An important feature of German-language general music periodicals during the first half of the twentieth century is the frequency with which the editors made use of special issues, most often called Sonderhefte. Such special issues served to focus the readers' attention by devoting most, if not all, of the article section of an issue to a specific composer or topic. An editor might have decided to publish a special issue for the following reasons: (i) to commemorate the anniversary of the birth or death of a major figure; (ii) to provide intensive coverage of an important topic or new field of interest; (iii) to survey musical life in a given area or country; or (iv) to introduce a group of young composers whose works were to be presented as part of a festival of contemporary music. In addition to these types of special issues, some journals offered, once a year, a Carnival issue consisting of humouristic or satirical texts.