Moore, John W(eeks)

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Moore, John W(eeks)

Moore, John W(eeks), pioneer American musicologist and lexicographer; b. Andover, N.H., April 11, 1807; d. Manchester, N.H., March 23, 1889. He learned the printer’s trade and then went to Brunswick, Maine (1828), where he publ, the first weekly newspaper in that state. After living in N.H. again (1831–38), he settled in Bellows Falls, Vt., as ed. of the Bellows Falls Gazette (1838–55); also ed. the World of Music (1843–49), a music journal. His magnum opus was the Complete Encyclopedia of Music, Elementary, Technical, Historical, Biographical, Vocal, and Instrumental (1852; reprint, 1972), the first comprehensive work of its kind in English. He went to Manchester (1863), where he revived the World of Music (1867–70). He also brought out a supplement to his encyclopedia (1875; reprint, 1972) and ed. A Dictionary of Musical Instruments (1876), an abridged version of his encyclopedia.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis Mclntire

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