New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-02-02
By Josef Holman

Our earliest libraries were, and had
10 be, strictly "literary" in character.
Their educational purposes were served
bv providing the great poetry and prose
If all the ages. from ancient to more
recent times. Gradually, however, as
the country merged from its early and
primitive conditions, the need began to
no felt of books other than those of
beautiful poetry and prose; of books
dealing with concrete and even with
abstract sciences. Still later, when
the appreciation of the fine arts of
painting, sculpture, architecture, be-
gan to spread over ever widening
circles, people looked again to the
libraries for books of an aesthetic char
acter, which gave-as far as it is pos
sible to do so-verbal explanation of
the canons and aesthetic laws under
lying these branches of art.
Now, of late years, there has been
a great awakening of the hitherto
somewhat dormant musical forces of
this country, and this rapidly spread
ing new interest devolves the duty
upon our public libraries to provide
for the fast growing demands, not only
of books on music, but of printed music
ITSELF
That this need was bound to arise
sooner or later has been long foreseen
By the advanced thinkers among libra
rians, and in very praseworthy man
ner they did provide of vocal and or
chestral scores whatever the means at
their disposal permitted, which-to
their regret-were not very large for
this particular purpose. Still, what
little there was of it, was of some help
to those music students to whom such
scores were of special interest But
what is-what can ever be-their num-
Der when compared with the hosts of
those whose musical interest centres
in the literature of the piano: Of the
instrument that was the friend and
confidant of practically all the greatest
master composers and upon which they
have showered the gift of the choicest
and the most numerous literature; Of
literature which in musical merit and
historical significance stands second to
nsne. Yet this rich literature is in the
40
poorly represented-not to speak of
modern works, which are almost total
u absent This is regrettable for more
reasons than can be enumerated here
in detail, but the mention of few OIL
them may perhaps suffice to support
the present plea.
A piano student who aims higher
than at mere keyboard dexterity is
obliged to study the styles, forms, con-
structions and characteristics of the
old and modern master composers.
While this would necessitate the learn
ing Of great many works of each mas
ter, it lies in the enormous extent of
piano literature that-with executive
adequacy--he can learn only very few
OF each kind and type; too few, indeed,
to give him a full comprehension of
the elements just mentioned. For, by
playing only one or two of his sonatas
be can no more gain comprehensive
idea of the vast musical meaning i'm
Piled by the word Beethoven than he
I'll =
Shakespeare by reading only one or two
Of his sonnets. The piano student
should, therefore, be given an oppor-
tunity to become usually acquainted
with those works which he has not the
time to master technically. AnalyzingI
them on paper, comparing the work.
manship of the several masters With
that Of their precursors and contempt
rariss, obtaining thus fair estimate
Of the giss and sum total Of great
masters life work; familiarizing him
self with ten or twenty times as many
works as he can actually play-all this
viii deepen his understanding of it that
the great variety of forms and con-
ssructions are of purely aesthetic origin
and that they are the living organism
Of music.
But how and where is the student to
bad all these works? Purchase them :?
IN the vast majority of cases the stu
dents cannot pay for more than the
music and books which they need for
'heir lessons, and even this in many
ezses entails a sacrifice of some COM
forts-if not Of necessities. Buying
music for historical, comparative or
ssthetic study is therefore, as rule,
snt Of the question
The Uses of Reference Library
Here, then, is one of the many phases