The collection is open and available to the public for research use.
Copyright is retained by the copyright holders.
Carl Rudoplh Collection (PA 12Q), Performing Arts Archives, University of Minnesota Libraries, Minneapolis.
The collection was donated by Carl Rudolph's grandaughter.
The collection was processed and the finding aid written by Jack Carroll.
The collection is organized chronologically within the series of programs, which are divided by venue.
Carl Rudolph was born in Germany and emigrated with his parents to La Crosse, Wisconsin at the age of seven. He began violin lessons as a young child and was also schooled in the piano, percussion and cello. He began to play in bands and orchestras as a teen-ager and when called into the Wisconsin National Guard in about 1896 he played drums and bugle in the regimental band.
By 1899 he was the percussionist in the La Crosse (WI) Symphony Orchestra, then moved to Minneapolis, MN in about 1910. He first played in the orchestra of the Metropolitan Theater in Minneapolis as a violinist and occasional cellist. He supplemented his work at the Metropolitan with jobs in a variety of other bands and orchestras in the area, including the Curtis Hotel band and the Rossiter Band, which played in the Minneapolis Park system.
In 1913 he became a member of the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra (later re-named the Minnesota Orchestra) first as a cellist, then as a percussionist until his retirement in 1944.
The bulk of the collection comprises programs of the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra from 1919 to 1936, along with programs from the Metropolitan Theatre (Minneapolis, MN) and other band, recitals and orchestra performances. There is a small group (eight) of postcards addressed to his son, Paul, presumably written while Carl was on tour with the Orchestra. There is a small group of itineraries, tickets, posters and advertisements from the Orchestra as well.
See Historical Collections, PA 12, Series 14 of the Minnesota Orchestra Archives, and other Related Collections in the Minnesota Orchestra Archives.
A detailed list of the contents of this collection may be found in the Archives.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the University of Minnesota Libraries. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.
A detailed list of the materials in the collection may be found in the Performing Arts Archives.