2004

BH -- Music

Komponisten-Lexikon: 350 werkgeschichtliche Porträts [Composer Encyclopedia: 350 Portraits of Composers and their Works]. Ed. Horst Weber. 2d rev. and expanded ed. Stuttgart; Weimar: Metzler; Kassel [et al.]: Bärenreiter, 2003. 715 p. 24 cm. ISBN 3-476-01966-7 (Metzler), 3-7618-2033-X (Bärenreiter): EUR 49.90 [04-1-224]

The first edition of this work appeared in 1992, with 340 articles, as the Metzler-Komponisten-Lexikon. Now under a new title, this second edition includes 350 “of the most important composers from the Middle Ages to the present,” with special emphasis on the 20th century. As the subtitle implies, the focus lies on the works of the composers, not on their biographies. Most of the signed articles have been updated. Forty new names have been added, and about 30 previously included composers have been cut, among them Samuel Barber and Sylvano Bussotti. Bibliographic information has been updated to the year 2003. The small portraits of composers in the first edition have been eliminated in the second. As in the first edition, there is no chronological index, nor are there lists of the composers’ works, which would have been desirable. The work is recommended for libraries as a good one-volume reference handbook that gives a concise overview of the material, but which, especially for libraries in Englishspeaking countries, is not indispensable. [mr/akb]

Deutsche biographische Enzyklopädie der Musik [German Biographical Encyclopedia of Music]. Ed. Bruno Jahn. 2 vols. München: Saur, 2003. xiv, 1,409 p. 25 cm. ISBN 3-598-11586-5: EUR 268 [04-1-227]

A specialized offprint of the Deutsche biographische Enzyklopädie (DBE), the present work parallels similarly focused biographical encyclopedias of German philosophy, German medicine, and the German Enlightenment. The present work includes entries for more than 6,000 deceased individuals who influenced musical life in German-speaking lands, including 2,400 composers. The work includes 400 entries not appearing in the DBE or the numerous revised DBE entries and bibliographical additions. The additions and revisions, however, are limited in scale and do not constitute a significant variation from what is included in the parent work. At the same time, details have been clarified, such as specific instrument or voice range for performers. The entries are indexed by chronology, profession, name, and place. For collections that include the parent DBE, the music encyclopedia may not be of great benefit, but it may be of use in specialized music libraries that do not possess the DBE. [mr/dfb]

Quellen zur Geschichte emigrierter Musiker 1933-1950 = Sources Relating to the History of Émigré Musicians, 1933-1950. Ed. Horst Weber. München: Saur. 25 cm. ISBN 3-598-23745-6 (set) [04-1-228]

1. Kalifornien = California. Ed. Horst Weber and Manuela Schwartz. 2003. lii, 364 p. ISBN 3-598-23746-4: EUR 78

The present volume resulted from a Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft project on émigré musicians and, as funding allows, is planned to be complemented by volumes focusing on sources in the eastern United States, Europe, and Israel. The first section of the present volume lists collections of sources in alphabetical order by location and holding institution. The listings provide addresses of institutions; names, nature, provenance, means of access to, and content of collections; as well as references to related collections and relevant literature. Previously unknown sources are given priority over otherwise documented sources, such as music manuscripts. The second section assembles selected documents in order to demonstrate characteristics of life in exile. The volume includes name and collection indexes. [mr/dfb]

Komponisten der Gegenwart im Deutschen Komponistenverband: ein Handbuch [Contemporary Composers in the German Composers Union: A Handbook]. Ed. Deutscher Komponistenverband. 5th ed. Regensburg: ConBrio-Verlagsgesellschaft, 2000. xiv, 1,419 p. ill. ISBN 3-932581-34-2: EUR 38.35 [04-1-229]

Like previous editions (published under previous names of the same organization, e.g., Deutschen Komponisten-Interessenverband), this fifth edition contains information submitted by the individuals listed. The 1,358 entries include address, date of birth and death (as applicable, and in ca. 150 instances the rights holders for the deceased’s works), a short biography, honors, a selected list of the composer’s major works, and short references to other compositions. The list of major works includes title, opus number, date of composition, genre and instrumentation, and publisher and recordings (as applicable). A selective comparison with the fourth edition suggests that the scope of the new edition is not significantly different and that revisions of its content are inconsistent. The volume includes an index of composers’ works by genre and a calendar of birthdates and commemorations. [sh/dfb]

