SECM Newsletter-April 03
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Society for Eighteenth-Century Music Newsletter Issue No. 2 April 2003 Message from the President ith this issue of the SECM Newsletter I am For many present, an emotional highpoint in the evening delighted to welcome Margaret Butler as Editor. came with the presentation to Eugene K. Wolf of a certificate WMargaret brings to this position considerable of recognition for his lifetime achievement in music history experience and enthusiasm, and I am certain that you will and his special contributions to studies in eighteenth-century join with me in extending her a warm welcome and wishing music. One could see clearly in his expression when his name her success. The newsletter will be published twice a year, was announced as the recipient of the award that he was in April and October. If you have announcements or other taken completely by surprise. As Gene told me later, he was items of interest for possible inclusion, please contact thrilled and sincerely touched by this honor from his Margaret via email at [email protected]. I would also colleagues. This event was to become even more meaningful like to again express thanks to Paul Corneilson for setting as Gene’s health deteriorated in the following weeks and the standard for the newsletter and guiding the inaugural cancer claimed his life in December. In additional to the formal issue from a general idea to its professional realization. Our award and recognition, the Board of Directors also created gratitude is also extended to Thomas Winters for his help an informal expression of respect and gratitude for Gene. A with the layout and production of the first issue. I am pleased leather-bound congratulatory book was passed around as to report that the next three issues of the newsletter will widely as possible so that anyone who wished could sign and continue to be funded by the School of Music, West Chester express their special thoughts about Gene as teacher, University, West Chester, Pennsylvania. The society colleague, mentor, or friend. This little book circulated among gratefully acknowledges the support of Dean Timothy Blair. the members at the meeting and proceeded to travel to other The votes are in and I think that it would be both accurate parts of the country before returning to me only a week before and fair to pronounce our first official session on Friday 1 Gene’s last hospitalization. I was then able to deliver it into November 2002 during the annual meeting of the American the hands of his family just in time for them to read some of Musicological Society in Columbus, Ohio a clear success. the entries to Gene. A tribute to him read by Paul Corneilson Although the meeting was held in the evening and conflicted at the memorial service in Philadelphia on 7 February, along with several other activities, more than 100 people turned with a select bibliography of some of Gene’s important out to share in this first gathering of our society. Several contributions, appears in this newsletter. It is indeed difficult people mentioned to me after the session how much they to say farewell to good friends and respected colleagues. had enjoyed the format and content of the evening, and I The sadness of Gene’s passing was followed all too quickly continued to receive similar messages through email after by that of another of our company, A. Peter Brown in March returning home from Columbus. 2003. Peter was one of the first members of SECM. A James Webster, Goldwin Smith Professor of Music at separate tribute to Peter appears in this newsletter. Cornell University, delivered an inaugural address entitled In November 2003, SECM will again meet with the AMS “The ‘Long’ Eighteenth Century in Music History?” Jim’s in Houston, Texas. The challenging task of matching or presentation was a carefully reasoned and thought-provoking perhaps exceeding the success of the our first gathering is exploration of the pros and cons of considering the eighteenth now in the hands of an extremely capable program committee: century as a music-historical period in its own right. We were Bertil van Boer (chair), Paul Corneilson, Suzanne Forsberg, then treated to a live performance of a charming intermezzo, Jane Girdham, Michael McClellen, and Mary Sue Morrow. Mosquetta e Grullo, by Domenico Sarri (1679-1744). The At the meeting of the Board of Directors on 22 March, Bertil singers, Kathleen and Peter van de Graaff, performed in gave a preliminary report from his committee. The decision period costumes and were accompanied by a small has been made to retain the same format used in Columbus, instrumental ensemble. They immediately engaged their with a brief business meeting, a principal speaker, and a audience, artfully seducing them into the relaxed mood of an eighteenth-century courtly evening. continued on page 4 The SECM Web Site is Launched! From the Newsletter Editor Mark Knoll reetings to the members of the Society for he Society for Eighteenth-Century Music is pleased Eighteenth-Century Music! I am delighted to serve to announce the launching of its web site at http:// Gas the Editor of our new society’s newsletter. I invite www.s18m.org. The web site is an important means your contributions for upcoming issues of our newsletter in T the following categories: of fostering community within the society, the membership • of which is spread over several continents and numerous news of recent accomplishments from members of the time zones. The site consists of information about the society, society (publications, presentations, awards, announcements of general interest concerning eighteenth- performances, promotions, etc.) • century music, links to other sites of potential interest to the reviews of performances of eighteenth-century music • membership, and an online discussion board that allows the reviews of books, editions, or recordings • members to interact with each other in a public forum. conference reports • The static pages of the site provide information that annotated discographies (in format given in inaugural changes slowly, if at all. This includes things like contact issue, October 2002) • information, how to join the society, links, electronic copies upcoming conferences and meetings • of this newsletter, the society’s by-laws, etc. The discussion calls for papers and manuscripts • board, on the other hand, is expected to be a dynamic place research resources • where information and opinions are shared with the grant opportunities immediacy of e-mail combined with the kind of give-and- Contributions should be submitted as an email attachment take that is rare outside of scholarly conferences or letters (preferably in Microsoft Word) to [email protected]. The to the editor of journals. newsletter will be published twice yearly, in October and The site was designed to provide a clean, uncluttered April. Items must be submitted by July 1 for the October interface, to present its content in an organized and intuitive issue and by January 1 for the April issue. Claims for missing fashion, to adhere to open standards, and to minimize issues must be requested within six months of publication. download times for those who might still be described as I look forward to working with all of you to promote our bandwidth-challenged. To these ends we have eschewed new society, and to receiving your contributions. flashy graphics, JavaScript rollovers, animations, and other Margaret Butler such accouterments of the “modern” internet. While it is not inconceivable that we might add audio or video files in the SECM Officers future as the society evolves, the decision to do so will be Sterling E. Murray, President driven by the needs of the membership and not by a desire to Bertil van Boer, Vice-President increase the site’s “gee-whiz” factor. Mara Parker, Secretary-Treasurer Please visit the site often and contribute to the discussion board. Suggestions for additions or improvements to the site Board of Directors may be sent to [email protected]. Paul Bryan Bruce Brown Paul Corneilson Nancy November, student representative In Memoriam: A. Peter Brown Mara Parker He was highly respected as both a teacher and scholar, t is with much regret that we mark the death of A. Peter and served, perhaps unbeknownst to him, as a mentor to Brown on March 9, 2003. He earned his Ph.D. from many. He gave willingly of his time and knowledge, and I Northwestern University in 1970, and joined the faculty patiently answered seemingly endless questions from his of the Indiana University School of Music four years later. students. A private and reserved person, his dry wit and humor Peter was the chair of the Musicology department and would periodically emerge, delighting all of us who were Professor of Music. His research interests in Joseph Haydn, privileged to work with him. Perhaps his greatest gift to his 18th- and 19th- century Austrian music, and the history of students was his no-nonsense, straight-forward approach both orchestral music placed him at the forefront of his field. in his own research and in his treatment of our work. During his lifetime, he published more than seventy-five Peter is survived by his wife Carol and his daughter Heidi. articles and reviews in major musicological venues, as well Memorial contributions can be made to the A. Peter Brown as several books devoted to Haydn’s music. His most current Musicology Students’ Fund in care of the Office of project, The Symphonic Repertoire, Volume IV of a planned Development of the Indiana University School of Music (1201 five-volume set, is due to be published late this spring. East Third Sreet, Bloomington, IN 47405). 2 A Tribute to Eugene K.