Redigenda curavit KNUD JEPPESEN (Dania) – the Tragic Figure in the 1936 Scenario of Acta musicologica?

Special section: 70th anniversary of the Danish Musicological Society

Abstract

The article explores the pivotal role played by Danish musicologist Knud Jeppesen (1892–1974) as editor of the renowned international journal Acta musicologica during the 1930s and 1940s. It emphasizes Jeppesen’s involvement in the 1936 Congress of the Internationale Gesellschaft für Musikwissenschaft in Barcelona, which took place during a period of escalating political tensions in Europe, marked by pronounced hostility between German musicologists aligned with the Nazi regime and their international counterparts. At the congress, a decision was made to transfer the journal’s publisher from the prestigious Leipzig firm Breitkopf & H.rtel to the smaller Danish publisher Levin & Munksgaard in Copenhagen – a move that represented a significant victory for those resisting German dominance in musicological circles. Pamela Potter argues that the subsequent German boycott of Acta musicologica posed considerable challenges for the journal, leading her to characterize Jeppesen as the ‘tragic figure’ in this context. Drawing on Jeppesen’s personal correspondence with musicologists from both hostile camps, the article examines the sequence of events and the consequences of the German boycott, concluding that – although the boycott likely influenced submissions – the full extent and duration of its impact remain uncertain. Despite personal difficulties, including strained relationships with Breitkopf & H.rtel, Jeppesen’s editorship ensured that the journal not only survived – even amidst the disruptions of World War II – but also continued to serve as an important platform for global musicological research.