Historical editions (music)
Encyclopedia
Historical editions are a category of published music in print, generally containing Classical music
from a past repertory. Although the term can apply to many music publications, it is often applied to scholarly or critical editions, or in other words, music editions in which careful scholarship has been employed to ensure that the music contained within is as close to the composer's original intentions as possible. The term is also often used for a further subset of musical publications, namely multi-volume sets devoted to a particular composer or to a particular musical repertory. These series are sometimes also referred to as Collected Works, Complete Works, or the German Gesamtausgabe (when containing the works of one particular composer) and Monuments, Monumental Editions, or the German Denkmäler (when containing a repertory defined by geography, time period, or musical genre).
's Esemplare, ossia Saggio... di contrappunto, published around 1774-5). Around the same time, the proliferation of pirated editions of music by popular composers (such as Haydn and Mozart) prompted respected music publishers to embark on "oeuvres complettes," intended as uniform editions of the entire musical output of these composers. Unfortunately, many of these early complete works projects were never finished.
In the 19th century, the emergence of romantic hero worship of composers, sometimes described as the "cult of genius," fired the enthusiasm for Complete Works series for important composers. The development of the academic field of musicology also contributed to an interest in more accurate and well-researched editions of musical works. Finally, the rise of Nationalism
within music circles influenced the creation of Monumental Editions devoted to geographical regions, such as Denkmäler deutscher Tonkunst begun in 1892 and Denkmäler der Tonkunst in Österreich begun in 1894.
can be imprecise, musical handwriting can be difficult to decipher, and first or early printed editions of pieces often contained mistakes.
What are known as performers’ editions, by comparison, do not rely on a thorough examination of all known sources, and often purposely include extraneous markings not written by the composer (dynamics
, articulation marks, bowing indications, fingerings, and so on) to aid a musician playing from that score.
initiated many of the earliest complete works series of major composers. A few of these include:
Many of these early complete works series were edited by music scholars or composers famous in their own right, such as Johannes Brahms
, Guido Adler
, Julius Rietz
, Friedrich Chrysander
, and others.
After the upheavals of World War I
and World War II
, which slowed the output of musical scholarship and publishing, renewed activity led to many new series as well as to a reassessment of the older complete works series. New techniques in photographic and other types of reproduction allowed scholars to consult many more early sources, either in microfilm or facsimile copies. Entirely new series were published for several major composers for whom complete works sets already existed. These updated editions incorporated new scholarship in their editing and allowed for a broader definition of complete works, often including early versions of pieces, sketches, and so on. Many of these new series have been published by the German music publisher Bärenreiter, and include:
In addition to the reworking of older Complete Works series, many new series have been initiated for composers not previously featured in this way. Some examples include:
It would be impossible to list here all of the new Complete Works series that have been initiated in the last century. Some of the major publishers of these series include Breitkopf & Härtel
, Bärenreiter, Stainer & Bell, G. Henle Verlag
, and others.
, Joseph Joachim
, and Philipp Spitta
, was supported by the German government. Examples of other early monumental editions (still ongoing) include:
More recent projects include not only those focusing on geographic regions, but also many devoted to particular time periods or repertory, such as:
It would be equally impossible to list all of the Monumental Editions currently ongoing. Several of the major publishers of these series include the American Institute of Musicology, Bärenreiter, Istituto Italiano per la Storia della Musica, Instituto Español de musicologia, Éditions de l'Oiseau-Lyre
, and others.
These publications are often sponsored by musicological research bodies or by civic organizations. Many of these endeavors also value international cooperation, creating editorial boards that include scholars from various countries.
To find pieces within older Monumental Editions, the best resource is still the 3rd edition of Anna Harriet Heyer's Historical Sets, Collected Editions, and Monuments of Music: A Guide to their Content, published in 1980. A more up to date description of newer complete works and monumental edition sets can be found in George R. Hill and Norris L. Stephens, Collected Editions, Historical Series & Sets & Monuments of Music: A Bibliography, but there is no index to find individual pieces. An online database, called the "Index to Printed Music: Collections & Series," is currently underway, but it is accessible by subscription only, and is not yet complete.
