Papers of John Maxwell Geddes.
Content Description
John Maxwell Geddes, composer, was born in Glasgow on 26 May 1941, the son of John ('Jack') Drummond Geddes and Thomasina Geddes, née Maxwell. He grew up in the Maryhill area of Glasgow and attended Woodside Secondary School and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland). He also studied with the Danish pianist and composer Niels Viggo Bentzon (1919-2000) in Copenhagen.
Geddes was awarded the fellowship of the RSAMD, the Creative Scotland Award, and a posthumous Doctorate of Music by the University of Glasgow. Throughout his life he was a prolific composer, teacher and conductor, especially of the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland, and actively promoted Scottish classical music on an international level. He died on 7 September 2017.
The collection documents all aspects of Geddes's professional life, his works, performances and international activities. It contains manuscript, draft and published versions of his works, chronological scrapbooks (the contents now placed in folders), programme notes, cuttings of newspaper reviews, leaflets, posters and photographs.
Dates
- Creation: 1951-2018.
Creator
Extent
201 Folders
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
The collection had largely been arranged by the composer. This arrangement has been retained, and is as follows:
Scrapbooks (Acc.14147/1-24)
Themed folders and subject files (Acc.14147/25-60)
Scores (Acc.14147/61-123)
Posters and photographs (Acc.14147/124-201)
Other Finding Aids
A description and listing of the collection was made in 2019 by the composer's son, Mr Craig Geddes, prior to the donation of the collection. The arrangement and order of that listing has been retained, although the internal numbering has been changed according to Library practice.
A copy of this list is found at the beginning of the collection.
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the National Library of Scotland Archives and Manuscripts Division Repository
Archives and Manuscript Division
National Library of Scotland
George IV Bridge
Edinburgh EH1 1EJ
0131 623 3700
manuscripts@nls.uk