CAML ACBM REV IEMS

COWlRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE EXECUTIVE 1986/87 Peter Letkerann is a recent Ph.D. graduate of President the University of . Hi S 1985 dissertation Joan Colquhoun is titled "The hymnody and choral music of the Music Division, National Library of Canada Mennoni tes in Russia, 1789- 1915. " Dan Allen Ottawa, , K1A ON4 is a discographer and the proprietor of Walter (613) 996-7510 C. Allen of Canada Ltd.

Vice President Jane Pearce Baldwin From Russia music. By Wesley Music Library, University of Western Ontario Berg. Winnipeg: Hyperion Press, 1985. London, Ontario, N6A 3K7 (151 p., $12.95) (519) 679-2111 ~0846

Past President Alison Hall Cataloguing - Carleton University Library Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 557 In recent decades Mennonite activity in the (613) 564-2758/9 field of vocal and choral music has received growing recognition in Canada. The musical Secretary accomplishments of individual Mennonite conductors Anne Fleming and singers as well as Mennonite comnunity, Bruce County Pub1 ic Library college and oratorio choirs rest on a strong Box 16000, Port Elgin, Ontario, NOH 2C0 but relatively brief tradition of choral singing (519) 832-2181 in Mennonite schools and churches.

Treasurer The story of this Mennonite musical tradition Sister Louise Smith is not unlike that of music and choral singing Music Library, University of Western Ontario in Canada which. in the words of Helmut Kallmann, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7 'takes as its subject not creative giants who (519) 679-2111 ~0808 determine the course of world music history, but humble musicians who instil a taste for Membership Secretary their art among pioneers... it reflects the Debra Ann Begg musical pastimes and aspirations of the many... Music Library, in short, the record is concerned more with Ottawa, Ontario, KIN 6N5 social than with artistic aspects of music" (613) 564-6801 (A History of Music in Canada, p.3).

