: Swiss Boy (P), 1879
- Composer/arranger: arr. Bent, B. F.
- Box 2
- Folder 1: Arban's Method for the Cornet and Saxhorn, 1881
- Folder 2: Collection of Short Exercises, 1912-1913
- Folder 3: Cornet Instructor, undated
- Folder 4: Excelsior, 1882
- Composer/arranger: Prediville, Harry
- Folder 5: The "Howe" Method of Flue Instruction by Mail, undated
- Folder 6: How to Triple-Tongue: A Treatise on Staccato, Tongueing, Single, Double, and Triple Form, 1880
- Folder 7: Ouverges' Conservatory Method for the Bochm Flute, 1893
- Box 3
- Folder 1: Alice (P, PS), undated
- Composer/arranger: unknown
- Folder 2: Blue Bells of Scotland Grand Fantasia (P, PS), undated
- Composer/arranger: St. Jacome
- Folder 3: Blue Bells of Scotland Grand Fatasia (P), undated
- Composer/arranger: Sabon-Coyon
- Folder 4: Caprice de Concert (P, PS), undated
- Composer/arranger: Terschak, Adolph
- Folder 5: Carnival of Venice (P), undated
- Composer/arranger: Mesloh, F. O.
- Folder 6: Christmas Song (P), undated
- Composer/arranger: Adam
- Folder 7: Die Perlen, Concert-Polka (P, PS), undated
- Composer/arranger: Kling, H.
- Folder 8: Fantasisa on Popular Irish Airs (P, PS), 1886
- Composer/arranger: Lax, Fred
- Folder 9: Fantasie sur des themes de Bellini (P, PS), undated
- Composer/arranger: Terschak, Adolph
- Folder 10: Fantasie uber das Lied "Wie Schon bist Du" (P, PS), undated
- Composer/arranger: Lufer, Bernh.
- Folder 11: Galoubet Polka (P), undated
- Folder 12: German Air (PS), undated
- Composer/arranger: possibly Brahms
- Folder 13: The Harp of Fara (P), undated
- Composer/arranger: Rogers
- Folder 14: Handel's Largo, Reverie Traumerei (P), undated
- Composer/arranger: Handel
- Folder 15: Impromptu Cadenza for Flute Alone, 1902
- Composer/arranger: Norrito, Gioachino
- Folder 16: Le Chanteur du Printemps (P), 1887
- Composer/arranger: Lax, Fred
- Folder 17: Le Pre aux Clercs, Fantasie por la Flute (P, PS), 1875
- Composer/arranger: Herold, F.
- Folder 18: Miserere (P), undated
- Folder 19: Nightingale and Thrush (P), 1897
- Composer/arranger: Kling, Henry
- Folder 20: Pickwick Polka (P, PS), 1888
- Composer/arranger: Lax, Fred
- Folder 1890: Polka Caprice (P, PS), 1890
- Composer/arranger: Damm, August
- Folder 22: Rondo Polka (P, PS), 1888
- Composer/arranger: Donjon, J.; arr. Catlin, E. N.
- Folder 23: Six Transcriptions for Flute and Piano (P), 1885
- Composer/arranger: Steckwest, Henri
- Folder 24: The Trilby Song, Ben Bolt (P), undated
- Folder 25: Two Little Bullfinches (P, PS), undated
- Composer/arranger: Kling, H.
- Folder 26: Untitled fragment and exercise (P), undated
- Folder 27: Variations surn un air Tyrolien (P, PS), undated
- Composer/arranger: Bohm, Th.
- Folder 28: What are the Wild Waves Saying (FS), undated
- Folder 29: Whirlwind Polka (PS), undated
- Composer/arranger: Levy, J.
- Folder 30: Yankee Doodle Fantasie and Variations (P, PS), undated
- Composer/arranger: Popp, G.
