Dictionnaire des éditeurs de musique français. Tome I: Des origines à environ 1820 by AnikDevriès; François LesureReview by: Lenore CoralNotes, Second Series, Vol. 37, No. 1 (Sep., 1980), pp. 61-62Published by: Music Library AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/940267 .

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Book Reviews Book Reviews Book Reviews

specialized a volume, if only because the reading population of bagpipe players and music historians interested in the instru- ment is relatively small, and because the heart of the book seems really to be over- seas. Nonetheless, Cannon has put together a valuable account of British pipes and their music, while at the same time unearthing a rather obscure segment in the history of music publishing.

AMY AARON

The Juilliard School

Orchestral Music in Print. Edited by Margaret K. Farish. Philadelphia: Mu- sicdata Inc., 1980. [1029 p.; $60.00]

The fifth issue in Musicdata's ongoing Music-in-Print series pursues the format and organizational procedures of previous volumes. The publisher claims to include "more than 44,000 entries of orchestral works currently available for sale or rent from music publishers .. ." Composers and cross-referenced titles are interfiled. Intelligent editorial intervention weeds out those trivialities of ordering to which computer-data-based lists are prone. Among the information given is instru- mentation, timing, publisher, and publish- er's catalogue number. The page format is tricolumnar, with an eye-destroying 6 or 7 point lightweight sans-serif typeface. Running heads, which would be exception- ally useful at this low level of decipherabil- ity, are absent.

Orchestral Music in Print is a major ad- vance in bringing the bulk of orchestral music performance materials currently available in commerce under informal bib- liographic control, but it should not be taken as the complete and final authority on what happened to be available at the time the book went to press. The editor/compiler's total reliance upon secondary sources of information has resulted in pervasive small ambiguities, and some sizeable lacunae. It leaps to the eye, for example, that most (if not all) of Universal Edition's for-sale orchestra music is not listed. A major gap is in the production of Haydn-Mozart Presse, Salzburg, whose performance ma- terials are in many cases the only modern edition of a Haydn symphony available in parts. That's a block of more than fifty symphonic works of major importance left

specialized a volume, if only because the reading population of bagpipe players and music historians interested in the instru- ment is relatively small, and because the heart of the book seems really to be over- seas. Nonetheless, Cannon has put together a valuable account of British pipes and their music, while at the same time unearthing a rather obscure segment in the history of music publishing.

AMY AARON

The Juilliard School

Orchestral Music in Print. Edited by Margaret K. Farish. Philadelphia: Mu- sicdata Inc., 1980. [1029 p.; $60.00]

The fifth issue in Musicdata's ongoing Music-in-Print series pursues the format and organizational procedures of previous volumes. The publisher claims to include "more than 44,000 entries of orchestral works currently available for sale or rent from music publishers .. ." Composers and cross-referenced titles are interfiled. Intelligent editorial intervention weeds out those trivialities of ordering to which computer-data-based lists are prone. Among the information given is instru- mentation, timing, publisher, and publish- er's catalogue number. The page format is tricolumnar, with an eye-destroying 6 or 7 point lightweight sans-serif typeface. Running heads, which would be exception- ally useful at this low level of decipherabil- ity, are absent.

Orchestral Music in Print is a major ad- vance in bringing the bulk of orchestral music performance materials currently available in commerce under informal bib- liographic control, but it should not be taken as the complete and final authority on what happened to be available at the time the book went to press. The editor/compiler's total reliance upon secondary sources of information has resulted in pervasive small ambiguities, and some sizeable lacunae. It leaps to the eye, for example, that most (if not all) of Universal Edition's for-sale orchestra music is not listed. A major gap is in the production of Haydn-Mozart Presse, Salzburg, whose performance ma- terials are in many cases the only modern edition of a Haydn symphony available in parts. That's a block of more than fifty symphonic works of major importance left

specialized a volume, if only because the reading population of bagpipe players and music historians interested in the instru- ment is relatively small, and because the heart of the book seems really to be over- seas. Nonetheless, Cannon has put together a valuable account of British pipes and their music, while at the same time unearthing a rather obscure segment in the history of music publishing.