Members-at-Large Mennonites of Swiss and South-German origin Monique Lecaval ier came to Canada from Pennsylvania as early as Bibliotheque de musique, Universite de MontrCal 1786. While they were influenced by the American Montreal, Quebec, H3C 357 singing-school movement around the middle of (514) 343-6159 the nineteenth century, these first Canadian Mennonites, Ilving primarily in Ontario, rejected Peter Higham choral singing and instrumental music. It was Ralph Pickard Bell Library among Mennonites of Prussian-Russian origin, Mount A1 li son University who came to Western Canada and to the mid-Western Sackville, New Brunswick, EOA 3C0 United States after 1874, that the Canadian Mennoni te choral singing tradition had its While Chapter I provides a rather extensive beginnings in the 1880s and 1890s. account of musical developments in Russian Mennoni te v1 llage, school and church choirs The present publication is a slightly revised to 1928, there is no corresponding account of and expanded version of the author's dissertation background developments in Prussian and American on "Choral Festivals and Choral Workshops among Mennoni te comnuni ties. Influences on the musical the Mennonites of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, practices of Canadian Mennanites before 1923 1900- 1960, with and account of early developments ( as outlined In Chapters I1 and 111) came as in Russia" (Ph.0.. U. of Washington, 1979). much from Prussian and American Mennonites as Berg' S study represents the first extensive from Russian Mennonites. While Berg emphasizes and scholarly monograph on this subject and the influence of Russian Mennonites such as despite certain weaknesses, it makes a significant Aaron Sawatzky and J.P. Wiebe, he does not contribution to the cultural history of Mennonites not adequately consider that of American Mennonite in Canada. His account is written in an easy, leaders trained in such institutions as Moody informative and anecdotal, rather than a Bible Institute in Chicago, or the influence critical-analytical style, thus making the book of Prussian and America trained Mennonite accessible to a wide readership. educators such as H.H. Ewert and David Toews, who worked in Manitoba and Saskatchewan The title of the original dissertation, though respectively. These men came out of a cultural more prosaic than that of the book, is much and religious milieu different from that of more to the point of the actual content of the their Russian Mennonite brethren. study. The author has added token paragraphs on Mennonite choral activities in Ontario, Alberta Between 1923 and 1930 Canada's Mennonite and British Columbia, but the emphasis is clearly population of approximate1 y 50,000 increased on developments in Manitoba and Saskatchewan dramatically as more than 20,000 Mennoni tes from the turn of the century to about 1960 fled the hardships of post-Revolution Russia (although there are a few references to more to seek a new life fn Canada. Differences in recent musical developrnents). Furthermore, cultural , intellectual and economic background Berg deal S with only one particular, though between these more progressive' Russlaender important, aspect of the Mennonite choral Mennonites and the more 'conservative' Kanadier tradition, namely the rise and decline of the led to numerous conflicts. Within a decade popular practice of holding regular Saenqerfeste the musical leadership in most Mennonite (Choral Festivals) and Diri penten kurse comnunities in Manitoba and Saskatchewan had (Conductors' Workshops) in Mennonite comnunities passed from Kanadier such as J.P. Wfebe and in Russia, Canada and the United States. J.A. Kroeker into the hands of Russlaender such as K.H. Neufeld, David Paetkau, F.C. Thiessen and John Konrad. Chapters IV-V1 describe the This practice began almost simultaneously in work of these four and other Russlaender in both Russia and American Mennonite comnuni ties reshaping the Canadian Mennonite choral tradition in the 1890s, but Berg does not adequately explore in the three decades from about 1925 to 1955. the sources nor the relationship of these A fifth important leader in this process was geographically widely seperated Saenperfest Mr.Ben jamin Horch, who was of Lutheran background traditions. He mentions the role of the and had come to Winnipeg from Russia in 1909. Chri stl icher Saenqerbund, but does not adequately It was only in Winnipeg that he joined the identify this association nor properly assess Mennonite Brethren Church and eventually became its significant influence both on Russian its leading musical figure. Mennonites and later on Canadian Mennonites. Similarly, Berg mentions the connection between the American Saenqerfest tradition and the While these men brought musical practices and Sunday-School Convention in the mid-Western repertoire with them from Russia, they also United States but does not elaborate on the adopted ideas from their new Canadian environment, nature of this relationship. especially from private music instructors, public school teachers, British choirmasters and festival The criticisms noted above should not detract adjudicators. The greatest weakness of Berg 'S from the many merits of the book. For Mennonite study lies in his neglect to give attention musicians in particular, it will encourage them to this Canadian context. His documentation to reexamine their musical roots and to consider of Mennonite musical life in Canada is drawn more seriously the future direction of music completely from Mennonite sources, with no attempt within the Mennonite comnunity. For non-Mennonite to include the viewpoints of non-Mennonite readers, it should serve to flesh-out the brief teachers, conductors, critics or adjudicators entries on Mennonite music and musicians in on Mennonite choral singing. This lack of context the Encyclopedia of Music in Canada, and as is further exhibited by the fact that Berg a corrective to the inaccurate and mi sleading includes no maps to help orientate the reader, information on Mennonites in Timothy McGee's especially a non-Mennoni te reader, to the recent publication, The Music of Canada. Finally, geographical location and context of Mennoni te Berg's pioneer study should stimulate further comnunities either in Russia, the U.S.A. or research not only into the music of Mennonites Canada. The book concludes with an all-too-brief but of other minori ty groups within Canada. and cursory examination of the actual choral repertoire of Mennonite choirs in Russia and -Peter Letkemann Canada. Conrad Grebe1 Col lege

'This is jazz.' By Jack Litchfield. Montreal, 1985. (ii, 67 p. Available from Oak Lawn Books, Box 2663, Providence RI 02907, U S A. US89.95 + US83.50 hand1 ing)

