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Cambridge University Library houses the archive of Catalan composer Robert Gerhard. Gerhard was born in Valls, Tarragona, in 1896 and died in Cambridge in 1970. He studied in Barcelona with Enrique Granados and Felipe Pedrell and in Vienna and Berlin with Arnold Schoenberg (1923-1928).

In January 1939 he decided to escape from the new regime of General Franco. After a short stay in Paris, Gerhard was awarded a fellowship at Kings College, instigated by Cambridge professors Edward J. Dent and J.B. Trend, whom Gerhard had befriended. The Gerhards moved to Cambridge in June 1939.

sis cançóns populars catalanes, per a sopran i orquestra, per Robert Gerhard. (Gerhard.1.7).

The Gerhard Archive contains the majority of his musical manuscripts, over 1,000 letters, photographs, programmes, miscellaneous documents, and his collection of books and printed music. The Archive was presented by Dr Rosemary Summers to Cambridge University Library on May 12th 2008.

General enquiries about the Archive may be addressed to the Music Department. For further information see the Roberto Gerhard Archive Homepage.

There is a detailed typescript catalogue of all the music manuscripts in the archive, which is available in the Manuscript Reading Room. These entries are gradually being added to the main computer catalogue Newton. Enquiries about the contents of the manuscript should be addressed to the Music Department. Requests to consult them should be made to the Manuscripts Department.

For further information on the composer’s life and work, see Robert Gerhard and his music by Joachim Homs, freely available online.