Introducing Franz Horn

After moving to the next few volumes of AMZ, I've determined that Fr. Horn is Franz Horn (1781-1837), a literary figure as well as music critic. Mark Evan Bonds quotes from his musical fragments on Mozart and Shakespeare in the _Journal of the American Musicological Society_ (1997). Horn follows his discussion of German opera in April of 1803, "Vermischte Bemerkungen bei Gelegenheit eines alten Buchs über die Musik" (499-508). One interesting passage is his claim that from consulting various subjects discussed in Scheibe's "Critischer Musikus" (1730), writing a "fullstanding history of German opera" is entirely managable (502). I'm looking forward to combing through this text more carefully.

Who the Hell is Fr. Horn?

I found a great quote in the September, 1802 issue of Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung (AmZ, 788), but I'm not familiar with the contributor. The quote is one of many "musikalische Fragmente" submitted by Fr. Horn. The only name I can think of is Carl Friedrich Horn (aka Charles Frederick Horn), an organist from Germany gone Handel in England.



The quote reads as follows:

"Der Charakter der Nationen redet deutlich in ihren Künsten, und besonders in ihrer Musik, von der man noch bei allen Völkern, wenigstens leise Spuren und Andeutungen gefunden hat."

So simple, yet so deep. Horn then goes on to characterize the national characteristics of Italian, Spanish, French, English, and German music in more fragments. Interestingly, in an "ungenannte" article, "Fragen eines Layen über musikalische Gegenstände," published in two parts in the prior two issues in 1802, there is a more specific discussion of German opera, although this time rhetorically as a posed question followed by a detailed answer:

"Woher kömmt es, dass wir Deutschen, trotz aller Lauten und von Jedermann gerecht befundenen Klagen und Beschwerden, noch immer so viele ganz schlechte, kaum einige leidliche, und fast gar keine wirklich schönen Operntexte erhalten?" (642)

Quite the predicament.

Turabian Trouble

As I integrate the bibliography of my Master's thesis with those of recent term papers and grant proposals to create the dissertation Ur-bibliography, I'm questioning the benefits of the new seventh edition of Turabian. Although I'm impressed at the extended entries on online citations and the color-coordinated examples, it completely frustrates the avid sixth-edition user. The sixth edition tells us to use formal abbr. for US states (e.g., Mass., Ill.); however, the seventh edition insists on US postal abbr. (e.g., MA, NY). I understand that writing habits are becoming more informal--the seventh edition now discourages Latin phrases like "et al." when you can simply type "and others"--but it sure makes for some tedious cross-referencing.

I laughed at the thought of some OCD editors having to relearn 3.88 as 21.4: a colon (instead of a semicolon) should separate two independent clauses when the second independent clause expands on, clarifies or exemplifies the meaning or understanding of the first independent clause. Indeed, after working through the new edition, I'm becoming the subject of my own ridicule. Inclusive pagination was simply stated by providing only the altered digit 173-9; however, now there are rules based on how high the initial number is--173-79, yet 1007-9. And I gladly type hyphen for a range of numbers since the en-dash rule seems to have disappeared. The insanity!

Blog Reborn

I've decided to make an effort to blog more frequently. Since I'm beginning my dissertation work this summer and will continue in Germany next school year, I'd like a forum for expressing my frustrations, excitement, and anything else that piques interest. As dissertation newbie--yes, I understand that one does not become an expert at writing dissertations because you'd never do it again for a million dollars!--I'd like to chronicle my experience, both mistakes and successes, as a motivational force. Besides, nothing passes the time better than distracting yourself from the task at hand. I can't wait!