Elgar: Solo songs with orchestra
Complete Edition Volume 14
Expected to ship in 1-2 weeks.
- Composer: Edward Elgar (1857-1934)
- Editor: Julian Rushton
- Format: Full Score – Hardcover
- Binding: Hardcover
- ISBN:
- Urtext / Critical Edition
Description
Elgar's solo songs are not among his best known or best loved works and yet, among those for which he provided an orchestral accompaniment, there is a song cycle of world renown: Sea Pictures. in view of the significance of the cycle in Elgar's output and her close association with the work, the volume has been dedicated to Dame Janet Baker.
Considering the popularity of Sea Pictures , his first venture into the genre, it is surprising that Elgar did not attempt to repeat his success with further song cycles. As the volume shows, he abandoned the two subsequent song cycles he embarked upon – those of, Op. 59 and, Op. 60 – when both were only half complete, and two of his stand-alone orchestral songs – Follow the Colours and The Kingsway – rank among those which many feel are better left unheard. and yet one of the other two completed songs which make up the volume is the moodily dramatic The Wind at Dawn , his earliest setting of words by his wife Alice and, again in the views of many, arguably his best.
One noticeable absentee from the volume is Elgar's consummately restrained setting of Arthur Salmon's poem Pleading. Published first in 1908 an arrangement for voice and piano, it has long been believed that Elgar added an orchestral accompaniment later the same year. But in the course of editing this volume, it became apparent that Elgar intended his later arrangement to be performed as a song without words, an orchestral miniature akin to his Three Bavarian Dances (which will thus appear in Vol.23). A further discovery in the course of editing was the autograph score of the orchestral arrangement of Follow the Colours , finally removing a long-held uncertainty that the orchestral accompaniment might not be Elgar's own.
The volume is completed by the novelty ‘Smoking Cantata', which claims to be written for a cast of thousands including a ‘Grand Chorus of Repentent Smokers' but in fact contains a vocal line only for Elgar's friend and host Edward Speyer; together with all known surviving fragments of three unfinished songs, two of which – Ozymandias and Callicles – clearly engaged Elgar's sporadic attention over many years, leaving us with two incomplete settings of each.
Sea-Pictures , Op. 37:
the 1897 cycle of 5 songs comprising ‘Sea-Slumber Song', ‘In Haven', ‘Sabbath Morning at Sea', ‘Where Corals Lie' and ‘The Swimmer';
The two unfinished song-cycles with orchestra:
, Op. 59 : ‘Oh, soft was the song', ‘Was it some golden star' and ‘Twilight'); , Op. 60 : ‘The Torch' and ‘The River';
Four individual songs with their orchestral accompaniments:
‘The Pipes of Pan', ‘Follow the Colours', ‘The King's Way' and ‘The Wind at Dawn';
The short ‘choral' novelty for bass soloist:
‘Kindly do not Smoke', better known as the ‘Smoking Cantata';
Sketches for 3 unfinished works:
‘Ozymandias', ‘Callicles' and ‘Tarantella'.
Publishers use a lot of words to describe what they sell, and we know it can be confusing. We've tried to be as clear as possible to make sure you get exactly what you are looking for. Below are descriptions of the terms that we use to describe the various formats that music often comes in.
Choral Score
A score for vocalists that only contains the vocal lines. The instrumental parts are not there for reference. Generally, cheaper than a vocal score and requires multiple copies for purchase.
Facsimile
Reproductions of the original hand-written scores from the composer.
Full Score
For ensemble music, this indicates that the edition contains all parts on a single system (there are not separate parts for each player). In larger ensembles, this is for the conductor.
Hardcover
Hardbound. Generally either linen-covered or half-leather.
Orchestral Parts
Similar to a wind set, this is a collection of parts. In the case of strings, the numbers listed are the number of copies included, though generally these are available individually (often with minimum quantities required).
Paperback
When publishers offer multiple bindings (e.g. hardcover) or study scores, this is the "standard" version. If you're planning to play the music, this is probably what you want.
Performance / Playing Score
A score of the music containing all parts on one system, intended for players to share. There are not separate parts for each player.
Set of Parts
For ensemble music, this indicates that there are separate individual parts for each player.
Solo Part with Piano Reduction
For solo pieces with orchestra, this is a version that contains a piano reduction of the orchestra parts. For piano pieces, two copies are typically needed for performance.
Study Score
A small (think choral size) copy of the complete score meant for studying, and not playing. They make great add-ons when learning concertos and small chamber works.
Vocal Score
A score prepared for vocalists that includes the piano/organ part or a reduction of the instrumental parts.
Wind Set
For orchestral music, this is a collection of wind and percussion parts. The specific quantities of each instrument are notated.
With Audio
In addition to the printed music, the edition contains recordings of the pieces. This may be an included CD, or access to files on the internet.
With / Without Fingering (Markings)
Some publishers prepare two copies - a pure Urtext edition that includes no fingering (or bowing) suggestions and a lightly edited version that includes a minimal number of editorial markings.
Elgar: Solo songs with orchestra
