The Cadenza, The Crescendo

[John Kasley]

I recently read Jeffrey Noonan's "The Guitar in America" and am now reading Scott Hambly's pHD dissertation "Mandolins in the United States since 1880: An Industrial and Sociocultural History of Form". In both publications, the authors make multiple references to and cite information from "The Cadenza" and "The Crescendo". I understand these were journals for the Banjo, Mandolin Guitar community in the United States.
Would anyone on the cafe know where a collection of these journals might be found in either physical or digital form? Would they be in the Library of Congress in D.C.?

[btrott]

Hi, John.

There are 4 libraries that indicate they have paper copies of The Cadenza:
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIV, NORTHRIDGE v.1-v.31(1894-1901) CNO
ATLANTA HIST CTR GEH
EASTMAN SCH OF MUSIC 20-21(1913/1914-1914/... RES
KENT STATE UNIV 1-31(1894-1924)

There are also 8 libraries in the US and Canada with microform holdings of The Cadenza:
UNIV OF COLORADO AT BOULDER v.1-v.31(1894-1924) COD
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS DLC
UNIV OF MISSOURI, KANSAS CITY Local holdings availa... UMK
NEW YORK PUB LIBR RES LIBR NYP
PUBLIC LIBR OF CINCINNATI/HAMILTON CNTY OCP
CENTER FOR POPULAR MUSIC, MTSU TPJ
UNIV OF WISCONSIN, MADISON, GEN LIBR SYS GZM
UNIV OF BRITISH COLUMBIA LIBR

For The Crescendo
Print:
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIV, NORTHRIDGE v.1-v.26(1908-1934) CNO
WASHINGTON UNIV Local holdings availa... WTU
EASTMAN SCH OF MUSIC 2-20(1909/1910-1927) RES
NEW YORK PUB LIBR RES LIBR NYP
BOWLING GREEN STATE UNIV

Microform:
UNIV OF COLORADO AT BOULDER v.1-v.25(1908-1933)
UNIV OF ILLINOIS v.1-v.25(1929-1933,19...

Barry

[John Goodin]

John,

This is exciting, a real library reference question! Of course librarian Barry beat me to the punch with his accurate information but I can add a little more.

I wrote a review of the excellent Noonan book for the Aug. 2008 issue of the mandolin journal. Here's a link to that review:
http://academic.luther.edu/~goodinjo...ricareview.pdf

By coincidence, just yesterday, I picked up a copy of Jeffrey Noonan's The Guitar in American Banjo, Mandolin, and Guitar Periodicals, 1882-1933 published this year by the Music Library Association and A-R Editions, Inc. as part of the MLA's Index and Bibliography Series.

Here's a link to a good description of the bibliography and its contents:
https://www.areditions.com/books/IB035.html

Noonan's brief introduction is very informative and mentions a couple of private collectors who have extensive runs of the Cadenza, Crescendo and a number of other shorter-lived magazines of the era. It's fascinating stuff.

John G.

[btrott]

It was a slow day in the library today, and John's query was the best reference question I had today! I look forward to reading your articles, John G. Thanks, for the links.

Barry

[John Zimm]

A little off and on topic both at once here, but I keep hoping (probably beyond hope) that some institution somewhere will see fit to digitize these journals someday. Not only are there some quaint scores for various instruments, but the articles on performance techniques and various stringed personalities are really interesting reading, especially for the mandolin-playing history nerd (yours truly).

I believe you can buy a copy of this on microfilm from the University of Michigan if you happen to have a reader sitting around the basement.

-John.

[Mandophile]

Is there anyone or any of these institutions that have scanned these journals since this was last posted? It would be great to have digital copies available. Thanks.

[margora]

"Is there anyone or any of these institutions that have scanned these journals since this was last posted? It would be great to have digital copies available. Thanks."

Here is The Cadenza.

and here is The Crescendo.

[Jim Imhoff]

Bob Margo on the job! My scholarship background is in choral music education, came to mandolins late in life so I'll never really catch up. But I am always impressed with the knowledge I see in the Cafe, the understanding of the history and diversity behind this instrument. A wonderful source of information and a connection with people who go so far beyond the "put your finger here" approach. I now know of several doctoral dissertations, scholarly texts, and other sources of detailed mandolin information. I am doing my part to bring all this to the attention of music educator colleagues in hope that mandolins and serious mandolin scholars will gain the respect they deserve. Thank you Dr. Margo and thank you Cafe.