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
from a past repertory. Although the term can apply to many music publications, it is often applied to scholarly or critical editions, or in other words, music editions in which careful scholarship has been employed to ensure that the music contained within is as close to the composer's original intentions as possible. The term is also often used for a further subset of musical publications, namely multi-volume sets devoted to a particular composer or to a particular musical repertory. These series are sometimes also referred to as Collected Works, Complete Works, or the German Gesamtausgabe (when containing the works of one particular composer) and Monuments, Monumental Editions, or the German Denkmäler (when containing a repertory defined by geography, time period, or musical genre).
The origins of historical editions
Up until the 18th century, music performance and distribution centered around current compositions. Even professional musicians rarely were familiar with music written more than a half century before their own time. In the second half of the 18th century, an awakening of interest in the history of music prompted the publication of numerous collections of older music (for example, William Boyce's Cathedral Music, published around 1760-63, and Giovanni Battista MartiniGiovanni Battista Martini
Giovanni Battista Martini , also known as Padre Martini, was an Italian musician.-Biography:Martini was born at Bologna....
's Esemplare, ossia Saggio... di contrappunto, published around 1774-5). Around the same time, the proliferation of pirated editions of music by popular composers (such as Haydn and Mozart) prompted respected music publishers to embark on "oeuvres complettes," intended as uniform editions of the entire musical output of these composers. Unfortunately, many of these early complete works projects were never finished.
In the 19th century, the emergence of romantic hero worship of composers, sometimes described as the "cult of genius," fired the enthusiasm for Complete Works series for important composers. The development of the academic field of musicology also contributed to an interest in more accurate and well-researched editions of musical works. Finally, the rise of Nationalism
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
within music circles influenced the creation of Monumental Editions devoted to geographical regions, such as Denkmäler deutscher Tonkunst begun in 1892 and Denkmäler der Tonkunst in Österreich begun in 1894.
Editing historical editions
In creating a scholarly or critical edition, an editor examines all available versions of the given piece (early musical sketches, manuscript versions, publisher’s proof copies, early printed editions, and so on) and attempts to create an edition that is as close to the composer’s original intentions as possible. Editors use their historical knowledge, detective skills, and musical understanding to choose what one hopes is the most accurate version of the piece. More recent scholarly editions often include footnotes or critical reports describing discrepancies between differing versions, or explaining appropriate performance practice for the time period. In general, editing music is a much more challenging endeavor than editing text-based works of literature, as musical notationMusical notation
Music notation or musical notation is any system that represents aurally perceived music, through the use of written symbols.-History:...
can be imprecise, musical handwriting can be difficult to decipher, and first or early printed editions of pieces often contained mistakes.
What are known as performers’ editions, by comparison, do not rely on a thorough examination of all known sources, and often purposely include extraneous markings not written by the composer (dynamics
Dynamics (music)
In music, dynamics normally refers to the volume of a sound or note, but can also refer to every aspect of the execution of a given piece, either stylistic or functional . The term is also applied to the written or printed musical notation used to indicate dynamics...
, articulation marks, bowing indications, fingerings, and so on) to aid a musician playing from that score.
Complete works
The German music publisher Breitkopf & HärtelBreitkopf & Härtel
Breitkopf & Härtel is the world's oldest music publishing house. The firm was founded in 1719 in Leipzig by Bernhard Christoph Breitkopf . The catalogue currently contains over 1000 composers, 8000 works and 15,000 music editions or books on music. The name "Härtel" was added when Gottfried...
initiated many of the earliest complete works series of major composers. A few of these include:
- Johann Sebastian BachJohann Sebastian BachJohann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
: WerkeBach GesellschaftThe Bach-Gesellschaft was a society formed in 1850 for the express purpose of publishing the complete works of Johann Sebastian Bach without editorial additions. Their collected works are known as the Bach-Gesellschaft-Ausgabe....
