The John Duke Papers occupy 18 linear feet of shelving and consist of scores, correspondence, scrapbooks, writings, recordings, printed materials, and miscellaneous papers which document Duke's life and career. They are concentrated in the years following his appointment to the faculty of Smith College in 1923. There is very little from his youth and student days.

The scores of John Duke's compositions make up the most important portion of the papers. Included are copies of all of the 265 catalogued songs which constitute Duke's major output as a composer. All known mature Duke works are available in manuscript and/or final form. There are also a few scores of student works and some unfinished works, including the song he was composing at the time of his death.

There is good material for the study of John Duke's method and philosophy of composition. Manuscript notebooks include rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic sketches of a number of the works composed between 1944 and 1984. Duke's lectures and writings on the art-song, the drafts of outgoing correspondence, and letters from poets such as Archibald MacLeish, William Rose Benet, Mark Van Doren, and Richard Nickson give a clear picture of Duke's thinking about the musical form he loved best and about this choice of texts to set.

Duke's triple career (composer, teacher, pianist) is well documented. His career as a composer can be traced not only through the material above but also through correspondence from colleagues, friends, family, singers, and other musicians. Included are such prominent contemporaries as Roger Sessions, Aaron Copland, Walter Piston, Wayne Barlow, Sigmund Spaeth, Daniel Gregory Mason, Mack Harrell, Gladys Swarthout, Ross Lee Finney, Roy Harris, Arthur Fieldler, William Warfield, and Douglas Moore.

Correspondence from Duke's piano students attests to his lasting influence as a teacher. His devotion to teaching and to the problems of pedagogy is in evidence in that correspondence and in the texts of his lectures and writings on piano technique and literature.

Duke's career as a pianist is documented in correspondence from teachers, impresarios, piano companies, and supportive friends. The letters received before 1945, when he began to devote his time more exclusively to composing, clearly reflect the problems of an artist getting started. Duke's continued activity as a performing musician is well documented by scrapbooks and concert programs.

This finding aid has four appendices.

• Appendix I: Catalogue of songs by John Duke - by song number
• Appendix II: Catalogue of songs by John Duke - alphabetical by title
• Appendix III: Catalogue of songs by John Duke - alphabetical by poet
• Appendix IV: Bibliography of compositions by John Duke

This collection is organized into six series:

• Series I. Scores, 1921-1984, n.d.
• Series II. Biographical and Personal Material, 1922-1984, n.d.
• Series III. Correspondence, 1913-1984.
• Series IV. Professional Activities, 1916-1984.
• Series V. Speaking and Writing, 1920-1984.
• Series VI. Recordings, 1939-1984.