Special Collections Finding Aids

O.G. Sonneck Collection - Printed Music

Accession: SC1998.57

Location: M2A 8,4

Size: .1 feet

Biography: Oscar George Sonneck (1873-1928) was an eminent editor, musicologist, and librarian. Sonneck was perhaps the major figure in stimulating the rigorous study of American music as a field worthy of serious attention. In 1902 he was appointed head of the newly organized Music Division of the Library of Congress. In 1917 he left that position because of disillusion by adverse reaction to American studies and wartime prejudice against his German training. He became editor of Musical Quarterly and subsequently vice-president of G. Schirmer.

Provenance: In the 1920's Sibley Library purchased part of the library of O.G. Sonneck, head of the music division of the Library of Congress and historian of American music. The items were distributed through the regular collections of the library. In the 1970's Charles Lindahl, then reference librarian, conducted a major project to reconstruct the Sonneck materials, which proved highly problematic because of the inconsistent accession and provenance records when the library was acquired. It appears that the items in this collection resulted from Lindahl's search of uncataloged materials, Sonneck's signature being very prominent on each.

Scope and Content: The collection contains a few items of sheet music formerly in the library of O.G. Sonneck.

Associations: Sibley Library also purchased the libraries of H.E. Krehbiel and Arthur Pougin early in the Library's history. The items in these collections were cataloged individually and distributed through the regular collection. A card file of items from the Pougin collection exists in the special collections department.

Restrictions: none

Series: 1

Series Name: Printed Music

Series Description: The series consists of items of printed music formerly in the O.G. Sonneck library.