(1851-1900; supplemental volume [revised edition of The Art of FugueThe Art of FugueThe Art of Fugue , BWV 1080, is an incomplete work by Johann Sebastian Bach . It was most likely started at the beginning of the 1740s, if not earlier. The first known surviving version, which contained 12 fugues and 2 canons, was copied by the composer in 1745...
] 1926) - George Frideric HandelGeorge Frideric HandelGeorge Frideric Handel was a German-British Baroque composer, famous for his operas, oratorios, anthems and organ concertos. Handel was born in 1685, in a family indifferent to music...
: WerkeHändel-GesellschaftBetween 1858 and 1902, the Händel-Gesellschaft, or "German Handel Society," produced a collected 105-volume edition of the works of Georg Frideric Handel. Even though the collection was initiated by the society, many of the volumes were published by Friedrich Chrysander working alone...
(1858-1902) - Giovanni Pierluigi da PalestrinaGiovanni Pierluigi da PalestrinaGiovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina was an Italian Renaissance composer of sacred music and the best-known 16th-century representative of the Roman School of musical composition...
: Werke (1862-1907) - Ludwig van BeethovenLudwig van BeethovenLudwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
: WerkeBeethoven GesamtausgabeThe Beethoven Gesamtausgabe is the first collected edition of the works of Ludwig van Beethoven. Its full title is Ludwig van Beethovens Werke: vollständige kritisch durchgesehene überall berechtige Ausgabe...
(1862-65, supplemental volume 1888) - Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy: Werke (1874-1877)
- Wolfgang Amadeus MozartWolfgang Amadeus MozartWolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
: WerkeAlte Mozart-AusgabeThe Alte Mozart-Ausgabe is the name by which the first complete edition of the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, is known nowadays, published by Breitkopf & Härtel from January 1877 to December 1883, with supplements published until 1910...
(1877-1883, supplements until 1910)
Many of these early complete works series were edited by music scholars or composers famous in their own right, such as Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms was a German composer and pianist, and one of the leading musicians of the Romantic period. Born in Hamburg, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna, Austria, where he was a leader of the musical scene...
, Guido Adler
Guido Adler
Guido Adler was a Bohemian-Austrian musicologist and writer.His father Joachim, a physician, died of typhoid fever in 1857...
, Julius Rietz
Julius Rietz
August Wilhelm Julius Rietz was a German composer, conductor and cellist. He was a teacher among whose students were Woldemar Bargiel, Salomon Jadassohn and Arthur Sullivan. He also edited many works by Felix Mendelssohn for publication.-Biography:He studied the cello under Schmidt, Bernhard...
, Friedrich Chrysander
Friedrich Chrysander
Karl Franz Friedrich Chrysander was a German music historian and critic, whose edition of the works of George Frideric Handel and authoritative writings on many other composers established him as a pioneer of 19th-century musicology.Born at Lübtheen, in Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Chrysander was the son...
, and others.
After the upheavals of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, which slowed the output of musical scholarship and publishing, renewed activity led to many new series as well as to a reassessment of the older complete works series. New techniques in photographic and other types of reproduction allowed scholars to consult many more early sources, either in microfilm or facsimile copies. Entirely new series were published for several major composers for whom complete works sets already existed. These updated editions incorporated new scholarship in their editing and allowed for a broader definition of complete works, often including early versions of pieces, sketches, and so on. Many of these new series have been published by the German music publisher Bärenreiter, and include:
- Bach: Neue Bach-AusgabeNeue Bach-AusgabeThe Neue Bach-Ausgabe is the second complete edition of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, published by Bärenreiter. The name is short for Johann Sebastian Bach: Neue Ausgabe sämtlicher Werke...