AMY AARON

The Juilliard School

Orchestral Music in Print. Edited by Margaret K. Farish. Philadelphia: Mu- sicdata Inc., 1980. [1029 p.; $60.00]

The fifth issue in Musicdata's ongoing Music-in-Print series pursues the format and organizational procedures of previous volumes. The publisher claims to include "more than 44,000 entries of orchestral works currently available for sale or rent from music publishers .. ." Composers and cross-referenced titles are interfiled. Intelligent editorial intervention weeds out those trivialities of ordering to which computer-data-based lists are prone. Among the information given is instru- mentation, timing, publisher, and publish- er's catalogue number. The page format is tricolumnar, with an eye-destroying 6 or 7 point lightweight sans-serif typeface. Running heads, which would be exception- ally useful at this low level of decipherabil- ity, are absent.

Orchestral Music in Print is a major ad- vance in bringing the bulk of orchestral music performance materials currently available in commerce under informal bib- liographic control, but it should not be taken as the complete and final authority on what happened to be available at the time the book went to press. The editor/compiler's total reliance upon secondary sources of information has resulted in pervasive small ambiguities, and some sizeable lacunae. It leaps to the eye, for example, that most (if not all) of Universal Edition's for-sale orchestra music is not listed. A major gap is in the production of Haydn-Mozart Presse, Salzburg, whose performance ma- terials are in many cases the only modern edition of a Haydn symphony available in parts. That's a block of more than fifty symphonic works of major importance left

out of Farish's compilation. Single works of many periods also omitted here but known by the reviewer to be available are too many to bear enumeration.

Music published for avowedly education- al purposes has been isolated in a separate section of sixty pages at the back of the book. This list is also made available separately, and should be of consuming interest to secondary school and university orchestra directors. The publisher/agency directory is as accurate as it could be in a volatile marketplace. The publisher promises annual supplements to the entire series, which should also serve as an oppor- tunity for the repair of omissions from the main volumes.

Competent music retailers and all or- chestral librarians will find immediate ap- plication for Orchestral Music in Print. In eliminating searching time, they will find it a decided bargain at the price. Although at the level of individual entries, it preserves the vagaries of music publishers' catalogues whole, it eliminates their often arbitrary listings by medium. Of equal importance, it replaces those highly non-uniform ranks of catalogues on the shelf (or in the file drawer) with a relatively compact and con- sistent single source.

JOHN D. WISER Radio WDST, Woodstock, New York

Dictionnaire des editeurs de musique franVais. Tome I: Des origines a en- viron 1820. Edited by Anik Devries and Francois Lesure. (Archives de l'e- dition musicale frangaise, 4.) Geneva: Editions Minkoff, 1979. [2 vols.; 280.00F]

In his pioneering study of the Parisian music publishing trade, A Dictionary of Parisian music publishers, 1700-1950 (Lon- don, 1954), Cecil Hopkinson concluded his introduction with the hope that his work would not have to wait fifty years until a second edition was called for. In fact only one year later Cari Johansson's important study of a more select group of French publishers, French music publishers'catalogues of the second half of the eighteenth century (Stockholm, 1955), was issued. But it has taken twenty-five years for a new dictionary of French music publishers to appear.

out of Farish's compilation. Single works of many periods also omitted here but known by the reviewer to be available are too many to bear enumeration.

Music published for avowedly education- al purposes has been isolated in a separate section of sixty pages at the back of the book. This list is also made available separately, and should be of consuming interest to secondary school and university orchestra directors. The publisher/agency directory is as accurate as it could be in a volatile marketplace. The publisher promises annual supplements to the entire series, which should also serve as an oppor- tunity for the repair of omissions from the main volumes.

Competent music retailers and all or- chestral librarians will find immediate ap- plication for Orchestral Music in Print. In eliminating searching time, they will find it a decided bargain at the price. Although at the level of individual entries, it preserves the vagaries of music publishers' catalogues whole, it eliminates their often arbitrary listings by medium. Of equal importance, it replaces those highly non-uniform ranks of catalogues on the shelf (or in the file drawer) with a relatively compact and con- sistent single source.

JOHN D. WISER Radio WDST, Woodstock, New York

Dictionnaire des editeurs de musique franVais. Tome I: Des origines a en- viron 1820. Edited by Anik Devries and Francois Lesure. (Archives de l'e- dition musicale frangaise, 4.) Geneva: Editions Minkoff, 1979. [2 vols.; 280.00F]

In his pioneering study of the Parisian music publishing trade, A Dictionary of Parisian music publishers, 1700-1950 (Lon- don, 1954), Cecil Hopkinson concluded his introduction with the hope that his work would not have to wait fifty years until a second edition was called for. In fact only one year later Cari Johansson's important study of a more select group of French publishers, French music publishers'catalogues of the second half of the eighteenth century (Stockholm, 1955), was issued. But it has taken twenty-five years for a new dictionary of French music publishers to appear.

out of Farish's compilation. Single works of many periods also omitted here but known by the reviewer to be available are too many to bear enumeration.

