Adler, Guido

containing working notes by Adler and copies of his own books, including an interleaved copy of Thayer’s Chronologisches Verzeichniss der Werke Ludwig van Beethovens (Berlin, 1865), extensively annotated by Adler, many inscribed by important musicologists, some of whom were Adler's pupils; comprising over 170  books and pamphlets, in a variety of languages including German, Croatian, Danish, English, French, Hungarian, Italian, Polish, Slovak, Spanish and Swedish, containing many rarities, including Schebek’s Zwei Briefe über Johann Jacob Froberger Prague, 1874), Bohn’s Chronik des Breslauer Orchester-Vereins (Breslau, 1887), and a large collection pamphlets dating from the late nineteenth-century and early twentieth century,  “Geschichte der Pflege der Musik in Torgau”, some in typescript, some offprints and articles, Hanslick’s “Briefe von Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy an Aloys Fuchs”, and Bartók’s “Ueber die Herausgabe ungarischer-Volkslied” (Berlin, 1931), signed and dedicated by Bartók, and Adler’s “Johannes Brahms Gedenkblatt zum 100. Geburtstag”, sold as a collection not subject to return

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Guido Adler is regarded as the father of modern musicology. He was the founder of the Musikwissenschaftliches Seminar of the University of Vienna, regarded as the prototype of musical research centres worldwide. He was a friend of many composers, including Brahms, Bruckner, Bartók and Mahler, who presented him with the autograph manuscript of the song “Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen”. The autograph, restituted to Guido Adler’s grandson Tom, was sold in these rooms, 24 May 2004, lot 107. The history of this manuscript and the fate of Prof. Adler’s library is recounted by Rick Gekoski “ Lost to the World”, in Lost, stolen or shredded (London, 2013), pp.181-194.

After the Anschluss and during the last illness of the musicologist, the great library which he formed became a bargaining chip for the survival of Adler and his daughter Melanie. She imagined that they might be able to leave Vienna if the collection were given or sold to a library. The bargaining failed. Adler died, the library and his manuscripts were confiscated and Melanie transported and shot in 1942. These books were catalogued by the library later in that year.

Some parts of the library were found after the war and restored to the family and are now in the University of Georgia. The section here was discovered in the Music Library of the University of Vienna, some marked with the stamp of the Musikwissenschaftliches Seminar. They were stolen by the organisation Adler had founded. The books were stamped, rebound and sometimes annotated. Paul Stefan’s Schubert is annotated beneath the author’s name: “früher Paul Gruenfeldt”. They were inventoried and the dates of acquisition entered in some volumes (“Herbst 1942"), and several stamped with the swastika and eagle, including Adler’s own book Richard Wagner Vorlesungen (Munich, 1923).

The following writers dedicated their works to Adler, Bartók, Appia (Die Musik und die Inscenierung, with printed dedication to Houston Stewart Chamberlain), Aubry, Bauer, Berrueta, Billroth, Bormann, Houston Stewart Chamberlain (Le drame wagnérien, with annotations by the author in German), Chybinski, de Wit, Emmanuel, Fries, Geiringer (“…Herrn Hofrat Univ.Prof. Guido Adler in aufrichtiger Verehrung von seinem dankbaren Schüler…”), Hartog, Herriot, Herwegh, Hippau, Knut Jeppesen, Komorzynski, Kralik, Levitain, Masson, Moser, Nettl, Norlind, Orel, Prunières (Monteverdi, Paris, 1924), Romain Rolland, Schnoor, Schrener, Segenreich-Pfeifer, Stefan, Van den Borren, Varró and many others.

A number of the volumes are annotated by Adler, Paul Nettl’s Alte jüdische Spielleute und Musiker (Prague, 1923), receiving some harsh criticism. The respect Adler received internationally is reflected in the wide-range of authors and the warmth of their dedications to him. The subject matter is wide, embracing Adler’s interests in very early music, plain-chant and ethnic music, including that of the Eskimos and the Sumerians. There are important studies of music in particular places and cities, such as Prague and Torgau. In short there are many items here of the utmost rarity, some of which are missing from many important libraries in Central Europe.

Of great interest are exhibition catalogues, including for the International Music and Theatre Exhibition, Vienna, 1892, which Adler organised and featured music from around the world, including the United States and Great Britain, alongside more famous works by the still living Brahms and Bruckner, some of the great men known to Adler and his circle.

A full listing of the collection is available on request.