(1954-) - Handel: Hallische Händel-Ausgabe (1955-)
- Mozart: Neue Mozart-AusgabeNeue Mozart-AusgabeThe Neue Mozart-Ausgabe is the second complete works edition of the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. A longer and more formal title for the edition is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart...
(1955-)
In addition to the reworking of older Complete Works series, many new series have been initiated for composers not previously featured in this way. Some examples include:
- Leoš JanáčekLeoš JanácekLeoš Janáček was a Czech composer, musical theorist, folklorist, publicist and teacher. He was inspired by Moravian and all Slavic folk music to create an original, modern musical style. Until 1895 he devoted himself mainly to folkloristic research and his early musical output was influenced by...
: Complete Critical Edition (1978-) - Edward ElgarEdward ElgarSir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet OM, GCVO was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestral works including the Enigma Variations, the Pomp and Circumstance Marches, concertos...
: Elgar Complete Edition (1981-) - Alban BergAlban BergAlban Maria Johannes Berg was an Austrian composer. He was a member of the Second Viennese School with Arnold Schoenberg and Anton Webern, and produced compositions that combined Mahlerian Romanticism with a personal adaptation of Schoenberg's twelve-tone technique.-Early life:Berg was born in...
: Sämtliche Werke (1984-) - Claude DebussyClaude DebussyClaude-Achille Debussy was a French composer. Along with Maurice Ravel, he was one of the most prominent figures working within the field of impressionist music, though he himself intensely disliked the term when applied to his compositions...
: Oeuvres complètes (1985-) - Carl Philipp Emanuel BachCarl Philipp Emanuel Bachright|250pxCarl Philipp Emanuel Bach was a German Classical period musician and composer, the fifth child and second son of Johann Sebastian Bach and Maria Barbara Bach...
: The Complete WorksCarl Philipp Emanuel Bach: The Complete WorksCarl Philipp Emanuel Bach: The Complete Works is a new edition of the music of C.P.E. Bach. Begun in the wake of the aborted Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach Edition, many of the same eminent music scholars associated with the earlier incomplete edition have become involved with the new one...
(2005-) - Johann Christian BachJohann Christian BachJohann Christian Bach was a composer of the Classical era, the eleventh and youngest son of Johann Sebastian Bach. He is sometimes referred to as 'the London Bach' or 'the English Bach', due to his time spent living in the British capital...
: Collected WorksCollected Works of Johann Christian BachThe Collected Works of Johann Christian Bach is a 48 volume edition of the music of J.C. Bach published by Garland Publishing from 1984 to 1999. The general editor was the musicologist and J.C. Bach expert Ernest Warburton. Vol...
(1984-99)
It would be impossible to list here all of the new Complete Works series that have been initiated in the last century. Some of the major publishers of these series include Breitkopf & Härtel
Breitkopf & Härtel
Breitkopf & Härtel is the world's oldest music publishing house. The firm was founded in 1719 in Leipzig by Bernhard Christoph Breitkopf . The catalogue currently contains over 1000 composers, 8000 works and 15,000 music editions or books on music. The name "Härtel" was added when Gottfried...
, Bärenreiter, Stainer & Bell, G. Henle Verlag
G. Henle Verlag
G. Henle Publishers is a German publishing house that specializes in Urtext editions of sheet music. The programme includes works by composers from all different periods, in particular composers from the baroque to the early twentieth century whose works are no longer under copyright. In addition...
, and others.
Monumental editions
Many of the early Monumental Editions were devoted to geographic regions, and often had the support of their respective governments. For example, the series Denkmäler deutscher Tonkunst, begun in 1892 by a group of German musicians that included Johannes BrahmsJohannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms was a German composer and pianist, and one of the leading musicians of the Romantic period. Born in Hamburg, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna, Austria, where he was a leader of the musical scene...
, Joseph Joachim
Joseph Joachim
Joseph Joachim was a Hungarian violinist, conductor, composer and teacher. A close collaborator of Johannes Brahms, he is widely regarded as one of the most significant violinists of the 19th century.-Origins:...
