CHAPTER XXIX
GROWTH OF MUSICAL LITERATURE
187. Musical Publications.—Along with all other lines of intellectual
development in the first decades of the century, the
scientific, philosophical and historical discussion of music grew
steadily in dimensions and importance. On the side of science,
acoustical problems were still further investigated, many interesting
questions about rhythmic and metric structure brought
into view, the modern doctrines of chord-building and harmonic
progression reduced to more satisfactory form, and the systematic
presentation of all the technical divisions of composition, now
including to some extent instrumentation, made more logical and
complete. The leading theorists were almost all teachers at the
Paris Conservatoire. On the side of aesthetics, continued
interest was shown, though without any notable contribution
except from the psychological point of view represented by
Herbart. The practical spirit of the period was illustrated by
the many energetic efforts to diffuse musical knowledge and
enlarge popular education in it by various pedagogical plans,
like those of Logier and Galin, aiming sometimes at the improvement
of teaching in music-schools, sometimes at a promotion of
song as a part of general education. The number of pedagogical
books for the voice and for various instruments becomes bewildering,
implying not only a widespread conviction of the
value of discipline and system, but a progressing popular demand
for instruction. Though no striking general work on musical
history was put forth, a goodly number of special studies in
various directions, particularly biography, attest the advance of
the historical spirit. Criticism for the time being was but
slightly represented. In Germany an awakening of interest in
the management of church services evoked many articles and
small brochures upon the treatment of sacred music. The founding
of musical periodicals and of publishing houses went on
more or less everywhere.