Music published for avowedly education- al purposes has been isolated in a separate section of sixty pages at the back of the book. This list is also made available separately, and should be of consuming interest to secondary school and university orchestra directors. The publisher/agency directory is as accurate as it could be in a volatile marketplace. The publisher promises annual supplements to the entire series, which should also serve as an oppor- tunity for the repair of omissions from the main volumes.

Competent music retailers and all or- chestral librarians will find immediate ap- plication for Orchestral Music in Print. In eliminating searching time, they will find it a decided bargain at the price. Although at the level of individual entries, it preserves the vagaries of music publishers' catalogues whole, it eliminates their often arbitrary listings by medium. Of equal importance, it replaces those highly non-uniform ranks of catalogues on the shelf (or in the file drawer) with a relatively compact and con- sistent single source.

JOHN D. WISER Radio WDST, Woodstock, New York

Dictionnaire des editeurs de musique franVais. Tome I: Des origines a en- viron 1820. Edited by Anik Devries and Francois Lesure. (Archives de l'e- dition musicale frangaise, 4.) Geneva: Editions Minkoff, 1979. [2 vols.; 280.00F]

In his pioneering study of the Parisian music publishing trade, A Dictionary of Parisian music publishers, 1700-1950 (Lon- don, 1954), Cecil Hopkinson concluded his introduction with the hope that his work would not have to wait fifty years until a second edition was called for. In fact only one year later Cari Johansson's important study of a more select group of French publishers, French music publishers'catalogues of the second half of the eighteenth century (Stockholm, 1955), was issued. But it has taken twenty-five years for a new dictionary of French music publishers to appear.

61 61 61

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MLA Notes, September 1980 MLA Notes, September 1980

The work at hand, called volume 1 in two parts, covers the period from the be- ginning of French music publishing in the 1520s to about 1820. Its raison d'etre, as with the earlier publications, is two-fold. Most simply it provides us with a basic summary of historical information about the many firms which produced French music publications during this time. More important, it helps us to solve the perenially vexing problem of dating these firms' output. In France as in much of western Europe, the development of music printing from engraved plates provided the means for reissuing editions at moderate cost. But this was coupled with the temptation for the publisher to omit dates from his plates, thus disguising the age of his product.

The problems of dating music published after about 1660 are numerous and their solutions are rarely simple. Devries and Lesure have utilized a range of available resources: archival records, announce- ments of publications in dated journals, and datable tax stamps. Finally, they have built up a record of addresses from which each of the firms operated over the course of time.

Part 1 of volume 1 is a dictionary of music publishers. After an outline of the methods employed, the user will find an alphabetical directory of Parisian music printers, pub- lishers, and dealers. The impossible task of separating different functions, especially in this early period, is discussed in the preface. The alphabetical list immediately presents a puzzle for it begins with the letter B, excluding Allouel, Armant, and Aubert, who all appear in the Hopkinson list, and even Attaingnant-the father of it all! The Parisian list is followed by a list of music publishers in the provinces arranged by city. This list is much shorter, partly because of the concentration of the trade in Paris but also because outside of Lyon, the second music trade center, little archival work has yet been done. Here, among others, one finds publishers who began their careers in Paris but finished in the provinces-alas without reference to them in the Parisian section of the Dictionnaire. It would also have been helpful if running heads for the cities had been provided.

The second part-and second physical volume-contains facsimiles of some of the catalogues of some of the publishers listed in the first part. These catalogues are rather

The work at hand, called volume 1 in two parts, covers the period from the be- ginning of French music publishing in the 1520s to about 1820. Its raison d'etre, as with the earlier publications, is two-fold. Most simply it provides us with a basic summary of historical information about the many firms which produced French music publications during this time. More important, it helps us to solve the perenially vexing problem of dating these firms' output. In France as in much of western Europe, the development of music printing from engraved plates provided the means for reissuing editions at moderate cost. But this was coupled with the temptation for the publisher to omit dates from his plates, thus disguising the age of his product.

The problems of dating music published after about 1660 are numerous and their solutions are rarely simple. Devries and Lesure have utilized a range of available resources: archival records, announce- ments of publications in dated journals, and datable tax stamps. Finally, they have built up a record of addresses from which each of the firms operated over the course of time.

