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James Francis Cooke’s Editorial Motifs in the Etude Music Magazine, 1907-1957

Hansen, Jeanne Adair

Abstract Details

2017, PHD, Kent State University, College of the Arts / School of Music, Hugh A. Glauser.
The Etude music magazine, published monthly by the Theodore Presser Company from 1883 to 1957, chronicled the classical music scene in America. The first chapter deals with its founder, Theodore Presser (1848-1925), who created a music publishing empire with Etude as one crucial component. Its circulation of nearly one-quarter million copies each month was attained in the early 1920s. Presser’s philanthropy is also addressed including the Presser Home for Retired Musicians and the Presser Music Buildings on ten campuses around the United States. James Francis Cooke (1875-1960) assumed the editorship of Etude in 1907 and served in that capacity until 1949. He continued to write articles and editorials after his retirement. Cooke’s non-editorial writings were indexed by Pamela Dennis in her two-volume An Index to Articles Published in The Etude Magazine, 1883 to 1957, published in 2011, but the editorials were only listed in the chronological index and omitted from the author, title, and subject indexes. Cooke’s biographical information is included in the second chapter. His contribution over fifty years of editorial and non-editorial writing was often neglected in musical dictionaries including The New Grove Dictionary of American Music (1986) and The Grove Dictionary of American Music (2013). From his editorials, three specific topics are examined, his search for an American music, his objections to jazz, and his view of the role of women within music. The actual impact of his writings cannot be easily ascertained; however, one area is clear—many of his advocated musical styles, genres, composers, and compositions, have not survived the test of time. Sixty years after the demise of Etude, his opinions can be traced with many of today’s classical music audiences objecting to dissonances and experimentation within form, texture, and instrumentation. On the other hand, his very strong endorsement of mechanical devices, the phonograph, radio, and television were noteworthy. He always advocated for equal pay between men and women in the field of music. The overall thrust of not only the editorials, but Etude, in general, was an obvious slant towards those who considered themselves part of the Genteel Society or who aspired to it.
Theodore Albrecht, Ph. D. (Advisor)
468 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Hansen, J. A. (2017). James Francis Cooke’s Editorial Motifs in the Etude Music Magazine, 1907-1957 [Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1510825513934644

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Hansen, Jeanne. James Francis Cooke’s Editorial Motifs in the Etude Music Magazine, 1907-1957 . 2017. Kent State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1510825513934644.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Hansen, Jeanne. "James Francis Cooke’s Editorial Motifs in the Etude Music Magazine, 1907-1957 ." Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1510825513934644

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)