Back to the Wild Frontier(s): Osek, Waṅhal and the Nature of the 18th-Century Music Catalog

Abstract The sizeable music collection from the Osek monastery has previously been interpreted in light of a catalog that was updated 1754–c1802. The completion of a modern catalog allows for a reappraisal of the history of the institution. Previous research has explained the lack of updates in the catalog during the years 1778–1802 with a decline in musical activity following the reforms of Joseph II. The collection, however, suggests that Jan Jakob Trautzl, regens chori since 1783, began his tenure by acquiring sacred works by Johann Baptist Waṅhal which rank among the largest and most ambitious from the era. There is also evidence of local adaptations of masses into polychoral and polyorchestral arrangements. Except for a possible low point during the years 1787–1789, the reforms thus seem to have had limited effect. The failure to accurately represent the collection in the catalog suggests the necessity for a new paradigm for reading such documents. One may preliminarily consider catalogs' limited potential for additions and emendations and understand them as tools for music professionals rather than librarians. In this view there is nothing surprising about lacunae, but the inclusion of a work becomes a sign of intent from the cataloger.