Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-27
Chief Of the Division.

Mr.. Sonnecks training for this work has
been the best. He was born in Jersey
City. but was taken when a lad by his
parents to Germany and put to school
and under musical instructors. first at
kiel and then at Frankfort, from whence
he passed to the universities of Heidel-
berg and Munich. At these institutions
he took the regular postgraduate courses
in history and philosophy of music stimuli
taneously. and later he studied compost
ton, conducting. etc. with such eminent
musicians as NJ E Sacks. Ivan Knorr,
James kwast and Carl Schroeder With
this familiarity with music. not only in
it's practical, but its scientific aspect he
combines an intimate acquaintanceship
with the musical libraries at Munich
Vienna, Bologna. Berlin. Paris and Lon
don and in this country. He is an &C
complished linguist. critic and historian,
and has contributed a number of valuable
books and essays to the literature of
music And in addition to all this he has
exceptional executive ability.
Aim of the Division.
1t was in 1902 that Mr. Sonneck as
sumed charge of the division of music
at the Library of Congress. and the plan
he formulated at that time for its devel-
opment has been followed in the main
since. 1t was briefly this: To place chief
emphasis on American productions; to
actively increase the library's collection
through purchase; to limit the collection
of music TO that written since 100; to in
crease. without limiting. the collection of
books on music. the aim being to ulti-
mately release the American scholar of
the necessity of consulting European Ii
braries except for extensive research.
The logic of this Is obvious. The OBJ
ject was to make a national record and
stimulate national art. Before 100 Amer
lea cannot be said to have had any
music of her own, and though the collec-
ton for the Library of Congress has been
made to include the works Of foreign
composers that have directly or Indirect
ly affected our own. still it would have
been the height of folly to have entered
into competition with European institu-
tions to obtain unique specimens of old
music which would have been COMPARE
lively valueless from this standpoint.
With the books. however it Is different.
They are not to be had in reprint editions
as is The music. nor are they so numer-
Gus In fact. of these it Is still possible
to acquire a fairly complete collection at
a cost not prohibitive. In other words,
the policy has been inclusive rather than
exclusive. practical rather than theoreti-
cal. the belief being that best provision
could be made for the future by gener-
ously considering the present.
No sooner was this plan formulated
than an active campaign was begun
Having determined what was wanted the
music division did not settle down to
await its chance arrival, but actively
reached out to obtain it, Lists were COM
piled with the utmost care and sent to
dealers in this country and abroad with
orders to report on all items, and in ref
erence to music where it could only be
found in other libraries, permission was
asked for the privilege of making tran
scriptions. i result is that instead of
slow conventional evolution. the collec-
tions in the Library of Congress of music
and books on music have grown by leaps
and bounds. until now. when only six
years have gone. ii is attracting the at
tention of students and critics of music
in all parts of the world.
Economical Acquisition.
1t should not be supposed for a mo-
ment. however, that the music division
of the Library of Congress has been
bull. up at great cost or that at its dis
posal have been placed unlimited means.
for such would be quite erroneous Its
system of acquisition has been econOmi-
cal as we'll as wise. In compiling and
issuing large lists Of wants it has saved