Cover of Paroles de Musique

Goulet, Anne-Madeleine. Paroles de Musique (1658-1694): Catalogue des «Livres d’airs de différents autuers» publiès chez Ballard. Wavre: Mardaga, 2007.

This 1,088-page volume is a French thematic catalogue of airs published by the music publisher Ballard between 1658 and 1694. The work is prefaced by a thorough, 60-page introduction to the Ballard publishing house, its collection of airs, its editorial choices, as well as an intriguing table of collaboration between various poets and composers. Extensive research has ensured accurate information for each air regarding poets and composers (who were often anonymous), as well as creative context, history, interpretation, textual variations between printings, and source materials. Entries are listed in sequential order according to the air’s LADDA (Livres d’airs de différent autuers) siglum, but they are also indexed at the end according to title, author, poet, etc. Entries also include musical incipits from the original woodblock prints.

Cover of Diccionario enciclopédico

Giro, Radamés. Diccionario enciclopédico de la música en Cuba. La Habana: Letras Cubanas, 2007.

This is an attractive, four volume Spanish dictionary/encyclopedia on the subject of Cuban music, primarily with respect to composers, performers, musicologists, teachers, and ensemble groups from the nineteenth-century to the present. Entries are biographical in nature, including career synopses, lists of important compositions, and bibliographical information. Entries regarding ensemble groups often list the names of members by section. Pages are frequently punctuated by black-and-white photographs and title page reproductions.

The Guide is composed of 1,356 citations, which consist predominantly of scholarly articles, books, and encyclopedia entries as well as a clutch of highly selected doctoral dissertations, festschriften, and published program notes. Over 18 languages are represented including Yiddish, Slovene, Russian, and Romanian. Included works emphasize eyewitness accounts regarding the lives and performances of Gustav and Alma Mahler, biographies by post-war scholars, medico-psychological studies, musicological studies placing the Mahlers in historical context, individual analyses of works, and literary sources set to music by the Mahlers. Excluded are performance reviews from periodicals, biographies of other composers without substantial eyewitness accounts relating to the Mahlers; obituaries and social notices, unpublished sources, program notes from individual performances, and general histories of music save for those providing valuable insight into Mahler’s music and reception.

The work is organized into 25 sections, the contents of which are as follows: Introduction, Gustav and Alma Mahler: A Brief Chronology, Classified Listing of Mahler’s Works, Surviving Works of Alma Mahler-Werfel, List of Abbreviations, Compendia, Encyclopedia References, Catalogs and Lists, History, Visuals, Biographies, Mahler’s Letters, Conducing Activities, Alma Mahler-Werfel, Literary Influences, Publishers, Mahler’s Place in Musical History, Reception/Historiography, Media and Criticism, Philosophical Views, Mahler’s Works, Facsimiles, Individual Analyses, Other Works, and Miscellaneous. It concludes with an Author Index and a Subject Index. Entries in the works lists provide information on title, movements, date of composition, publication data, premieres, and remarks by the author. Within the bibliographic sections, each entry is annotated in addition to a complete bibliographic citation which often includes the ISBN.

There are many positive aspects to be found in this publication. The subject index is detailed and specific, so one can quickly and exactly find what one needs. Also the author has consciously included works of lesser quality in order to properly document the full progression of Mahler studies. On the whole, annotations are thoughtful and helpful throughout and this is particularly useful with regard to Third Reich literature, which is fairly evaluated for its historical merit.

Conversely, careless readers misunderstanding the author’s approach will inevitably be directed to sources of poor quality; but the more substantial drawback is that many cited resources may not be readily accessible to those looking for a quick research fix.

At present, no reviews for the second edition were found; however, the first edition has been reviewed by:

1. Birchler, David C. Notes: Quarterly Journal of the Music Library Association 47 (March 1991): 759.

2. Franklin, Peter. Music and Letters 72 (February 1991): 134.

3. Schreffler, Anne C. Journal of Musicological Research 12 (March 1992): 11.

4. Kravitt, Edward F. The Music Review 52 (November 1991): 312.

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