Historical Anthology of Music. [Vol. 2:] Baroque, Rococo, and Pre-Classical Music by ArchibaldT. Davison; Willi ApelReview by: Charles Warren FoxNotes, Second Series, Vol. 8, No. 1 (Dec., 1950), pp. 161-162Published by: Music Library AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/890325 .

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Historical Anthology of Music. [Vol. 2:] Baroque, Rococo, and Pre- Classical Music. By Archibald T. Davison and Willi Apel. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1950. [x, 303 p., 4°; $10.00]

The first volume of this Historical An- thology of Music, devoted to Oriental, Medieval and Renaissance Music, has be- come widely known since its publication in 1946. It is certain that teachers and students, librarians and laymen interested in early music have found this carefully selected collection of high value. The second edition of 1949 represented a great improvement in accuracy over the first.

The second and concluding volume, bringing together more than a hundred representative compositions or excerpts from 1600 to about 1780, is some 50 pages larger than its predecessor but is other- wise similar in format. The bulk of the volume (276 pp.) is made up of the musical scores themselves. At the end are 16 pages of commentaries and five pages of translations of foreign texts. The first selections are by Peri, Cavalieri, and Caccini; the last are by Manuel Blasco de Nebra, Samuel Webbe (Senior), and Francis Hopkinson.

In preparing this second volume the compilers faced problems quite different from those involved in the first volume. The principal difficulties in editing a collection of music written before around 1600 lie particularly in the fields of notation, accidentals, placements of texts, and Auffiihrungspraxis. In that period the problem of length of composition is not disturbing, except in the instance of polyphonic Masses; consequently it was possible for Davison and Apel to present many complete pieces-motets, chansons, madrigals, keyboard pieces, etc. The planning of the second volume undoubted- ly required much more thought. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries there came into being many species of long, frequently very long, musical com- positions-operas, cantatas, oratorios, Passions, Masses with orchestra, ballets, concertos, sonatas, symphonies, string quartets, and other extended forms of chamber music. It is no surprise, there- fore, to discover that a great many of

the selections in the second volume are excerpts, not complete works. This may be unfortunate, but the fault is not in the least that of the compilers. If they had elected to include complete scores of an opera by Monteverdi, a church cantata by Buxtehude, an oratorio by Carissimi, a Passion by Schiitz, a Mass by Caldara, a ballet by Lully, a concerto grosso by Corelli, a trio sonata by Purcell, a sym- phony by Cannabich, a string quartet by Haydn, and a string quintet by Boccher- ini, the volume would have run to many hundreds of pages, and these eleven compositions would hardly have given a clear picture of the period. The mere mention of the names of Bach and Handel immediately suggests another problem. A complete volume would be necessary to do justice to either one of these men. Davison and Apel have "solved" this problem by omitting, with full intention, all compositions by the two composers (except one short chorale prelude by Bach, included for purposes of compari- son). This is probably the best possible solution, since many works by Bach and Handel are easily available. The com-

pilers say nothing about the complete absence of Haydn and Mozart in the collection. Perhaps the word "pre- classical" in the title takes care of that, and yet it should be noted that Haydn had written some 70 symphonies before 1780 (not to mention hundreds of other works) and that 423 pages in the Kochel-Einstein thematic index deal with compositions by Mozart written before that year.

After the pieces had been selected, the only great problem remaining was the realization of the thorough basses. And that is not really a problem but rather a matter of arduous work. Most of the realizations were made by Apel and show taste and moderation. For the benefit of the student, a few thorough basses are not realized.

The music, reproduced from manu- script, is beautifully clear, and the copy- ists are to be congratulated. The com-

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mentaries are sensible and enlightening and, incidentally, include references to available phonograph recordings of the music.

The standard of accuracy in the scores appears to be much higher than that of the first edition of the other volume. A detailed examination of some of the scores has revealed a few errors, but most of these are slight and unimportant; some of these little slips, almost unavoid- able in a book of this size, would prob- ably be spotted immediately by any bright young student. The chord just before the last double bar on p. 1 should have a b natural, not a b flat. The bass note c sharp at the top of p. 3 should have as its figuring a 12 above a 6, not a

mentaries are sensible and enlightening and, incidentally, include references to available phonograph recordings of the music.

The standard of accuracy in the scores appears to be much higher than that of the first edition of the other volume. A detailed examination of some of the scores has revealed a few errors, but most of these are slight and unimportant; some of these little slips, almost unavoid- able in a book of this size, would prob- ably be spotted immediately by any bright young student. The chord just before the last double bar on p. 1 should have a b natural, not a b flat. The bass note c sharp at the top of p. 3 should have as its figuring a 12 above a 6, not a

2 above a 6. Each of the G clefs in the second system on that page should be fol- lowed by an / sharp. Dr. J. M. Cooper- smith informs me (on the basis of an article by Brenzoni Raffaello in the Note d'Archivio per la Storia Musicale, 1936, 22-31) that Torelli's dates are not 1650?- 1750 as given on p. 126 of the collection, but April 22, 1658-February 8, 1709. The selection from Peri's Euridice is to be found on p. 29 of the first edition, not p. 14 (see p. 279 of collection).

This useful volume is recommended enthusiastically to all music libraries and teachers of musical history. It would also be an excellent book for classroom use; the price is the only deterrent.

