Oscar Sonneck (1873-1928) was the first critical scholar and bibliographer of American Music. The Sonneck Society for American Music (recently re-named simply Society for American Music) was founded and first named in honor of Oscar Sonneck. Here is the information located in their membership book:

"Oscar Sonneck was born in Jersey City, New Jersey on October 6, 1873. Educated in Germany and Italy, he commenced preparation of 'A Bibliography of Early Secular American Music' in 1900. Not finding a publisher for this unusual work, he published it at his own expense, but his unique qualifications did not escape Herbert Putnam, Librarian of Congress, to whom Sonneck had first presented the manuscript. In 1902 Sonneck was asked to take charge of the Music Division of the Library of Congress, a post he held until 1917. He responsibilities included the development of the music collection and the scholarly use of the material contained therein. He later served as founding editor for the Musical Quarterly, and in 1917, joined G. Shimmer in New York as director of publications. He remained there as executive editor until his death in 1928.