Part 1 of volume 1 is a dictionary of music publishers. After an outline of the methods employed, the user will find an alphabetical directory of Parisian music printers, pub- lishers, and dealers. The impossible task of separating different functions, especially in this early period, is discussed in the preface. The alphabetical list immediately presents a puzzle for it begins with the letter B, excluding Allouel, Armant, and Aubert, who all appear in the Hopkinson list, and even Attaingnant-the father of it all! The Parisian list is followed by a list of music publishers in the provinces arranged by city. This list is much shorter, partly because of the concentration of the trade in Paris but also because outside of Lyon, the second music trade center, little archival work has yet been done. Here, among others, one finds publishers who began their careers in Paris but finished in the provinces-alas without reference to them in the Parisian section of the Dictionnaire. It would also have been helpful if running heads for the cities had been provided.

The second part-and second physical volume-contains facsimiles of some of the catalogues of some of the publishers listed in the first part. These catalogues are rather

sketchily indexed at the end of Part 1 -no attempt has been made to identify the majority of the works advertised. The reproductions themselves, while presented at close to actual size (no scale is given), are in many cases difficult if not impossible to read. This legibility problem also effects the printed text in Part 1.

Still Devries and Lesure have carefully culled a large number of sources and have provided us with more firmly dated ad- dresses than Hopkinson was able to do. In addition most of the entries have short biographical notes into which clues to the succession of the firm are often tucked. When it is germane, the editors have also given lists of plate numbers with the appro- priate assignable dates.

The authors promise eventually to bring us to the twentieth century. Let us hope that they then include an index, so that it will be clear where we can find those firms whose dates do not clearly place them in one volume or the other, and which will also furnish some clearer way of linking the succession of firms. These volumes should find a place in every music research library. They will provide a stepping stone on the path to the expanding study of French music publishing.

LENORE CORAL

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Les instruments de musique egyp- tiens au Musee du Louvre. By Chris- tiane Ziegler. Paris: Editions de la Re- union des Musees Nationaux, 1979. [135 p.; F180.00]

The purpose of a catalogue is to tell what is in a collection and why it is important. Since no description of an object can tell all one might need to know about it, a balance must be struck between essential description and overwhelming but still necessarily incomplete detail. Christiane Ziegler's catalogue of ancient Egyptian in- struments at the Louvre achieves a sensible compromise and presents its highly impor- tant material in a suitably attractive manner, with clear photos (three in color) and help- ful typography. Physical descriptions (in- cluding metallurgical analyses, but with un- derstandably little attention to acoustics) are succinct, logically arranged, and apparently

sketchily indexed at the end of Part 1 -no attempt has been made to identify the majority of the works advertised. The reproductions themselves, while presented at close to actual size (no scale is given), are in many cases difficult if not impossible to read. This legibility problem also effects the printed text in Part 1.

Still Devries and Lesure have carefully culled a large number of sources and have provided us with more firmly dated ad- dresses than Hopkinson was able to do. In addition most of the entries have short biographical notes into which clues to the succession of the firm are often tucked. When it is germane, the editors have also given lists of plate numbers with the appro- priate assignable dates.

The authors promise eventually to bring us to the twentieth century. Let us hope that they then include an index, so that it will be clear where we can find those firms whose dates do not clearly place them in one volume or the other, and which will also furnish some clearer way of linking the succession of firms. These volumes should find a place in every music research library. They will provide a stepping stone on the path to the expanding study of French music publishing.

LENORE CORAL

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Les instruments de musique egyp- tiens au Musee du Louvre. By Chris- tiane Ziegler. Paris: Editions de la Re- union des Musees Nationaux, 1979. [135 p.; F180.00]

The purpose of a catalogue is to tell what is in a collection and why it is important. Since no description of an object can tell all one might need to know about it, a balance must be struck between essential description and overwhelming but still necessarily incomplete detail. Christiane Ziegler's catalogue of ancient Egyptian in- struments at the Louvre achieves a sensible compromise and presents its highly impor- tant material in a suitably attractive manner, with clear photos (three in color) and help- ful typography. Physical descriptions (in- cluding metallurgical analyses, but with un- derstandably little attention to acoustics) are succinct, logically arranged, and apparently

62 62

This content downloaded from 194.29.185.82 on Sat, 14 Jun 2014 10:39:51 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions