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C. Alexander Peloquin was a composer of liturgical music who was one of the earliest to begin to write in a style that reflected the changes brought about by the Second Vatican Council. He spent many years as composer-in-residence at Boston College and directed student choral ensembles. He composed music for some of Merton's "Freedom Songs", poems inspired by Negro spirituals. The songs were originally intended to be sung by African-American baritone Robert Williams. Merton and Peloquin had trouble at a time with claims that Williams made over copyright of the songs.
Please click here for general restrictions concerning Merton's correspondence.
See also the "Williams, Robert" file.
If the person in correspondence with Merton has full text records in the Merton Center Digital Collections, there will be a numeric link to them below.
This Record Sub-Group is not divided into Series and is arranged chronologically.
Click icons for links: ✓="Published | Library Record", ✉="Scanned" | 🗷="Scanned, Viewable Only at Merton Center"
| # | Date | From/To | First Lines | Pub ✓ | Notes |
| | y/m/d | Merton | | Scan ✉ | |
| 1. |
1965/04/28 |
other[x] |
Thomas Merton to Write Words for 'Freedom Songs' PROVIDENCE, R. I. (Religious News Service) |
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[photocopied news clipping (hand labelled "N.Y.T. 4-28-65" [New York Times]) discussing the collaboration between Thomas Merton and C. Alexander Peloquin]
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| 2. |
1965/04/30 |
other[x] |
Monk, Composer Collaborate On Freedom Songs PROVIDENCE, R. I. (NC) - Church music composer |
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[news clipping printed from the online edition of the Catholic Northwest Progress (Seattle, Washington) discussing the collaboration between Thomas Merton and C. Alexander Peloquin on freedom songs]
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| 3. |
1965/05/17 |
TL[c] from Merton |
Thanks for your note. June 26th will be perfectly fine. The afternoon will certainly be wide open, |
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| 4. |
1968/02/22 |
HLS to Merton |
I've just been on the phone with the Liturgical Conference in Washington. |
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| 5. |
1968/03/04 |
TL[c] from Merton |
Good to hear from you again. Certainly that is a fine idea about using one of the Freedom Songs |
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| 6. |
1968/03/15 (#01) |
TL[c] from Merton |
Well, if Robert Williams gave you the rights to the songs, I think there is no problem. I would say |
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| 7. |
1968/03/15 (#02) |
TL[c] from Merton to Robert Williams |
Peloquin has written to me about the Songs. He is working on them for the Liturgical Conference |
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| 8. |
1968/03/27 (#01) |
HLS to Merton |
I'm going ahead. But it's good to know you're with me. I feel relieved concerning Robt Williams |
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| 9. |
1968/03/27 (#02) |
TL[c] from Merton |
My scrawled note of this morning is probably illegible, so I am typing this to clarify a little. |
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| 10. |
1968/06/24 (#02) |
other to Merton |
This Agreement made this between GIA MUSIC CORPORATION, of Chicago, in the State of Illinois, |
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[unsigned agreement concerning publisher and composer rights to Peloquin's score to Merton's "Freedom Songs"]
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| 11. |
1968/06/24? (#01) |
HLS to Merton |
Thank you for your reply. I was looking for it! By the way, I'm well on my way with Sundown! |
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| 12. |
1968/08/13 |
TAL[c] from Merton |
Good news has been coming through, and I am happy to hear things are moving on so well. |
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