Approaching Musical Prints: The Aura Of Printed Portraits In The Age Of Mechanical Reproduction

Abstract

The immediate impetus for this review-article comes from two recent publications relating to musical prints; a two-volume supplement to the 'Complete Works of C.P.E Bach', containing a reconstruction of his portrait collection (mainly prints) with an introduction and commentary by Annette Richards; and an exhibition catalogue of 'Musical Prints, 1568-1949' from the prominent print collector Stephen Bergquist. These two publications at first glance represent the results of related but quite different forms of activities; on the one hand, a contribution to a scholarly series that suggests an emerging scholarly awareness of the significance of historical collections; and on the other, an exhibition catalogue that relates to ongoing traditions and practices in printed portrait collecting itself. The opportunity to consider both side-by-side offers some interesting perspectives and stimulates reflections on print collections both as objects and as the results of purposeful activity. I will be suggesting in this article that the "artifact" and the "activity" should be seen as two sides of the same coin, and that print collections offer enormous potential as a source for music scholars when considered in this way.