Professor Emeritus Alexander Silbiger
awarded
Mellon Foundation Emeritus Fellowship

Already part of an esteemed echelon of scholars, Professor Emeritus Alexander "Lex" Silbiger received further acknowledgement of his intellectual contributions as recipient of a 2008 Mellon Foundation Emeritus Fellowship.

Silbiger's project, entitled "The Construction of an Online Thematic Catalogue and Database of the Works of Girolamo Frescobaldi (1583-1643)," involves building the first thematic catalog representing this prolific and influential composer's craft. According to Silbiger, constructing the catalog specifically as an online database will make the resource more cost-effective and accessible than a printed tome. He notes that "thematic catalogues traditionally have been published as (often fat) printed books. They usually are expensive volumes and confined to the reference shelves of research libraries. Furthermore, they tend to go out of date, because inevitably new discoveries are being made all the time. [An online resource] can be consulted by anyone at any time anywhere in the world. It can easily and instantly be updated to incorporate new discoveries. It also allows quick searches if you want information on a particular work or group of works, or even trace a tune." Silbiger foresees that "musicians of all levels, from high-school students to professional performers, who desire to find information on a particular work" will benefit from this new venture.

Throughout the project, Silbiger plans to collaborate with colleagues from the University of Geneva, Stanford, Bard College, Franklin & Marshall College, and the Conservatory of Music "Nicolo Piccinni," Bari (Italy). Though the project requires some exploration of library collections in Italy, England, Germany, Poland, and the US, the scholar acknowledges that much of his research can be done "at home" using local library and internet resources.

Once complete, the Online Thematic Catalogue and Database of the Works of Girolamo Frescobaldi will be accessible through the website of the Society for Seventeenth-Century Music, currently hosted by the University of Illinois Press. Silbiger emphasizes that the catalog will "be freely accessible to the general public; to me that is essential."

According to the Mellon Foundation, the Emeritus Fellowship will "support the scholarly activities of outstanding faculty members in the humanities and humanistic social sciences who, at the time of taking up the fellowships, will be officially retired but continue to be active and productive in their fields." Music Department Chair Stephen Jaffe lauds Silbiger and his commitment to excellence, saying "this descriptor fits our colleague to a T. We're delighted to announce this news." Throughout his retirement, Silbiger continues to serve through his research, academic service, and instructorship at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. His indefatigable commitment to research and spirited enthusiasm for intellectual engagement are complemented by a quick wit and his trademark grin.

Recipients of the Mellon Foundation Emeritus Fellowship span the humanities, representing disciplines from Art History to Religion, from Economics to Women's Studies. Silbiger joins a respected cohort of music scholars with this honor, including Harold Powers, Bo Lawergren, Leo Treitler, Christian Wolff, and fellow 2008 awardee Wye J. (Wendy) Allanbrook.

-Joyce Kurpiers