A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Dwight's Journal of Music

DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC, Boston, U. S. A., 4to. fortnightly, was founded in 1852 by John S. Dwight, whose name it bears, and is still edited by him. Mr. Dwight was one of the since somewhat famous little community at Brook Farm who did much in many ways to advance the interests of literature and philanthropy. Hawthorne, for a time, was one of them, and the names of others have since become famous. Mr. Dwight, though not an educated musician, was musical editor of the 'Harbinger,' a periodical published at Brook Farm, and a frequent contributor of musical critiques to the daily papers of Boston, where he did good service in directing attention to what was noblest and best in music.

For six years he was editor, publisher, and proprietor of the Journal, the publication of which was then assumed by Oliver Ditson & Co. During the war it was changed from a weekly to a fortnightly paper. Its object was to advocate music and musical culture in the highest sense, and to give honest and impartial criticisms, a purpose to which it has been always steadily devoted. As its title indicates, it is 'Dwight's Journal,' expressing the convictions of its editor without fear or favour; and this course has gained for it the respect of many who differ widely from the opinions which it advocates. Mr. Dwight has been sole editor up to this day, although the volumes contain valuable contributions from other pens. Among the most noticeable are those from A. W. Thayer, the biographer of Beethoven, who has written for it many valuable biographical and historical articles, as well as musical tales. Especially noteworthy are his articles on some of the contemporaries of Beethoven—Salieri, Gyrowetz, Gelinck, Hummel, and others. Prof. Ritter and his wife (now of the Vassar Female College), W. S. B. Mathews of Chicago, and C. C. Perkins of Boston, have also contributed frequent and valuable articles to its columns. Its republications of the best articles in European musical journals, and translations from valuable works, with its excellent foreign correspondence and well selected pages of classical music, make these volumes a valuable book of reference during the whole period of its existence, during which over 100 musical papers have arisen—and in great part disappeared—in the United States. Whatever is good and noble and earnest in art has never failed to find in 'Dwight's Journal of Music' an enthusiastic advocate and staunch defender. And hence, while other journals have disappeared with the fashions of the day, it still pursues its course, in form and spirit the same that it was a quarter of a century ago.

[ H. W. ]