- Box 4
- Folder 1: Unidentified music sketches, undated
- Folder 2: Bugles (P), undated
- Composer/arranger: Mesloh, Otto
- Folder 3: Collection of cornet solos (P, PS), 1885
- Folder 4: Cornet in Orchestra (P), undated
- Composer/arranger: Mr Kimmelovichsky
- Folder 5: Carnival of Venice; Star-Spangled Banner; Coach Horns (P), undated
- Composer/arranger: Mesloh, O.
- Folder 6: Nellie (P), undated
- Composer/arranger: "Elite Musical Four"
- Folder 7: Salve Maria, Christmas Song, undated
- Composer/arranger: Mercandante; Adams
- Folder 8: Saxophones, Grand Fantasie-"Old Black Joe"; Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana; Serenade; Serenade (P, PS), 1909
- Composer/arranger: Mesloh, O.; Cary, E. L.; Mascagni, P.; Moszkowski, M.; Schubert, F.
- Folder 9: The Seraph; American Patrol; The Mockingbird (P), 1886-1898
- Composer/arranger: Chambers, W. P.; Meacham, F. W.; Innes, F. N.
- Folder 10: Souvenir of Naples; Tyroliene; Attila; cornet solos with orchestral parts (P, PS), undated
- Composer/arranger: Rogers-Zanichelli; Arban
- Folder 11: Thirty Duets for B-flat Cornets, 1878
- Folder 12: Yankee Doodle (P), undated
- Composer/arranger: Levy, J.
- Box 5
- Folder 1: 4 Grand Polkas (P, PS), undated
- Folder 2: Angel's Serenade (P, PS), 1891
- Composer/arranger: Braga, G.; Moses, Theo.
- Folder 3: Brothers in Arms (P, PS), 1893
- Composer/arranger: Corbin, A.; arr. by Laurendeau
- Folder 4: Columbia (P, PS), 1893
- Composer/arranger: Rollinson, T. H.
- Folder 5: The Commodore (P, PS), 1897
- Composer/arranger: Chambers, W. Paris
- Folder 6: Easylina Polka (P, PS), 1895
- Composer/arranger: Strassberger, C.
- Folder 7: "Fatherland" Fantasy (PS), undated
- Folder 8: Fifty Choice Duets for Cornet and Piano (P, PS), undated
- Composer/arranger: Hoffman, R.; Michaels, Th.; Samuels, E. A.
- Folder 9: Flora Waltz (P, PS), undated
- Composer/arranger: Cunard, F. W.
- Folder 10: Grand Fantasie, "Francis" (P, PS), undated
- Folder 11: Grand Polka, "Amphion" (P, PS), 1880
- Composer/arranger: Cary, E. C.
- Folder 12: Just We Two (P, PS), undated
- Composer/arranger: Ascher, Emil
- Folder 13: Kindred Souls (P, PS), undated
- Folder 14: Miserere (P, PS), 1884
- Composer/arranger: Verdi, G.; arr. Bent, B. C.
- Folder 15: The Monarch Polka (P, PS), 1897
- Composer/arranger: Knoll, A. H.
- Folder 16: The Palms; Love's Old Sweet Song; Old Folks at Home; Non e ver (P), 1989
- Composer/arranger: Faure; Molloy; Foster; Mattei
- Folder 17: Polka, "Two Friends" (P, PS), 1897
- Composer/arranger: Lozes; arr. Carey, E. C.
- Folder 18: O Promise Me (P, PS), 1894
- Composer/arranger: de Koven, Reginald; arr. Franko, Nahan
- Folder 19: The Rivals (P, PS), 1888
- Composer/arranger: Read, L. C.
- Folder 20: Sea Flower Polka (PS), 1876
- Composer/arranger: Rollinson, T. H.
- Folder 21: The Seraph (PS), 1898
- Composer/arranger: Chambers, W. Paris
- Folder 22: Le Secret (P), undated
- Composer/arranger: Hazel, John
- Folder 23: Le Secret (PS), 1893
- Composer/arranger: Hazel, John
- Folder 24: Serenade and Ballad (P, PS), 1871
- Composer/arranger: arr. Koppitz, C.
