After studying archaeology, history of art and music, Josip Mantuani gained employment in the Vienna court library, where he set up the music collection, leading it until his departure for Ljubljana, where he took over the leadership of the Provincial Museum. Even in Vienna, with his work in the archive, teaching and cooperation in specialist projects, he gained a wide range of experience, a broad view of the material and became established in the leading circle of musicologists. Thus, after the establishment of the music conservatory (1919), it was understandable that Mantuani was selected to teach history of music there. Upon the founding of the University of Ljubljana, he planned the establishment of an independent chair of music, as the teaching of the history of music at the conservatory did not satisfy his criteria for the contemporary study of music. In spite of public support, his efforts went unrewarded for many years. It was not until 1942 that students at the university were able to sit an exam in history of music, while the establishment of a department of musicology did not take place until 1962.
|
