{"product_id":"18732-slonimsky-nicolas-i-decided-that-it-was-no-use-trying-to-bring-order-out-of-the-chaos-reigning-in-the-previous-editions-of-baker-typed-letter-signed","title":"Slonimsky, Nicolas. (1894–1995) \"[I] decided that it was no use trying to bring order out of the chaos reigning in the previous editions of 'Baker'\" - Typed Letter Signed","description":"\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003eHumorous TLS from the important conductor, author, pianist, and musicologist containing interesting insights into his editing the fifth edition of \u003ci\u003eBaker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians\u003c\/i\u003e.  June 20, 1959.  1 pp., on Slonimsky's stationary.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e\"Dear Mr. Derby\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003eI still say I mever nake [\u003ci\u003esic.\u003c\/i\u003e] mistakes, except the 57 gross errors that I have already found in \u003ci\u003eBaker\u003c\/i\u003e, and some cute neologisms such as the reference to the \"eary works\" [\u003ci\u003esic\u003c\/i\u003e] of Gretchaninov, influenced by Rimsky-Korsakov.  The logic of this particular word is unassailable.  He heard Rimsky's music aurally, ergo the influence was eary.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003eAs for McEwan succeeding Mackenzie in the wrong place, this is the result of my uncritical copying of the misinformation contained in the 1940 edition of \u003ci\u003eBaker\u003c\/i\u003e.  Grove has it right, and I should have checked on that.  But when I was working my way through the M's I was psychologically at my lowest ebb, and just decided that it was no use trying to bring order out of the chaos reigning in the previous editions... By the time I reached the second half of the dictionary, I finally understood that I could trust nothing in the old editions, and proceeded to write every single article anew.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e...\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003eSincerely yours,\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e[Signature]\"\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003eLabel and a small half-tone photograph affixed to front of letter, below the text, else fine.  8.5 x 11 inches (21.6 x 27.9 cm.).\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003eNicolas Slonimsky was born in Russia, and is best known for writing the \u003ci\u003eThesaurus of Melodic Scales and Patterns\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Lexicon of Musical Invective\u003c\/i\u003e, as well as editing four editions of \u003ci\u003eBaker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Schubertiade Music and Arts","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46093692731551,"sku":"18732","price":100.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0512\/4826\/7423\/files\/Slonimsky_Nicolas_Typed_Letter_Signed_18732.jpg?v=1722189724","url":"https:\/\/www.schubertiademusic.com\/products\/18732-slonimsky-nicolas-i-decided-that-it-was-no-use-trying-to-bring-order-out-of-the-chaos-reigning-in-the-previous-editions-of-baker-typed-letter-signed","provider":"Schubertiade Music and Arts","version":"1.0","type":"link"}