- Folder 25: Short and Sweet (P, PS), undated
- Composer/arranger: Short, T. V.
- Folder 26: Sing, Smile, Slumber (P), undated
- Folder 27: Souvenir of Naples (P), undated
- Folder 28: The Swiss Boy (P, PS), 1898
- Composer/arranger: Davis, G. F.
- Folder 29: The Volunteer (P, PS), 1887
- Folder 30: The Water Lilly Polka (P, PS), 1891
- Composer/arranger: Thomas, W. H.
- Box 6
- Folder 1: Arbucklenian Polka (P, PS), undated
- Folder 2: Alexis, Grand Fantasia (P, PS), undated
- Composer/arranger: Hartmann, J.
- Folder 3: A Bunch of Roses (P, PS), 1896
- Folder 4: Carnival of Venice (PS), undated
- Folder 5: De Beriot's 5th Concerto (PS), undated
- Composer/arranger: De Beriot
- Folder 6: "Emersonian" Polka (PS), 1895
- Folder 7: Farewell Polka (PS), undated
- Folder 8: The Favorite (PS), undated
- Folder 9: First "Life Guards" (PS), 1881
- Composer/arranger: Innes, F. N.
- Folder 10: Fra Diavolo (PS), undated
- Folder 11: Grand Concert Valse, "Ocean View" (PS), undated
- Folder 12: Cornet solos (P), 1884
1. Hutchins Polka, Composer/arranger: Thiele, H. H.
2. My Guiding Star
3. Cour de Lion, Composer/arranger: Bellstedt, H.
4. Old Helicon, Composer/arranger: Brooks, E.
5. Cornet Polka, "Hornet", Composer/arranger: Holden, A. P.
6. Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, Composer/arranger: Brooks, E.
7. In saecula saeculorum, Composer/arranger: Riano, J.
8. Salute Polka, Composer/arranger: Liberati, A.
9. Original Pastoral Melodies, Composer/arranger: Frick, John
10. Where the Silver Wavelets Dance, Composer/arranger: Liberati, A.
- Folder 13: Killarney; Killarney (P, PS), 1893
- Composer/arranger: Balfe, M. W.; arr. Chambers, W. Paris
- Folder 14: Kinloch of Kinloch (PS), undated
- Folder 15: The Lost Chord (PS), undated
- Composer/arranger: Carey, E. C.
- Folder 16: Marlborough (PS), undated
- Folder 17: My Lodging is on the Cold, Cold Ground (PS), undated
- Folder 18: My Old Kentucky Home (P, PS), 1893
- Composer/arranger: Masten, I. J.
- Folder 19: Le Petit Suisse (PS), undated
- Folder 20: "Tyroliene" Air Varie (PS), undated
- Folder 21: "Un Ballo" Fantasie (P, PS), undated
- Folder 22: Venetian Love Song (P), undated
- Folder 23: Weber's Last Waltz (PS), undated
- Folder 24: Cornet solos (P, PS), undated
1. Welcome Pretty Primrose, Composer/arranger: Pinsuti; arr. Moses, Theo.
2. Take Back the Heart, Composer/arranger: Claribel; arr. Moses, Theo.
3. Only a dream, Composer/arranger: Wallace; arr. Moses, Theo.
4. Coming Thro' the Rye, Composer/arranger: Scotch melodie; arr. Moses, Theo.
- Folder 25: Yankee Doodle, (P, PS), undated
- Box 7
- Folder 1: Answer; Manzanillo (P), 1899
- Composer/arranger: Robyn, Alfred G.; arr. Meyer, L.