Dresdner Liste: Musikstadt Dresden und nationalsozialistische Judenverfolgung 1933-1945 in Wort und Bild; ein Beitrag zur Dresdner Musikgeschichte [The Dresden List: Music City Dresden and the National Socialist Persecution of Jews, 1933-1945, in Words and Pictures. A Contribution to the History of Music in Dresden]. Agata Schindler. Dresden: Schindler, 2003. 120 p. ill. 30 cm. EUR 15 plus postage (Dr. Agata Schindler, Prohliser Str. 24, D-01237 Dresden, e-mail: agata-achim@t-online.de) [04-1-230]

Many books on the history of music in the National Socialist era have been written in recent years, dealing variously with composition, production, performance, and theory. All of these areas are synthesized in this work, as it focuses on a narrowly defined subject matter. Agata Schindler has made research on the Jewish music community in Dresden her life’s work. Her considerable collection of memorabilia provided her with the essence as well as the illustrative matter for this book, which covers 151 Dresden musicians comprising the “Dresden List,” of whom 71 were completely excluded from the Dresden’s music scene after 1933. Twelve representative biographies demonstrate the substantial contributions the Jewish community had for centuries made to the Dresden music scene, both sacred and profane, underscoring their loss after 1933. The organization of this clearly laid-out treatise is reminiscent of an exhibition catalog. Schindler’s portrait of Jews in the musical life of Dresden is of more than narrow local interest; it serves to remind us of talented creative people who were outcasts purely for reasons of race. [frh/hh]

Neue Tabellen zur Musikgeschichte [New Chronology of Music History]. Arnold Schering and Frank Reinisch. Wiesbaden: Breitkopf & Härtel, 2003. viii, 264 p. 24 cm. ISBN 3-7651-0340-3: EUR 22.50 [04-1-231]

A sixth edition of a work first published in 1914, the current volume presents a chronology of music history from antiquity to 2002. Information within each year is listed within one of six categories: biography, musical works, secondary literature, collected and monument editions, popular music, and other musical events. Included for reference are the dates of important events in politics, philosophy, literature, art, film, science, and other relevant dates. There are name and place indexes. As with its previous editions, this work is very useful in any library with a music collection. [mr/dfb]

Lexikon “Musik über Musik”: Variationen, Transkriptionen, Hommagen, Stilimitationen, B-A-C-H [Lexicon of “Music about Music”: Variations, Transcriptions, Homages, Stylistic Imitations, B-A-C-H]. Klaus Schneider. Kassel: Bärenreiter, 2004. 421 p. 25 cm. ISBN 3-7618-1675-8: EUR 39.95 [04-2-481]

Whoever thought the tireless bibliographer of program music Klaus Schneider had exhausted the theme with his two-volume Lexikon Programmusik [Lexicon of Program Music] (see RREA 7:177) learns otherwise with the appearance of his new lexicon. This counterpart to Schneider’s earlier publication lists approximately 8,600 instrumental works by 2,900 composers, works that have some identifiable connection with preexisting musical works and their creators. The lexicon is organized into four parts: (1) music about individual composers and their works, variations “on a theme by …,” homages to musicians, and special arrangements or adaptations of approximately 820 influential composers and interpreters of music; (2) music based on selected folk themes and traditional melodies; (3) stylistic imitations, and variations in the style of various masters; (4) music about playing an instrument, further organized into three sections: musicians, music performance, and concerts; the orchestra; and music about individual instruments. Entries for each work include title, associated persons, opus or thematic number, and publisher. Publishers and edition series are given with locations in an appendix. An index provides access by composer and arranger.

Although the lexicon does not list compositions in national musical styles, we can expect such a work in the foreseeable future, according to Schneider’s introduction. [sh/rm]

Musiker in Brandenburg vom 16. Jahrhundert bis zur Gegenwart [Musicians in Brandenburg from the 16th Century to the Present]. Vera Grützner. Berlin: Jaron, 2004. 320 p. 22 cm. ISBN 3-89773-507-5: EUR 16 [04-2-483]

Covering over 400 musicians from the Brandenburg region of Germany, this biographical dictionary also includes people whose work was relevant to music, even if they were not musicians themselves. Non-Brandenburgers whose activities touched on the area (e.g., the composers Paul Dessau, Michael Praetorius, Johann Joachim Quantz, and Carl Friedrich Zelter) are also listed. Not included are musicians from Berlin (a part of historic Brandenburg) and those who fall under the rubric “popular music.” Each entry lists compositions and bibliographic references selectively. There are indexes by name and places. This work belongs in serious music collections. [mr/sl]