Discography - the study of Sound recordings its popularity has continued through to the of a particular subject - has always been of present. prime importance in jazz, since recordings are the prime source of preserved examples of the In this discography, Litchf ield lists all the music. Pub1ished discographies naturally tend weekly broadcasts, plus the "pilot" of January to concentrate on published comnercial recordings: 18 and two "Bonds for Bonds" shows of September however, unpublished and nonconmercial ones 13 and 20 (included because they featured the must not be overlooked. Broadcast recordings All Star St~IIIpers, this time in a "battle" against are one such type which are particularly important an all-star modern-jazz group). In an extremely since they often contain performances which clear layout, he lists broadcasts one to a page, break the confines of the nonnal recording-studio in chronological order, giving personnel, tune format. titles (whether issued or not) and label/catalog number of issued recording (if any). A very Such is the type of recording covered in the useful feature is the listing of soloists and discography reviewed here. "This is Jazz" was length of solo (in bars) for each tune, enabling a series of weekly broadcasts made over the one to find out which program a tune is from Mutual network (carried also on CBC) February (records issued new, or in the future, will 8 to October 4, 1947. The host and creator not necessarily identify tunes correctly, if of the program was noted record producer and they identify them at all). At the end are writer Rudi Blesh, who presented a band he called annotations for most of the broadcasts - often The All Star Stompers featuring many of the quotes from Bleshls announcements - and indexes most prominent traditional jazz musicians of to musicians, tune titles, and record issues. the day (e.g. Sidney Bechet, Ralph Sutton, Wild In all, an admirably thorough and clear Bill Davison, Edmond Hall, Baby Dodds, and Muggsy discography, covering a specialized area of Spanier) as regular members or as guest artists. the too-often neglected field of broadcast The program was not only popular at the time, recordings. but the large number of comnercially-issued -Dan A1 len recordings of these broadcasts . ,indicates that Toronto Careers in music: a guide for Canadian students. Edited by Thornas Green, Patricia Sauerbrei , and Don Sedgewick. Oakvil le, Ont. : Frederick Harris, 1986. (195 p. )

