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Het Muziekcollege

(Haarlem, 1913-1917)

Prepared by Elisabeth Kamphuis
1 volume (1993)

Het Muziekcollege Halfmaandelijksch Tijdschrift voor Muziekvrienden en -beoefenaars began publication on 1 November 1913 and concluded on 16 October 1917 when it was merged with the venerable seventy-four-year-old Dutch journal Caecilia. Warmly received by the Dutch musical community of the period, Het Muziekcollege was issued annually in twenty-four numbers. Founded by the Haarlem music publisher Emil Wegelin, with contributors Willem Landré (composer and critic), Pieter Anne van Westrheene (music critic), and Piet de Waardt (pianist and composer), appointed to act as an editorial board.

Each issue commences with a “lecture” on a serious music topic of interest to amateur performers and music lovers: the symphonies of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven; the fingering of piano music; the folksongs of different European countries including an important paper on Yiddish music. The column “Important dates” commemorates well-known composers and musicologists on their respective dates of birth, with special attention given to Dutch artists. A regular column “Questions and answers” offers responses to readers’ inquiries, while “New compositions” focuses on reviews of recent publications of music by Dutch composers. In addition to the special attention given to Dutch musical life, Het Muziekcollege displays interest in Flemish music. This is seen, for example, in the controversy concerning the possible differences between Dutch and Flemish music. The regular column “New publications” treats music literature from home and abroad. Foreign news is a regular feature with articles drawn from diverse sources such as the Signale für die musikalische Welt, the Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung, the Guide musical and the Musical Times.

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