At the rist of seeming moralistic or didacti, though, I would suggest that some of the lessons the MTNA learned might help the Sonneck Society to avoid similar pitfalls. Promoting American music is a divisive business . As the years went by, certain members questioned whether the Canadian composers could really be considered American, or whether recent immigrants and temporary residents had the same rights as those born in the United States. The Sonneck Society has been noteworthy for its acceptance of the entire gamut of American music. Hopefully we can continue to show the broad interests and inclusive spirit epitomized by the work of Oscar Sonneck.
Elder statesmen are irreplaceable .
During its years of rapid growth, the MTNA alienated some of its founding members. What the executive officers discovered during the subsequent declien was that those early leaders were sorely missed. A prime example was Theodore Presser, co-founder of the organization in 1876. He withdrew his active support after his performance as secretary was criticized and the 1889 convention in his home town of Philadelphia did not live up to expectations. By losing his support, though, the MTNA lost at least two valuable assets.