CHARLES WARREN Fox

2 above a 6. Each of the G clefs in the second system on that page should be fol- lowed by an / sharp. Dr. J. M. Cooper- smith informs me (on the basis of an article by Brenzoni Raffaello in the Note d'Archivio per la Storia Musicale, 1936, 22-31) that Torelli's dates are not 1650?- 1750 as given on p. 126 of the collection, but April 22, 1658-February 8, 1709. The selection from Peri's Euridice is to be found on p. 29 of the first edition, not p. 14 (see p. 279 of collection).

This useful volume is recommended enthusiastically to all music libraries and teachers of musical history. It would also be an excellent book for classroom use; the price is the only deterrent.

CHARLES WARREN Fox

Music Making in the Olden Days; The Story of the Aberdeen Con- certs, 1748-1801. By Henry George Farmer. Leipzig, London, New York: Peters-Hinrichsen Edition [U. S. agent C. F. Peters Corp., New York], [1950] [5 leaves, 122 p., illus., 8°; 15/, $5.00]

Music Making in the Olden Days; The Story of the Aberdeen Con- certs, 1748-1801. By Henry George Farmer. Leipzig, London, New York: Peters-Hinrichsen Edition [U. S. agent C. F. Peters Corp., New York], [1950] [5 leaves, 122 p., illus., 8°; 15/, $5.00]

This slender book chronicles the rise and fall of the Aberdeen Musical Society between 1747 and 1805. Much of the music of these olden days still gives us pleasure, and the account presented here establishes a substantial basis for the Scottish musical life of today, so con- spicuous in the Edinburgh Festival. Early musical activities, whether in Britain or in America, shared a naivete amusing to the twentieth century reader, but the basic elements are constant in all musical life. The alleged penury of the Scot is shown; when subscriptions lag it is the salaries of "the hired professionals" which take the rub. Petty jealousies among members foretell tempests in Scottish teapots; the brew is nevertheless good, with a strong flavor of Corelli, Vivaldi, and Handel.

John Banister gave the first public concert in England in 1672, and as early as 1694 Edinburgh had an orchestra of thirty musicians that played sonatas by Corelli, Torelli, and Bassani as well as by Pepusch and sundry Englishmen. The sponsors in Aberdeen were often of the clergy, with Episcopalian, Presbyterian, and assorted brethren "consorting" with the town's dancing master to further the

This slender book chronicles the rise and fall of the Aberdeen Musical Society between 1747 and 1805. Much of the music of these olden days still gives us pleasure, and the account presented here establishes a substantial basis for the Scottish musical life of today, so con- spicuous in the Edinburgh Festival. Early musical activities, whether in Britain or in America, shared a naivete amusing to the twentieth century reader, but the basic elements are constant in all musical life. The alleged penury of the Scot is shown; when subscriptions lag it is the salaries of "the hired professionals" which take the rub. Petty jealousies among members foretell tempests in Scottish teapots; the brew is nevertheless good, with a strong flavor of Corelli, Vivaldi, and Handel.

John Banister gave the first public concert in England in 1672, and as early as 1694 Edinburgh had an orchestra of thirty musicians that played sonatas by Corelli, Torelli, and Bassani as well as by Pepusch and sundry Englishmen. The sponsors in Aberdeen were often of the clergy, with Episcopalian, Presbyterian, and assorted brethren "consorting" with the town's dancing master to further the

joys of regular music-making. (Why have dancing masters always such appo- site names as "Peacock"?) Embracing the very elite of Town and Gown, the Society became the leading exponent of music in the north, according to the author, whose view we may accept until Edinburgh is heard from. Designated to provide benefits for the poor, it sought a hall free of charge; Mr. Farmer believes the benefactor to have been a tavern- keeper who had the poor near at hand. Later on a larger hall became necessary, ladies were admitted (but not for exhibi- tions of dancing), and membership grew to 150 as weekly concerts became public entertainment. The list would frighten away the poor since it included only gentlemen of title, either earned or be- stowed by heredity. We note with pleas- ure "John Stewart, Prof. of Mathematics," known to his fellow-members as "John Triangles."

Much of Mr. Farmer's information will seem too exact for the general reader since he tends toward long lists and financial details. But one never can tell when the names have meaning. Alexander Reinagle, one-time conductor of Edin- burgh concerts, was later the most dis-

joys of regular music-making. (Why have dancing masters always such appo- site names as "Peacock"?) Embracing the very elite of Town and Gown, the Society became the leading exponent of music in the north, according to the author, whose view we may accept until Edinburgh is heard from. Designated to provide benefits for the poor, it sought a hall free of charge; Mr. Farmer believes the benefactor to have been a tavern- keeper who had the poor near at hand. Later on a larger hall became necessary, ladies were admitted (but not for exhibi- tions of dancing), and membership grew to 150 as weekly concerts became public entertainment. The list would frighten away the poor since it included only gentlemen of title, either earned or be- stowed by heredity. We note with pleas- ure "John Stewart, Prof. of Mathematics," known to his fellow-members as "John Triangles."

Much of Mr. Farmer's information will seem too exact for the general reader since he tends toward long lists and financial details. But one never can tell when the names have meaning. Alexander Reinagle, one-time conductor of Edin- burgh concerts, was later the most dis-

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