Music Vanguard: A Critical Review (second issue only)

Second and last issue of a leftist-leaning musicology journal published in New York City in 1935. According to an entry in the Retrospective Index to Music Periodicals “Only two issues appeared; the first labeled March-April, the second Summer. Despite the journal’s brevity, it provides great insight into American socialist thought in the 1930s and the impact of Nazism on European music…The principal editors of the journal were Amnon Balber, Max Margulis, and Charles Seeger. Contributing editors were Lan Adomian, Henry Cowell, and Elie Siegmeister. In addition, many well-known names were found among the journal’s contributors, which included Bertolt Brecht, Aaron Copland, Hanns Eisler, Lawrence Gellert, Max Margulis, Herbert F. Peyser and Robert Stebbins. Among the journal’s most significant articles are Cowell’s “The Scientific Approach to Non-European Music,” Eisler’s “History of the GermanWorkers’ Music Movement from 1948,” Peyser’s “Artists in Fascist Uniform” and Seeger’s “Preface to All Linguistic Treatment of Music: Music and Language in Social Organization.” Many articles pertain to protest music, socialist music organizations, the contrast between modern music and contemporary society, and the difficulties for musicians under the Nazi regime in Germany.” The present issue contains the articles by Cowell and Peyser, along with “Notes on Translating Songs of Struggle” by Brecht, “Four Negro Songs of Protest” from the Gellert collection, and “Shostakovich’s Lady Macbeth of Mzensk” by Elie Siegmeister and Amnon Balber. 8vo in saddle-stitched printed wrappers. Scarce. Mild rubbing to extremities, with light foxing to front wrapper. Some creasing and chipping to spine.