Biographisch-bibliographisches Lexikon Celler Musiker, Komponisten, Sänger, Instrumentalmusiker, Musikpädagogen, Musikwissenschaftler, Instrumentenbauer, Glockengießer, Musikverleger, Musikalienhändler und Musiktherapeuten [Biobibliographic Encyclopedia of Musicians, Composers, Singers, Instrumentalists, Music Educators, Musicologists, Instrument Makers, Bell Casters, Music Publishers, Music Score Sellers, and Music Therapists in Celle]. Harald Müller. Celle: Stadt Celle, 2003. vii, 383 p. ill. 24 cm. (Celler Beiträge zur Landes- und Kulturgeschichte, 31). ISBN 3-925902-50-3: EUR 15.80 (Stadt Celle, Stadtarchiv, Westerceller Str. 10, D-29227 Celle, e-mail: stadtarchiv@celle.de) [04-2-484]

As the author of numerous articles and publications on the musical history of Celle, Germany, as well as a contributor to the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians and Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart, Harald Müller is well qualified. Arrangement of the entries in this work is alphabetical, and the customary biographical data and content are provided. In addition to a bibliography, there are seven specialty appendixes devoted to distinctive groups of individuals from Celle’s musical life. An opening historical section, along with photographs of the city and its various concert halls, would seem to attest to the author’s desire eventually to create a music history of Celle. Such locally focused works are welcome, although their market is understandably regional or among comprehensive collections. [mr/rlk]

Die Musik in den Zeitschriften des 18. Jahrhunderts: eine Bibliographie; mit Datenbank auf CD-ROM [Music in 18th-Century Journals: A Bibliography; with a Database on CD-ROM]. Ed. Laurenz Lütteken, Gudula Schütz, and Karsten Mackensen. Kassel [et al.]: Bärenreiter, 2004. viii, 450 p. 25 cm. + CD-ROM. (Catalogus musicus, 18). ISBN 3-7618-1757-6: EUR 39.95 [04-2-485]

Intended as a supplement to the Index deutschsprachiger Zeitschriften, 1750-1815, this volume indexes the music-related content (3,333 articles, reviews, etc. and 663 pieces of music) from 201 periodicals—both general/cultural interest journals and those with a focus on music. Journals from southern Germany, Switzerland, and Austria have been excluded, presumably because the library that served as the index’s primary source is insufficiently staffed and, being in the north, has a correspondingly skewed collection. (The stated justification, however, is the old and unjust prejudice that the primarily Catholic south was an intellectual backwater at the time of the Enlightenment.) It is not clear to what extent this index duplicates entries in other indexes to journals of the period. The printed volume contains the bibliography (first a bibliography of the indexed journals, then of the articles by author), which is indexed by the CD-ROM (using categories such as personal name, subject keywords, and text genres). The manual for the CD-ROM is well thought-out and organized, but the interface is not always what one would wish. (The use of diacritics is not optional, for example, and the user cannot opt out of automatic truncation in full-text searches.) This work belongs in every serious music library. [mr/sl]

Dictionnaire de la musique en France au XIXe siècle [Dictionary of Music in France in the 19th Century]. Ed. Joël-Marie Fauquet. Paris: Fayard, 2003. xv, 1,406 p. ill. music. 25 cm. ISBN 2-213-59316-7: EUR 100 [04-2-486]

Dictionnaire de la musique en France aux XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles [Dictionary of Music in France in the 17th and 18th Centuries]. Ed. Marcelle Benoit. Paris: Fayard, 1992. xvi, 811 p. ill. music. 25 cm. ISBN 2-213-02824-9: EUR 100 [04-2-487]

The formulation “in France” rather than “French” is intentional in these works, for their content encompasses foreign music (mainly Italian and German) in France, as well as the reciprocal influences between French and foreign music within France. Both works have similar organization and scope, presenting music within its respective historical and social contexts, and including articles on persons, works, places, and topics. Contributors to both titles are overwhelmingly French.

The Dictionnaire de la musique en France au XIXe siècle contains ca. 3,000 entries, which lack secondary bibliographies. In the case of articles on persons, French composers’ works are listed but those of foreigners are not, unless—as, for example, in the case of Liszt—they relate to the French context. There are many useful tables and topical overviews (e.g., a list of Spanish musicians in France included in the article on Spain). There is a systematically organized end-bibliography with mainly French titles, and a thematic index.

