New-York tribune., 1921-12-18
By II. Z. krehbicl

.ould not have had had not one lived
many years in an environment which
nads the experiences possible. This
fact confronts us comfortingly when
ever We recall an incident which we
cannot relate without an Introductory
formula like Gilbcrt's "A-many years
sgo.s To begin with "Once upon q
tine" will not always serve, for often
the value of statement depends upon
is temporal definiteness. Yet there
are admirable and amiable people who
do not relish being written or talked
shout in the far-back past tense. We
have had prinaa donnas look reproach-
fully at Us and say: You're just dread
full! Was it necessary to say in what
rear was born?" Well, sometimes it
wasn't (perhaps-we are inclined to be
kind and considerably, but when date
was mentioned it was because we were
not critieizing or gossiping, but writ
ing history; and history without an
index Of time is like the story of the
owe Of Vioia's imaginary sister, a
blank.
Men who not only write history. but
help make it may be assumed to be
less sensitive than prima donnas on
the subject of their age, however,
especially if they have set down dates
upoJ their title pages. So, we fancy,
Mr.. 0. G. Sonneck will not feel
aggxieved if we say here that we first
locked upon, his fare some thirty i'd
years ago, when he came to US some
what timidly and asked advice as to
'-hat to do with some fifteen pounds
Of manuscript which he laid before US.
His manner was that of a foreigner,
though he informed us that he was
native of Jersey City. Whether or
not he told US about his education we
DO not recall, but it was not necessary
after look at his manuscript. No
body but one brought up in the aca-
dsmic atmosphere of Germany would
nave dreamed of gathering together and
ordering such mass of material about
musical doings in half dozen Ameri-
can cities during more than century
than he piled up before us. There
was material CLEANED by months of
reading in the gazettes, journals,
news letters, etc, preserved in New
York, Boston, Philadelphia. Charles
ton, Worcester and we do not remem-
Der how many other cities. Before me
sat the first real American investiga-
tor of original sources in musical his
tory whom l had ever seen. He was
a rare bird among musical writer's
then, and though he has bestirred him
self to that end he has not gathered
numerous companionship about himself
since.
1t is scarcely necesaary to say that
there was no publisher in New York
in 1891 of whom l could give Mr..
Sonneck an assurance that he would
consider the publication of his his
.orical records even fer a moment.
But year later the position of Chief
Of the Music Division of the Library of
Congress- was opened to him by Mr..
Putnam, and it was not long before
the public began to see the fruits of
mis- patient labor. From the Govern
ment Printing Office and other presses
cane monographs on early Concert
life in America" early OPERA"
4Bibliography of Secular American
Music," Oh the early composers Hop
sinson ond Lyon, on the patriotic
songs of the United States, the first
publications Of Stephen G. Foster, and
couple of fat volumes on the opera
librettcs published before the year
1900, which had been secured for the
Library of Congress under his admin
lstratlon. Some of this material was
40 doubt enveloped in the vast bundle
Of manuscript which / bad seen some
years before, but some was the result
q new researches, and what was un-
used Of the old is safely housed in
Washington for the nse OF future
historians.
A Group of Essays
In Book Form
Ar. Sonneck did not confne his writ
ngs to those which we have enumerat
%, however. Like his fellow historians
10 dermany, France and Italy, he made
"atrlbusions. to such publications as
ae "Rivista Musicale Italiana," the
ioufhal of the International Musical
o9elefy, "The Musical Quarterly" (of
aaisn ne Is editor), and the reports Of
'ae American Music Teachers Associa-
"a Some of these essays have now
Sa grouped between binders boards
saa published by the Macmillan Com
ysay under the general title "Miscnl-
,sssOus Studies in the History of
aas'c. In their preparation he has
~ Tue experienced help of DR.. Theo-
= oaKer, and the result is one that
cfeuit to American musical letters.
spS'as IN the accepted sense the es-
ss csnnat be called. They were not
a' Tor light reading, nor even for
M entertainment of serious music !
,"sfss though such entertainment can
n 'ssna In them by the willing mind. !
s sfs studies for students OF musi- |
A.ssory, some of them for iavestiga-
= special branches. To " a'se this
/ sn. We quote some of the titles: |
shs New Mise on Soana ,f uoyart,s I