- Folder 2: Cornet Quartets by Eduard Kiesler, undated
- 2 pieces by Eduard Kiesler (1840-1929): No. 17: Fantasie, as well as No. 27: Gebet des Eremiten, Lied ohne Worte
- Folder 3: I Love You in the Same Old Way (P), undated
- Folder 4: I'm Wearing My Heart Away; Instructions for Trumpet and Drum (P), c. 1900
- Folder 5: Nearer my God to thee; Some Day; That I Alone Can Know (P), 1886
- Composer/arranger: Wellings, Milton; Riegg, Carl; arr. Ramsdell, E. C.
- Folder 6: The Theodore Hoch Collection of Quartets for Brass Instruments; Violets, c. 1902
- Composer/arranger: arr. Hoch, Theodore; Wright, Ellen; arr. Prendiville, Harry
- Box 8
- Folder 1: Carnival of Venice (P), undated
- Composer/arranger: Emerson, Walter
- Folder 2: Columbia (P), 1893
- Composer/arranger: Rollinson, T. H.
- Folder 3: Emmet's Lullaby (P), undated
- Composer/arranger: Short, T. V.
- Folder 4: "Fatherland" Fantasy (P), undated
- Composer/arranger: Hartmann, John
- Folder 5: Galoubet Polka (P), undated
- Composer/arranger: Lagard, A.; arr. Claus, J. B.
- Folder 6: Glenn Island (P), undated
- Composer/arranger: Short, T. V.
- Box 9
- Box 10
- Folder 7: Selected Popular Songs (P), 1885
1. Buringtonian Polka, Composer/arranger: Carey, E. C.
2. Die Post im Walde, Composer/arranger: Schaffer, A.
3. Nachruf an a Methfessel, Composer/arranger: Hoch, Theodore
4. Old Helicon, Composer/arranger: Brooks, E.
5. Christmas Chimes, Composer/arranger: Brooks, E.
6. Harlow Polka, Composer/arranger: Brooke, T. P.
7. I'll Await My Love, Composer/arranger: Howard, Frank; arr. Brooks, E.
8. Sweet Spirit Hear My Prayer, Composer/arranger: arr. Hoch, Theodore
9. Some Day, Composer/arranger: arr. Hoch, Theodore
10. How Can I Leave Thee, Composer/arranger: transc. Hoch, Theodore
11. The Last Rose of Summer, Composer/arranger: arr. Hoch, Theodore
12. The Heart Bowed Down, Composer/arranger: arr. Hoch, Theodore
13. When the Swallows Homeward Fly, Composer/arranger: arr. Hoch, Theodore
14. Bonnie Blue Flag, Composer/arranger: arr. Hoch, Theodore
15. Dixie Land, Composer/arranger: arr. Hoch, Theodore
16. How Fair Art Thou, Composer/arranger; arr. Hoch, Theodore
17. In Childhood I Dallied, Composer/arranger: arr. Hoch, Theodore
18. Scandanavian Romance, Composer/arranger: arr. Hoch, Theodore
19. Home Sweet Home, Composer/arranger: arr. Hoch, Theodore
20. When I Behold, Composer/arranger: arr. Hoch, Theodore
21. Sleep Well Sweet Angel, Composer/arranger: arr. Hoch, Theodore
22. Good Night My Own Dear Child, Composer/arranger: arr. Hoch, Theodore
23. Nearer My God to Thee, Composer/arranger: arr. Hoch, Theodore
24. Beloved Star, Composer/arranger: arr. Hoch, Theodore
25. Killarney, Composer/arranger: arr. Hoch, Theodore
26. Comin' Thro' the Rye, Composer/arranger: arr. Hoch, Theodore
27. Robin Adair, Composer/arranger: arr. Hoch, Theodore
- Folder 8: L'Art de Chanter Applique au Cornet (P), undated
- Composer/arranger: Verdi, G.; arr. Arban, J. B.
- Folder 9: The World's Method for Cornet and Saxhorn, 1886
- Composer/arranger: White, Jean
Browse by Series:
[Series 1: Original and published music, 1871-1902],
[Series 2: Personal Papers, 1888-1913],
[All]
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