The Dictionnaire de la musique en France aux XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles comprises ca. 2,500 entries; these contain primary and secondary bibliographies, and references to a numbered end-bibliography of 1,751 titles representing the majority of publications relating to French music of the 17th and 18th centuries. A thematic index is included. Without question, both of these dictionaries belong in every library with music holdings. [mr/rlk]

Dictionnaire Berlioz [Berlioz Dictionary]. Ed. Pierre Citron and Cécile Reynaud. Paris: Fayard, 2003. 631 p. 24 cm. ISBN 2-213-61528-4: EUR 35 [04-2-488]

The Dictionnaire Berlioz was published in 2003 in observance of the composer’s 200th birthday. The editors number three Frenchmen (Professor emeritus Pierre Citron of the Sorbonne; Cécile Reynaud of the Bibliothèque nationale de France; Pierre Bartoli of the Sorbonne) and an American (Peter Bloom of Smith College). The dictionary contains some 600 articles by 84 French, English, German, Swiss, American, and Canadian authors. The articles, of various lengths, are all signed by their authors, and cover persons, works, topics, places, journals, and institutions. Bibliographical references are not included in the articles themselves but are gathered in a separate bibliography on p. 599-606. The bibliography is in six sections: (1) modern editions of the musical works; (2) modern editions of the literary works; (3) a complete list of Berlioz’ works; (4) publications cited in the signed articles; (5) journals; and (6) web sites. The index is organized into five sections: (1) musical and literary works; (2) persons, with subgroups for musicians, artists, authors, scholars, statesmen, publishers, and patrons; (3) journals and institutions; (4) subjects; and (5) places. The Dictionnaire Berlioz is clearly of interest to libraries with music collections. [mr/crc]

N.B. The Berlioz anniversary in 2003 also produced the following noteworthy publications:

• Hector Berlioz in Deutschland : Texte und Dokumente zur deutschen Berlioz-Rezeption (1829-1843) [Hector Berlioz in Germany: Texts and Documents Relating to the Reception of Berlioz in Germany, 1829-1843]. Ed. Gunther Braam and Arnold Jacobshagen. Göttingen: Hainholz, 2002. xxxv, 641 p. music, 23 cm. (Hainholz Musikwissenschaft, 4). ISBN 3-932622-42-1: EUR 99

• Berlioz, Wagner und die Deutschen [Berlioz, Wagner, and the Germans]. Ed. Sieghart Döhring. Köln-Rheinkassel: Dohr, 2003. 343 p. ill. music. 25 cm. ISBN 3-936655-05-7: EUR 49.80

• Hector Berlioz : Autobiographie als Kunstentwurf [Hector Berlioz: Autobiography as Artistic Design]. Klaus Heinrich Kohrs. Frankfurt am Main; Basel: Stroemfeld, 2003. 244 p. ill. music. 23 cm. (Roter Stern). ISBN 3-87877-872-4: EUR 22

• Der romantische Weg im Frühwerk von Hector Berlioz [Romanticism in Hector Berlioz’ Early Work]. Oliver Vogel. Stuttgart: Steiner, 2003. 385 p. ill. music. (Beihefte zum Archiv für Musikwissenschaft, 53). ISBN 3-515-08336-7: EUR 68

L’opera di Luigi Dallapiccola: catalogo ragionato [The Works of Luigi Dallapiccola: Catalogue Raisonné]. Mario Ruffini. Milano: Suvini Zerboni, 2002. 542 p. ill. 24 cm. ISBN 88-900691-0-4: EUR 62 [04-2-490]

This catalog of the oeuvre of Luigi Dallapiccola, the most significant Italian composer of twelve-tone music, was compiled by Mario Ruffini, who is a professor at the Conservatorio Statale di Musica “Francesco Venezze” di Rovigo. The catalog is laid out in chronological order, with the intent of allowing the user to understand the development over time of the composer’s musical thought.

The 71 numbered entries cover each of the composer’s works. Ranging in length from one to three pages, they contain the usual elements: bibliographical references, discographies, critical evaluation, quotes by Dallapiccola and other personalities, and the full text of vocal works (with the exception of the operas; the complete libretti of four of Dallapiccola’s seven operas that were “available for publication” are printed in a separate appendix).

There are a number of additional features: a chronological overview of the composer’s life; several essays of critical appreciation; 55 illustrations; a chronological list of the composer’s written works; a chronological list of the musical compositions, with year of composition and year of first publication; an alphabetical index of the compositions; an index of works according to genre; a discography; a list of historical recordings; a list of honors awarded to Dallapiccola; a list of Dallapiccola’s publishers; a list of exhibitions and memorial celebrations; a survey of Dallapiccola’s connections to the Conservatorio “Luigi Cherubini” in Florence and to the Maggio musicale fiorentino; an index to Dallapiccola’s correspondents, grouped into individual persons and institutions; and finally, a bibliography of works about Dallapiccola, including a list of articles about the composer that appeared in Florence’s major newspaper, La nazione. [mr/crc]

