The Washington times., 1902-10-12


Through the efforts of the librarian
Herbert Putnam, and Oscar G. Sonneck
chief of the music division, and hi
| assistant, the resources of the musica
department in the national library arr
to be increased, and will at some future
period take rank with the Boston ii
brary, the Newbury library, of Chicago
and other great musical libraries OF tni!
country and Europe.
Washingtonians who have been draw
to the music corner in the basement o.
the Congressional Library. have known
for some time that Mr.. Putnam had q
warm place in his heart for the art
| 1t was known that he had some plans
| in contemplation for the cultivation and
| improvement of the music department
but the magnitude of the work which is
now nearing completion comes as COM
plete surprise to the musicians OF WASH
ington and the concertgoing public.
Mr. Putnam bent his energy toward
the getting of q sufficient appropriation
from Congress TO carry out his ideas
in this and other departments of the
library. He is reticent, and it is not
known how long he has been striving to
carry out these improvements. AT any
rate he has secured sum sufficient to
enable him to raise the music depart
ment to its proper level.
In establishing a musical library the
United States Government enjoys an ad-
vantage over other countries on account
of the stringency of our copyright laws.
With us it is q prerequisite that two
copies of the book or composition
to be copyrighted be filed at the
department on or before the late of
publication. The failure to deliver these
copies invalidates the copyright. In
Great Britain there is no requirement
that the material be entered at Sta
toners Hall, their copyright Office, and
there is no collection of books a. that
place.
When the two copies of new publi-
cation are received at Washington, one
is filed at the copyright department and
the other is placed upon the shelves of
the music division. This has been the
custom since the passage of the inter-
national agreement of 1891. and, as re-
suit. the collection of present day music
open to the public is probably the finest
in the world.
While excelling great libraries in this
respect, the Congressional Library has.
nevertheless, been sadly deficient in the
older material usually possessed by mu-
scal libraries. While the latest books
and compositions of living writer's are
to be found here in superabundance
some of the greatest works published
previous TO the law of 1891, including
those of the old masters, are conspicuous
by their absence. Mr.. Putnam knew the
weak places in this musical collection.
and it has been his ambition for some
time TO secure the financial means with
which to supply the deficiencies and
build out the weak portions of the IL
brary SO as 10 make them consistent
with the stronger parts.
After securing the appropriation, Mr.
Putnam was next confronted with the
problem of apportioniug his fund so as
to obtain the best selection OF new ma
teriaL In choosing Mr Sonneck as the
new chief Of rhe music division. To take
charge of this branch of the work, he /
Iound some one whose exceptional knowl- |
edge OF music in all its branches. and |
whose familiarity with the principal
languages. made him a person peculiarly
fitted for the task. Mr. Sonneck entered
into the new work with enthusiasm. de-
voting several months to study of the
musical libraries in the coun-
Try, and spending the summer in Eu-
-ope, where he negotiated with the lead
ng publishers in the various countries
% secure Their lowest terms for ma
eriai to be purchased on his return.
in order TO reduce the work of buy
ng such large quantity of new ma
eriai 10 system, and to assign to
ach school of music and each country
is fair proportion in the general out
ay, Mr. Sonneck prepared two lists of
ne most desirable new material to be
purchased. In the first he enumerate:
dicais in English. French German;
'ailan, and other languages. which tn /,
brary cid not have; while the other
st contained music only. In all there
re about 10000 new works. The Lists
ere compiled systematically. keepirg
ne development of the division in mind. :,
he library has at The present time y :.
ood collection of books on music. but
poor in the classics, opera. chamber
usic, symphonies. and oratorios pub
shed before 1891, and the present
ans will, If carried out, fiji in these
;ps.
The new books TO be purchased in v
ude all the worlds most important
orks on the history and psychology of I
usic, esthetics, philosophy, theory, o
G., regardless OF countries and schools, :,
of Mr.. Sonneck's personal taste. v
The new music TO be added embraces
e complete works OF Orlando di Lasso, c
ach. Mozart. Beethoven. Schumann. u
hubert. Mendelssohn, Beriioz. and :,
srdi; nearly all of the Brahms and
'odly selection from the works of
Torak, Castillon, Sgambati Martucci,
Rubinstein, Taneif, Rim
Stanford. Anton Lalo. ic
'uckner. Fibich. Cesar Franck Reyer. oi
t-Saens, List, Massenct, Raft. II
code. and many others, too numerols II
mention. ei
rhe general plan of the present en- c
of tho r,rtc;o 5onartrapt 4. =. v