MS 334

Reference code

MS 334

Title

Arthur Murray Goodhart collection

Level

Sub-fonds

Administrative / Biographical history

Goodhart, Arthur Murray (1866-1941)

Arthur Murray Goodhart (1866-1941) was a British teacher, composer and musician. Born at Wimbledon in Surrey, he was the son of Charles Woide Goodhart and Eleanor Murray. He was educated at Eton, a King’s Scholar, from 1880-1885. He studied music at King’s College Cambridge (1885-1894) and was a pupil of Sir Joseph Barnby and Frederick Bridge. He returned to Eton as Assistant Master of Classics from 1889 to 1924. He was Precentor and Master in College from 1893 to 1903; Housemaster at Godolphin from 1904 to 1914 and Walpole from 1914 until he retired to Brighton in 1924. He wrote the settings for many school songs at Eton. He also composed a number of orchestral and organ works, piano works and songs. He went on to become Principal of Guildhall School of Music. He was also Conductor of Concerts at the Royal Academy of Music from 1886 to 1888. He died at Oxford on 2 July 1941.

Date

1890-1932

Extent & medium

3 boxes, 20 portfolios and 1 unboxed scrapbook

Content description

A collection of autograph and printed music scores, written by Arthur Murray Goodhart, during his student days at Cambridge University, his years as a Master at Eton College and afterwards; also a few music scores written by other composers, his scrapbook and papers relating to copyright and the transfer of the collection from Brighton Public Library via West Sussex Record Office to Eton College

Provenance

Music and scrapbook created by and belonging to Arthur Murray Goodhart, accumulated at his home in Brighton. After his death in 1941, a box of his autograph and printed music was possibly given to Brighton Public Library, who listed and transferred the collection to West Sussex Record Office in about 1970. West Sussex Record Office apparently transferred the collection to Eton College about 1990, but no accession information has been found. It may have been held by Music Schools for some years then transferred to College Library. The box was found under a plan chest in College Library strong-room in 2023. Five additoinal autograph scores also found their way to the Library at an earlier date and were catalogued as individual manuscripts. They have been incorporated into this collection.

Existence and location of originals

A separately acquired autograph score by Goodhart, Cornish is at MS 55.
Material related to Goodhart as a student and as a Master at Eton College can be located catalogued in Eton College Archives and Photographic Archives