Jean-Philippe Rameau: catalogue thématique des oeuvres musicales [Jean-Philippe Rameau: Thematic Catalog of Musical Works]. Paris: CNRS Éditions; Bibliothèque Nationale de France. 30 cm. (Opera omnia de Rameau. Sér. 6. Érudition, 1, Catalogue thématique des oeuvres …). [04-2-491]

Vol. 2. Livrets [Libretti]. Ed. Sylvie Bouissou and Denis Herlin. 2003. 409 p. ill. (Sciences de la musique: série références, …, 2). ISBN 2-271-06173-3 (CNRS), ISBN 2-7177-2233-5 (BNF): EUR 45

The Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764) thematic catalog (RCT = Rameau Catalogue Thématique) comprises part 1 of series 6 (Érudition) of the seven-volume Rameau Opera Omnia, edited by Sylvie Bouissou et al. (Paris, 1997- ). The RCT itself comprises five volumes, of which the first to be published is volume 2, devoted to the libretti of Rameau’s works for the stage. The volume is arranged in two sections; the first lists all versions of a libretto by title of the work, the second groups libretti into collections according to genre. Entries include listings of performances and cast members. An appendix reproduces the original title pages of the libretti. There are extensive indexes, including to titles of individual acts, and lists of roles and performers’ names. Institutions holding the libretti are indicated using the RISM symbols.

Because it represents an important contribution to the field of libretto studies, even libraries with music collections that do not include the Rameau Opera Omnia should consider acquiring this volume of the RCT. [mr/kst]

Dizionario rossiniano: le opere, i cantanti, i personaggi, i librettisti, gli impresari, i teatri, gli amici, i parenti, le città [A Rossini Dictionary: Works, Singers, Roles, Librettists, Impresarios, Theaters, Friends, Relatives, and Cities]. Eduardo Rescigno. Milano: Rizzoli, 2002. vii, 806 p. 18 cm. (Biblioteca universale Rizzoli). ISBN 88-17-12894-5: EUR 17 [04-2-492]

Rizzoli has produced a number of lexicons of composers, each with a similar structure. In the present work, that structure includes the following sections: (1) a chronology of Rossini’s life and works; followed by (2) dictionary entries covering a wide range of topics having some connection to his life and works; and (3) a detailed catalog of all the composer’s 39 works for the stage, including plot summaries and information on first performances and revisions. Section 4 is a bibliography in which Italian titles predominate. Section 5 contains a discography, and section 6 is a videography. Realistically, the fact that the work is in Italian will present difficulties to many users in the USA; still, the work is recommended for libraries with music collections.

For further reading, consult Emanuele Senici’s The Cambridge Companion to Rossini, (Cambridge, 2004). [mr/crc]

Xaver Scharwenka (1850-1924): Werkverzeichnis (ScharWV) [Xaver Scharwenka (1850-1924): Catalog of Works (Schar WV)]. Matthias Schneider-Dominco. Göttingen: Hainholz, 2003. 217 p. ill. 23 cm. (Hainholz Musikwissenschaft, 6). ISBN 3-932622-68-5: EUR 76.50 [04-2-493]

A revision of the author’s master’s thesis, this catalog begins with a detailed biography of Scharwenka, a pianist, teacher, and composer who was one of the shining musical personalities typical of the German Wilhelminian era. It ends with an evaluation of his work. Contents are organized under the categories of reworkings of compositions of other composers, literary works, occasional compositions, fragments, lost works, and works published by Scharwenka. Descriptions of works include their origin, dedication, movements or content, manuscripts, literary references, earliest performances, editions, revisions, recordings, and notes. Also included is a selection of 38 previously unpublished letters and postcards sent to Scharwenka by other musicians, such as Brahms, Bruch, Busoni, Liszt, Richard Strauss, and others. [mr/mjc]

Special Report: New Works on Verdi

Le parafrasi pianistiche verdiane nell’editoria italiana dell’Ottocento [Piano Arrangements of Verdi’s Works in Italian Editions of the 19th Century]. Pier Paolo de Martino. Firenze: Olschki, 2003. 231 p. music. 24 cm. (Historiae musicae cultores, 99). ISBN 88-222-5249-7: EUR 24 [04-1-239]

