• WILLEM MENGELBERG, Gedenkboek 1895-1920 edited by Paul Cronheim (Amsterdam: 'S Gravenhage Martinus Nijhoff, 1920) A book reproducing congratulatory messages (in a number of languages) as the conductor celebrated his first 25 years with the Concertgebouw Orchestra. There appear to have been two versions, one produced at the time of the anniversary, and a published version with slightly different content.
  
  
• Mengelberg and the Symphonic Epoch by Edna Richolson Sollitt (New York: Ives, Washburn, Publisher, 1929) Mengelberg must have been attractive to women, because this book is almost embarrassing in its adoration of his art. An example: "Mengelberg in Amsterdam! It is eight o'clock on a cool spring evening, and the great hall of the Concertgebouw is filled to the last seat with stalwart Dutchmen in London evening clothes, and women in sophisticated toilettes. The Players are assembled. the liveried attendant has poked his head through the door at the back of the stage to see that all is in order; he comes down the stairway with his peculiar falling gait, and removes to the rail the wreaths which have been resting on the conductor's stand. Without any signal except our nerves. we all become quiet. and suddenly, at the top of the slope a quick-moving figure rushes toward the stairway and comes rapidly down. This is indeed the signal: the house rises; the orchestra rises; the old hall fairly strains its walls to hold the welcome we give. It is the closing concert of the subscription season." Yet, despite the purple prose (somehow quite evocative), the lady did her homework, quoting extensively from composers and critics of the day about her hero's art.(in English)
  
  
• Mengelberg speekt by Edna Richolson Sollitt (Amsterdam: 'S Gravenhage: J. Philip Kruseman, 19??) Some lists show the title Mengelberg Speaks, a translation of the Dutch original, but I have never seen it offered, and it would be a primary resource for English-speaking Mengelberg admirers, were it avialable.
  
  
• Mengelberg, zooals de teekenaar Georges Augsbourg hem zeit by Georges Augsbourg (French title: Mengelberg, Sa vie en Images (Amsterdam, Andries Blitz, 1936) A collection of drawings of Mengelberg in rehearsal and concert. That such a book would sell indicates his status and popularity in pre-war Holland.
  
  
• Concertgebouworkest in Diamant 1888-1948 by G. K. Krop (Amsterdam: Van Munster's, 1949) (in Dutch)
  
  
• Geschiednis van het Concertgebouw by S. A. M. Bottenheim (2 volumes, Amsterdam: Van den Vondel, 1953) (in Dutch)
  
  
• Willem Mengelberg by Wouter Paap (Amsterdam: Elsevier, 1960) (translation by R. H. Hardie, P. M. Schouten and D. Tait, 1960) Although slightly controversial at the time of publication, this is the most complete biography in English available. (in Dutch)
  
  
• Over Willem Mengelberg by Miss E. B. Heemskerk (Amsterdam: Vitgeverij Heuff, 1971) Never translated into English, I am told this is a most thorough and engaging book on his life. Miss Heemskerk, who lived to be 100, was a violinist in the Concertgebouw Orchestra and every summer traveled to Chur, Switzerland to open and oversee Chasa Mengelberg, his summer (and final) residence, which was maintained much as he left it by the Willem Mengelberg Foundation, for musicians to rest and recover from the stress of concert life. (In Dutch)
  
  
• The Recordings of Willem Mengelberg, A Discography compiled by R. H. Hardie, (Nashville, Tennessee: 1972) (In English) This essential for any Mengelberg collector is long out of print. Takeshi Hasegawa maintains a discography page that has all the basic listings, by original recording entity. My pages offer a list of currently available compact discs for those who wish to experience Mengelberg's art.
  
  
• Willem Mengelberg [1871-1951], Dirigent / Conductor, Fritz Zwart, editor (The Hague: Haags Gemeentemuseum, 1995) Catalog of a Mengelberg exhibition at the Hague Municipal Museum, where the Mengelberg Archives are kept. The book includes bilingual articles on Mengelberg and Mahler and on the conductor's style. (in Dutch with English summary) ISBN 90-6730-101-9
  
  
• Willem Mengelberg [1871-1951], een biografie, Fritz Zwart, editor (Amsterdam: Prometheus, 1999) The first volume (of two), by far the most extensive examination of the conductor's life. (In Dutch)

• The Orchestra Speaks by Bernard Shore (London: Longmans, Green and Co., Ltd., 1938) A touching recollection of playing under some of the great conductors of the day. (in English)
  read the text of the Mengelberg chapter
  
  
• Living Musicians by David Ewan (New York: The H.W. Wilson Company, 1940) Although now likely to be found only in large-city libraries with older music book collections, this collection of major musician biographies is still worth consulting. It is typical of similar later compilations by the same author.
  read the text of the Mengelberg article
  
  
• The Great Conductors by Harold Schonberg (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1967) A book anybody with an interest in historical conductors should not only read, but own. (in English)
  
  
• Conductors on Record by John L. Holmes (Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1982) An extremely comprehensive book containing biographies and record lists of nearly every classical conductor who ever made a recording before 1980. (in English)
  
  
• Mahler in Amsterdam van Mengelberg tot Chailly, Johan Giskes, editor (Amsterdam: Bossum, 1995) This interesting book deals, in a series of articles, with the close association between Mahler's music and the Concertgebouw Orchestra, and includes a CD of Concertgebouw music directors leading movements from his symphonies; Mengelberg's contribution is the last movement of the 4th Symphony. (in Dutch)

Brendan Wehrung