Bow & Bridge Violin and bow makers, as the old books printed them

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Scan 770

Dictionary of music and musicians, 1908

7 lines. Read by computer on 10 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 698. See the scan on archive.org.

1Whilst the French authors were writing their dictionaries, either on Rousseau's plan or were following the lead of Choron, Fétis, and d'Ortigue, by enlarging their sphere beyond that of musical terminology, the tendency in Germany was to include in dictionaries not only all that concerns the technical part of music, but the biography of musicians, and the philosophy, literature, and bibliography of the art. Gustav Schilling therefore justly entitles his dictionary Encyclopädie der gesammten musikalischen Wissenschaften, oder universal Lexikon der Tonkunst (Stuttgart, 1835-38, 7 vols. 8vo). In this work biography holds an important place, but the other departments are treated with equal skill and research, so that the whole forms a precious depository of information, and is a notable advance on all previous works of the kind in other countries. Gassner, in his Universal Lexikon der Tonkunst (Stuttgart, 1849, 1 vol.), and Bernsdorf, in his Neues universal Lexikon der Tonkunst, in continuation of Schladebach (Dresden and Offenbach, 1856-61, 3 vols.), have obviously made considerable use of Schilling, and both works have a well-merited reputation. Koch's Lexikon has been re-edited by Dommer (Heidelberg, 1865), and Oscar Paul has published a useful Handlexikon der Tonkunst (Leipzig, 1873), in which condensation is carried to its utmost limit. But of all the German works which have followed Schilling the most important and deserving of mention is the Musikalisches Conversations-Lexikon, edited by Mendel, and since his unfortunate death by August Reissmann (Berlin, 1870 etc.), the second edition of which was published in 11 vols. in 1883. There is a want of proportion in some of the articles, a cumbrousness of style and an occasional appearance of bias, but the staff of writers is unequalled for eminence and number, and there is much in their essays which has never been collected before, and which is highly valuable. In dictionaries, however, one work can never supersede another, and perfect information is only to be got by consulting all. [The handiest of musical dictionaries is the Musik-Lexikon of Dr. Hugo Riemann, of which the first edition appeared at Leipzig in 1882, and the fifth in 1900. It was translated into English by J. S. Shedlock, with a good many additions in articles dealing with English musicians (no date). A French translation by Georges Humbert, professor of history at the Conservatoire of Geneva, appeared after the fourth edition. In 1900 Dr. Robert Eitner, whose Verzeichniss neuer Ausgaben alter Musikwerke appeared in 1870, and his Bibliographie der Musik-Sammelwerke (with F. X. Haberl) in 1877, began the publication of his monumental Quellen-Lexikon, the most trustworthy book of the kind, in which authority is quoted for almost every statement made. Dr. Emil Vogel's Bibliothek der gedruckten weltlichen Vocalmusik Italiens (2 vols. 1892) is in alphabetical order of composers' names, and may therefore be counted among dictionaries.]
3Space compels us to confine ourselves to a mere mention of such works as the Swedish dictionary of Envalson (Stockholm, 1802); the illustrated dictionary of Soullier (Paris, 1855); and the Spanish dictionaries of Melcior (Lerida, 1859); Parada (Madrid, 1868) and B. Sandoni (5 vols.). Besides musical lexicons properly so called there are a certain number of Encyclopedias and Dictionaries of the Fine Arts, which contain important articles on music and musical terms. Amongst these may be cited the Encyclopédie of Diderot and D'Alembert (Paris, 1751-80, 35 vols.); the Allgemeine Theorie der schönen Künste (Leipzig, 1773), by Sulzer, of which Millin has made great use in his Dictionnaire des Beaux-Arts (Paris, 1806); the Allgemeine Encyclopädie der Wissenschaften und Kunste (Leipzig, 1818-47), by Ersch and Gruber, an enormous collection, containing many remarkable articles on music; and the Dictionnaire de l'Académie des Beaux-Arts, begun in 1858, of which the fifth vol. (1887-96) concludes with the words 'Exercises' and 'Exposition.' It contains new and striking articles by Halévy, Henri Réber, and other eminent musicians.
5In England, among cyclopædias, the earliest place is held by that of Rees (1819), the musical articles in which were written by the eminent Dr. Burney. In the ninth edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica (begun 1875) the musical articles—restricted in number—were at first written by Dr. Franz Hueffer, and subsequently by W. S. Rockstro. [The supplementary volumes of that edition devote much more space to music, and the articles are by various authors. The musical articles in the Dictionary of National Biography (1885-1903) are full and generally accurate.] Chambers's Cyclopædia (1741-53 or 1778-91) on a smaller, and Brande's Dictionary (1842; 3rd ed. 1853) on a still smaller scale, contain good articles on musical topics, the former including the leading biographies. The Dictionaries are few and unimportant:—A Short Explication of such Foreign Words as are made use of in Musick Books (1724), Grassineau (1740), Busby (1786), Danneley (1825), Jousse (1829), Wilson, or Hamilton's and Hiles's Dictionaries of Musical Terms—each a small 8vo volume—are specimens of the manner in which this department has been too long filled in England. As regards biography, the Dictionary of Musicians (2 vols. 8vo, 1822 and 1827), though good in intention, is imperfectly carried out. A great advance was made in the Dictionary of Musical Terms, edited by Dr. Stainer and Mr. W. A. Barrett (1 vol. 8vo, Novello, 1876, 2nd ed. 1898), and in a condensed version as one of Novello's Music Primers. [The same series contains a not very trustworthy Biographical Dictionary of Musicians by Dr. W. H. Cummings, and a Dictionary of Violin Makers by C. Stainer. one of two readings
6In England, among cyclopaedias, the earliest place is held by that of Rees (1819), the musical articles in which were written by the eminent Dr. Burney. In the ninth edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica (begun 1875) the musical articles—restricted in number—were at first written by Dr. Franz Hueffer, and subsequently by W. S. Rockstro. [The supplementary volumes of that edition devote much more space to music, and the articles are by various authors. The musical articles in the Dictionary of National Biography (1885-1903) are full and generally accurate.] Chambers's Cyclopaedia (1741-53 or 1778-91) on a smaller, and Brande's Dictionary (1842; 3rd ed. 1853) on a still smaller scale, contain good articles on musical topics, the former including the leading biographies. The Dictionaries are few and unimportant:—A Short Explication of such Foreign Words as are made use of in Musick Books (1724), Grassineau (1740), Busby (1786), Danneley (1825), Jousse (1829), Wilson, or Hamilton's and Hiles's Dictionaries of Musical Terms—each a small 8vo volume—are specimens of the manner in which this department has been too long filled in England. As regards biography, the Dictionary of Musicians (2 vols. 8vo, 1822 and 1827), though good in intention, is imperfectly carried out. A great advance was made in the Dictionary of Musical Terms, edited by Dr. Stainer and Mr. W. A. Barrett (1 vol. 8vo, Novello, 1876, 2nd ed. 1898), and in a condensed version as one of Novello's Music Primers. [The same series contains a not very trustworthy Biographical Dictionary of Musicians by Dr. W. H. Cummings, and a Dictionary of Violin Makers by C. Stainer. one of two readings

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