, and Philipp Spitta
Philipp Spitta
Julius August Philipp Spitta was a German music historian and musicologist best known for his 1873 biography of Johann Sebastian Bach.-Biography:...
, was supported by the German government. Examples of other early monumental editions (still ongoing) include:
- Samfundet til udgivelse af dansk musik (1872-)
- Denkmäler der Tonkunst in ÖsterreichDenkmäler der Tonkunst in ÖsterreichThe Denkmäler der Tonkunst in Österreich is a historical edition of music from Austria covering the Baroque and Classical periods. It was published in installments from 1894 to 1952.# Fux, masses# Muffat, Florillegium Primum...
(1894-) - Monumenta Musicae Belgicae (1932-)
More recent projects include not only those focusing on geographic regions, but also many devoted to particular time periods or repertory, such as:
- Monumenta Musicae Byzantinae (1935-)
- Polyphonic Music of the Fourteenth Century (1956-58)
- Italian Opera, 1640-1770 (1977-)
It would be equally impossible to list all of the Monumental Editions currently ongoing. Several of the major publishers of these series include the American Institute of Musicology, Bärenreiter, Istituto Italiano per la Storia della Musica, Instituto Español de musicologia, Éditions de l'Oiseau-Lyre
Éditions de l'Oiseau-Lyre
Éditions de l'Oiseau-Lyre is a music publishing company financed and established in Paris in 1932 by Louise Dyer , an Australian pianist and philanthropist....
, and others.
Characteristics of complete works and monumental editions
Publication of these multi-volume series is usually spread over many years, sometimes decades. Depending on the financial state of the publisher, some projected sets are never finished, and some sets are taken over by other publishers. There are often different editors for individual volumes, with a general editor or committee of editors to oversee the entire series. Complete Works series are often organized by genre, for example grouping all symphonies together, or all piano sonatas. Several of the complete works sets have complicated, multi-tiered systems for numbering the volumes. Monumental Editions have varying organizational schemes, but several of them include numerous sub-series, some of which are devoted to the music of single composers.These publications are often sponsored by musicological research bodies or by civic organizations. Many of these endeavors also value international cooperation, creating editorial boards that include scholars from various countries.
Finding pieces within historical edition sets
Finding a particular piece of music within one of these multi-volume sets can often be difficult, as many of the series do not have general indices. For pieces within a composer's complete works set, researchers often consult the Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, either online or in its printed version. Articles on composers will list the title and publisher of any complete works sets that exist, and within the list of compositions by that composer, will include volume numbers of the complete works set in which each piece is found.To find pieces within older Monumental Editions, the best resource is still the 3rd edition of Anna Harriet Heyer's Historical Sets, Collected Editions, and Monuments of Music: A Guide to their Content, published in 1980. A more up to date description of newer complete works and monumental edition sets can be found in George R. Hill and Norris L. Stephens, Collected Editions, Historical Series & Sets & Monuments of Music: A Bibliography, but there is no index to find individual pieces. An online database, called the "Index to Printed Music: Collections & Series," is currently underway, but it is accessible by subscription only, and is not yet complete.
Literature
- Heyer, Anna Harriet. Historical Sets, Collected Editions, and Monuments of Music: A Guide to their Contents, 3rd edition. Chicago: American Library Association, 1980.
- Hill, George R. and Norris L. Stephens. Collected Editions, Historical Series & Sets & Monuments of Music: A Bibliography. Berkeley: Fallen Leaf Press, 1997.
External links
- Breitkopf & Härtel: Homepage
- Bärenreiter: Complete Editions
- Bärenreiter: Musical Monuments
- The American Institute of Musicology
- Edition HH: Homepage
- G. Henle Verlag: Academic Publications
- Istituto Italiano per la Storia della Musica: Pubblicazioni
- Éditions de l'Oiseau-lyre
- Stainer & Bell: Scholarly Volumes
- Index to Printed Music: Collections & Series