This index documents 3,457 piano arrangements (including those for four hands) of Giuseppe Verdi’s works from the second half of the 19th century (since ca. 1840) published in Italian first editions of that time. It restricts itself to the nine most important publishers in the three largest centers of musical life in Italy: Ricordi, Canti, Lucca, and Vismara, in Milan; Clausetti and Girard/Cottrau, in Naples; and Blanchi, Racca e Balegno, and Giudici e Strada, in Turin. The information is arranged in tabular form and alphabetized by composer name. The immense number of piano arrangements of popular works by Verdi produced during this period is underscored by the index, which lists 29 of his works and parts thereof. The reasons for this great success are analyzed by the author in his comprehensive introduction. This bibliography devoted to a specialized, albeit important subject belongs in all libraries with large or specialized music collections. [mr/akb]

Giuseppe Verdi: l’uomo, l’opera, il mito [Giuseppe Verdi: The Man, The Work, The Myth]. Ed. Francesco Degrada. Ginevra; Milano: Skira, 2000. 315 p. ill. 25 cm. ISBN 88-8118-816-3: EUR 38.73 [04-2-494]

Published in conjunction with an exhibit in Milan’s Palazzo Reale (17 November 2000 through 25 February 2001) celebrating the centenary year of Verdi’s death, this volume comprises two sections. The first (p. 9-153) includes short essays on a wide range of interdisciplinary topics dealing with Verdi—a figure of great symbolic importance in the Italian Risorgimento and himself socially and politically active—in the context of 19th-century history. The essays address subjects such as the influence of Milanese romanticism on the composer, Verdi’s development from a subject of Parma to an Italian citizen, his first encounter with the work of Shakespeare, and his relationship to Paris and to Richard Wagner. The second part (p. 156-315) documents the exhibit. A bibliography concludes the volume. [mr/sl]

Verdi-Handbuch [Verdi Handbook]. Ed. Anselm Gerhard and Uwe Schweikert, with Christine Fischer. Kassel: Bärenreiter; Stuttgart; Weimar: Metzler, 2001. x, 476 p. ill. 25 cm. ISBN 3-7618-2017-8 (Bärenreiter), ISBN 3-476-01768-0 (Metzler): EUR 64.90 [04-2-495]

The first two sections of this guide to Verdi’s life and work contain 18 short overviews for the “non-expert” reader, addressing the political, social, economic, religious, and literary contexts in which Verdi lived and composed. The largest section is on Verdi’s music and covers all his operas as well as his non-operatic works. The first 26 articles cover his operas chronologically, under rubrics dealing with everything from editions to plot, commentary, and discographies (without critical evaluation). The remaining eight articles cover Verdi’s non-operatic compositions and his correspondence. Also contained in the volume are various appendices, among them a chronology, a glossary, indexes, and a bibliography. [mr/sh/sl]

Giuseppe Verdi zum hundertsten Todestag: “Viva Verdi”; Begleitheft zur Austellung des Deutschen Musikarchivs Berlin vom 11. April 2001 bis 27. Juni 2001 [On the Centenary Anniversary of Giuseppe Verdi’s Death: “Viva Verdi”; A Publication Issued in Conjunction with an Exhibit at the German Music Archive in Berlin from 11 April 2001 to 27 June 2001]. Ed. Bettina v. Seyfried. Leipzig; Frankfurt am Main; Berlin: Die Deutsche Bibliothek, 2001. 103 p. 21 cm. ISBN 3-933641-27-6: EUR 6 [04-2-496]

This short volume was published on the occasion of a Verdi exhibit in Berlin. [Ed. note: according to the Brockhaus Riemann Musik-Lexikon (2d ed.1995, vol. 4, p. 294), the slogan, “Viva Verdi,” from the Risorgimento movement, stood for “Viva V(ittorio) E(manuele), R(e) d’I(talia).”] It begins with 16 short chapters (two to four pages each) on Verdi’s life and work, followed by a chronology, a bibliography of works consulted, and notes. The second part consists of a selected discography (ca. 1983-2000), based on the collection of the Deutsches Musikarchiv Berlin, a division of the Deutsche Bibliothek. It is organized alphabetically by opera title, although the subentries seem to be arranged randomly. Given the various limitations of this booklet—among them the lack of any index and of a bibliography as such—one has to wonder who would be interested in reading or consulting it. [mr/sl]

Dizionario verdiano: le opere, i cantanti, i personaggi, i direttori d’orchestra e di scena, gli scenografi, gli impresari, i librettisti, i parenti, gli amici. [Verdi Dictionary: Works, Singers, Roles, Conductors, Directors, Scenographers, Librettists, Impresarios, Relatives, Friends]. Eduaro Rescigno. Milano: Rizzoli, 2001. ill. 787 p. 18 cm. (Biblioteca universale Rizzoli). ISBN 88-17-86628-8: EUR 16.53 [04-2-497]