That music is a comnunicative art is aptly discussing orchestral and choral work illustrated by this collection of essays by respectively. While most performers serve their we1 l- and some lesser- known Canadians active art, church musician David Ouchterlony explains in various areas of the music scene. Strictly the view of music as the "handmaiden of religion". speaking, this book cannot be termed a "guide", Music therapist Valerie Ivy a1 so uses her musical as it represents for the most part the personal abilities to serve another end, that of viewpoints of the editors, twenty-four essayists, comnunicating with the emotional ly handicapped. and Car1 Morey who contributed the postscript. Many music students eventually earn a living Few of the contributors give detailed information in some field of education, and this broad area regarding the appropriate professional is discussed by specialists who range from Gregory oraanizations,- contact persons, educational Butler writing about university teaching, to institutions, or methods of achieving the desired Dorothy Morton relating her experiences as one goals. All this aside, the book offers a of Canada's foremost piano teachers. In between fascinating g1 impse into lives and careers, are Therese Gadoury who recounts her work setting some of which are in the "fairy-tale" categories up a comnunity music school, and Natalie Kuzmich of concert pianists and singers, and other more who discusses teaching music in public schools. unusual occupations such as music therapy and Ulla Colgrass and William Littler write about musical instrument manufacturing. journalism and criticism, and Helmut Kallmann and Patricia Wardrop describe music librarianship Editors Green, Sauerbrei and Sedgwick have done and research. a commendable job of presenting various facets of the music industry in Canada. How difficult With such an impressive line-up of topics and it must have been to choose which areas to cover experts, this reviewer, was surprised to see and then who to cover them. A quick glance at that the chapter headings did not indicate the table of contents reveals the scope of the coverage of studio musicians, orchestral project. A young musician "shopping" for possible musicians, accompanists, repeti teurs, piano careers will find much of interest, and with technicians, or instrument repairers. But all some imagination will think of even more ideas of. these topics did find their way into the to explore. essays. Only one occupation in "serious" music There are essays on various aspects of instru- seems to have been overlooked, that of the ballet mental performance including piano, early music, accompanist. and viol in, by ~enriBrassard, Claire Guimond, and Steven Staryk respectively. Instrumentalists Careers in music's value lies not in the depend heavily on their instruments, and cymbal individual pieces with their varying amounts manufacturer Robert Zildjian discusses the making of advice to the aspiring pianist, singer, of good instruments, while the consequent sales conductor, educator or critic, but in the common activity is depicted by Michael Remenyi. Singers thread that runs through most of them -- the are portrayed by Rosemarie Landry, and composers desire and the passion that it takes to be a are ably represented by Harry Freedman. Of utmost successful musician. The book is full of quotable importance to performers are the artists managers quotes attesting to this firm belief: Henri and orchestra managers whose occupations are Brassard writes "You must first ask yourself described by David Haber and the late W. Richard whether you wish to become a piano player or Palmer. Many musicians are interested in reaching a musician", and Rosemarie Landry speaks of a larger public than that of the concert hall, "le feu sacr6". Steven Staryk, writing about through radio broadcasts and sound recordings; violin performance, suggests that "very few Eleanor Koldol fsky Sniderman discusses her life will achieve a solo career, and if they set as a record producer, while Harold Redekopp their sights on this goal they will be very relates various aspects of public and private disappointed.. .[string players] should consider radio music programming. Conductors are a major orchestral position as something to represented by Victor Feldbrill and Deral Johnson, aspire to, not as compensation for the failure to develop a solo career". While most of us place musical studies in a larger context, would agree that Mr. Staryk is right, I cannot suggesting that the young musician cultivate help thinking that the majority of the an artistic and cultural environment that goes contributors to Careers - in music be1 ieve that beyond the demands of their musical endeavours. ambition, whether fulfilled or not, is a necessary component in the young musician's makeup, and The editors have organized the essays it is only through aspiration that the student alphabetically by author in order not to give can discover his or her full potential. precedence to one career over another. As a result, this book can be happily browsed. With Almost all of the essayists agree on the need its suggestions for further reading, it belongs to have a solid musical education in order to on the shelves of school guidance counsellors, embark on a musical career. While few stressed music teachers, and school, pub1 ic, and academic the need to master foreign languages, a fact libraries. that will surprise most academic musicians and -Jane A. Pearce Baldwin librarians, both Dorothy Morton and Harry Freedman Music Library, University of Western Ontario

THE WSIC DIVISION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY LIBRARY -Ri ta Vine RlTA F. VINE Music Librarian THE UNIVERSITY Telephone: (403) 220-6162 [One in a continuing series describing OF CALGARY Canadian music resource col lections]

2500 University Drive N.W., Calgary, Alberta, Canada TZN IN4

The collection of music library materials at The Library's collection only partly overlapped the University of Calgary developed erratically that of the Music Department in the early 1970's. during most of the 15 years for which Both bought books, although the Library bought documentation exists. Throughout the 1970's more than the Music Department did. Both bought there were two collections. One was in the Music scores, a1 though the Library concentrated on Department, housed in an area that was variously historical editions and collected works of called the Music Library, the Music Department composers, and the Department bought performance Library, and the Music Department Resource Centre, materials and individual study scores. Eventual ly, which is the name that finally stuck and remains both bought records, although the Department in use today. The other collection was in the bought more and started several years before main Library, housed in an area known as the the Library. Combined, the two would have made Music Division. Since 1979, it has been a division a respectable music library, but it wasn't until of the Arts and Humanities Area Library. One the late 1970's that the location of music librarian, two full-time assistants, and a dozen materials was rationalized to make the Library's student assistants offer reference assistance, Music Division the essential place to turn to a small course reserve service, course taping for music library materials. for music listening assignments and in-house circulation of sound recordings. Cataloguing Documentation on the Library' s music col lection and circulation of books and scores is handled exists only since 1971. The University of Calgary in a central location for the entire Library had become an autonomous institution in 1966, building.