As this dictionary follows the same model as the Dizionario rossiniano (see RREA 10:164), a brief listing of the contents will suffice here: (1) chronology of Verdi’s life and career (p. 7-17); (2) dictionary (p. 20-559), comprising, in addition to the articles, a list of opera choruses, listed chronologically by opera; (3) listing of the operas (p. 561-773); (4)bibliography (p. 775-778); (5) discography

Who’s Who in Verdi. Jonathan Lewsey. Aldershot: Ashgate, 2001. viii, 560 p. 24 cm. ISBN 1-85928-440-X (hbk): £57.50; ISBN 1-85928-441-8 (pbk): £51.50 [04-2-498]

Because this work focuses on the plots and characters of Verdi’s operas rather than on the music, the author characterizes it as “a tribute to Verdi’s librettists” rather than to Verdi himself. The main section (p. 1-457) provides extensive descriptions of the roles, the operas (including plot summaries), and the choruses. The glossary (p. 458-529) lists the beginning words (in Italian and English) of the individual scenes within each opera, as well as very brief summaries in English. Appendices include changes or additions made by Verdi to his operas, descriptions of the ballets that he worked into six of his operas for their Parisian performances, and a discography. This work is recommended for libraries. [mr/sl]

Musik und Bibeltext [Music and Biblical Texts]. Ed. W. Bretschneider for the Allgemeiner Cäcilien-Verband, and H.-C. Drömann for the Verband Evangelischer Kirchenchöre Deutschlands. Stuttgart: Carus-Verlag, 2002. CD-ROM + supplement. Publ. No. CV 24.000/01. ISBN 3-923053-95-9: EUR 40 [04-1-243]

This CD-ROM indexes 12,000 printed vocal works with biblical texts in German, English, and Latin; it excludes sacred works not based on biblical texts. The product requires Microsoft Access 2000 and an activation code, which is printed on the accompanying material. Searching can be done in two broad categories: searching by Bible passage allows access to the index by book, chapter, verse incipit, verse, composer, textual elements/title, language, setting, or publisher, and results can be refined and sorted in numerous ways. One can also search by elements of the Protestant and Catholic pericope, such as the liturgical calendar, function, cycle (i.e., year), as well as book, chapter, and verse. These results can be sorted by verse, liturgical date, cycle, and function. Content updates and online publication of this resource are planned. This index is very practical for both music and theology libraries. [mr/dfb]

Reclams Musicalführer [Reclam’s Guide to Musicals]. Charles B. Axton and Otto Zehnder. 9th ed. Stuttgart: Reclam, 2004. 675 p. ill. 16 cm. ISBN 3-15-010560-9: EUR 19.90 [04-2-501]

This guide to musicals is updated regularly; the current ninth edition includes six new musicals. In addition to the brief introduction that discusses the genre “musical” and gives definitions of some musical terms, there is a second section, arranged chronologically by date of first performance, providing detailed information about each musical: the composer, librettist, roles, a plot summary, the instruments required for a performance, film versions, and a discography of first performances. [mr/ldl]

Operette: Porträt und Handbuch einer unerhörten Kunst [The Operetta: Portrait and Handbook of a Remarkable Art Form]. Volker Klotz. Expanded and updated edition. Kassel [et al.]: Bärenreiter, 2004. 869, 16 p. ill. music. ISBN 3-7618-1596-4: EUR 64 [04-2-502]

First published in 1991, then reissued in 1997 as a paperback (both with the Piper publishing company), this guide to operettas is now offered by a new publisher in a significantly expanded edition. Klotz’s stated aim is to “rehabilitate” a neglected musical genre. His guide is divided into two sections: the first deals with aspects of the genre as a whole, the second is devoted to particular composers (52 of them) and their works (123). Each entry includes biographical information, crucial data on the individual works (librettist, date of premiere, roles, instruments, editions, etc.), as well as a summary of the plot and a commentary (with musical examples). The book’s two sections are closely linked by cross-references. Unfortunately, all bibliographical references to secondary literature and the selective bibliography of the previous editions have been removed from this one. A discography would have been useful, as well. Along with other related reference works (such as the invaluable Pipers Enzyklopädie des Musiktheaters, 1986), this new edition of Klotz’s guide remains an important book in the field. [sh/sl]

Reclams Operettenführer [Reclam’s Operetta Guide]. Ed. Anton Würz. 23d ed. Stuttgart: Reclam, 2002. 350 p. ill. 16 cm. ISBN 3-15-010512-9: EUR 13.90 [04-2-503]

Although now in its 23d edition, the content of this operetta guide differs very little from that of previous versions. It deals with 105 operettas written by 47 different composers, from Franz von Suppé (1819-1895) to Paul Burkhard (1911-1977). Each entry is divided into three sections: (1) date and place of first performance, along with later versions; roles; and setting in place and time; (2) detailed description; (3) a brief critique, including mention of any particularly folkloric numbers. The entries are arranged chronologically, but there are helpful indexes for composers and the titles of the operettas. Although the work covers seemingly fewer titles than does Volker Klotz’s Operette: Porträt und Handbuch einer unerhörten Kunst (see RREA 10:174), it actually discusses a number of operettas that are not found in the Klotz book, which includes zarzuelas. [sh/ldl]

176 Blasmusikforschung seit 1966: eine Bibliographie; eine Publikation der Internationalen Gesellschaft zur Erforschung und Förderung der Blasmusik (IGEB) anlässlich des 70. Geburtstags von Wolfgang Suppan = Wind Music Research Since 1966 [: A Bibliography; Publication of the International Society for Research and Support of Wind Music (IGEB) on the Occasion of the 70th Birthday of Wolfgang Suppan]. Wolfgang Suppan]; ed. Bernhard Habla for the Pannonische Forschungsstelle des Instituts Oberschützen und dem Institut für Musikethnologie der Universität für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Graz. Tutzing: Schneider, 2003. 156 p. 24 cm. ISBN 3-7952-1138-7: EUR 25 [04-1-248]

Divided into 13 chapters (e.g., “composers and their works/analyses”), this bibliography lists 818 German- and English-language publications about wind music. Because it complements other published bibliographies of wind music research, it is not comprehensive. However, this publication is relevant for research libraries with music collections. [mr/dfb]

Klaviermusik von Komponistinnen: vom 17. bis zum 21. Jahrhundert; Verzeichnis mit Hinweisen für den Unterricht [Piano Music by Women Composers from the 17th to the 21st Century; Index with Guidelines for Instruction]. Isolde Weiermüller-Backes and Barbara Heller. Düsseldorf: Staccato-Verlag, 2003. 555 p. 21 cm. ISBN 3-932976-20-7: EUR 39 [04-1-250]

The title of this annotated guide to piano music by women composers is somewhat misleading, as the primary emphasis lies heavily on contemporary music. Nearly 900 women composers are included, but over 80 percent of these are composers of the 20th and 21st centuries, with women of the 17th through the 19th centuries making up the rest. Piano schools are covered in a chapter of their own. The book is organized by century, with subdivisions, e.g., for two-handed and four-handed works, then alphabetically by composer, with a chronological listing of individual compositions. The degree of difficulty of each piece is also noted. The annotations often include quotations from the composers or from critics. Works indexed are either in print or accessible in the archive Frau und Musik [Woman and Music] in Frankfurt am Main. Auxiliary apparatus includes a selected bibliography, list of CDs, and addresses of music publishers. Intended primarily for practical use by piano teachers, this volume can also serve as a reference tool concerning women composers and their works, useful for libraries with music collections. [mr/akb]

Reclams Orgelmusikführer [Reclam’s Guide to Organ Music]. Viktor Lukas. 7th ed. Stuttgart: Reclam, 2002. 463 p. music. 16 cm. ISBN 3-15-010504-8: EUR 27.90 [04-1-251]

Created for both the amateur and professional, this is a thorough guide to music for the organ and is recommended for individuals and libraries alike. Unlike similar works, such as Repertorium Orgelmusik (see RREA 8:191) and the Handbuch Orgelmusik (see RREA 8:193), this volume presents musical examples and includes information on works for organ and orchestra, as well as information on less popular composers. While one wishes for additional improvements in the 8th edition, the work has matured significantly since the first edition published in 1963. The volume’s format and presentation are good, and as a guide to organ music, it is indispensable. [ar/dfb]

Lexikon der Violine: Baugeschichte, Spielpraxis, Komponisten und ihre Werke, Interpreten [Encyclopedia of the Violin: History of Violinmaking, Performance Practice, Composers and Their Works, Interpreters]. Ed. Stefan Drees. 2d ed. Laaber: Laaber-Verlag, 2004. 805 p. ill. music. 26 cm. ISBN 3-89007-544-4: EUR 118 [04-1-252]

Geschichte der Orgel- und Klaviermusik bis 1700 [History of Organ and Keyboard Music Up to 1700]. Willi Apel. Reprint of the 1967 ed., with a new afterword by Siegbert Rampe and a bibliography. Kassel [et al.]: Bärenreiter, 2004. xv, 817 p. 24 cm. ISBN 3-7618-1668-5: EUR 39.95 [04-2-508]

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