Elgar: The Marches
Complete Edition Volume 29
Expected to ship in 1-2 weeks.
- Composer: Edward Elgar (1857-1934)
- Editor: Sarah Thompson
- Format: Full Score – Hardcover
- Binding: Hardcover
- ISBN:
- Size: 10.0 x 14.0 inches
Description
Despite commissions from Novello in 1897 for the Imperial March and Banner of St George , the critical success of the ‘Enigma' Variations in 1899 and improved terms offered for the publication of The Dream of Gerontius , Elgar became increasingly disenchanted with his regular publisher towards the end of the nineteenth century and began to look elsewhere. Boosey and Co.'s reputation rested primarily on the publication of ‘ballads', making his 1899 song cycle Sea Pictures , for which he provided accompaniments for both orchestra and solo piano, familiar territory for the publisher. His continued faith in Boosey to publish the full blown orchestral scores of the Pomp and Circumstance Marches was, however, less well founded. The first two marches took the publisher well outside its comfort zone, presenting the editors of this volume with a considerable challenge in disentangling the often errant articulation of the published scores to get back to Elgar's true intentions.
No doubt sensitive to Boosey's shortcomings, Elgar returned to Novello for the publication of the 1911 Coronation March but placed all of his original music for the 1924 Empire Exhibition /Pageant of Empire , including the Empire March , with Enoch, another publisher with little experience of publishing orchestral music. Perhaps aware of their own shortcomings, Enoch leant heavily on Boosey's expertise, by now much improved, to publish orchestral parts for the march without attempting an orchestral full score – a pity because, when, in 1930, Elgar presented Boosey with a fifth Pomp and Circumstance March, they engraved a score of exemplary clarity, as good as anything Novello might have produced.
This is the first publication of all eight of Elgar's completed orchestral marches in one volume, and while rationalisation of the widely differing standards in the source material has presented the editors with an unusually complex task, particularly for the Empire March where the copy text is a set of parts heavily overwritten with numerous corrections in an Elgarian hand. The outcome not only demonstrates Elgar's development as a composer over a period approaching 35 years but also provides fascinating glimpses of widely varying standards within the music publishing industry during the first quarter of the twentieth century.
The appendix of unfinished works contains a further bonus, bringing together, alongside incomplete drafts for three marches of lesser substance, a full presentation of Elgar's extensive sketches for a sixth Pomp and Circumstance March. An analysis of his annotations not only confirms that most of the material dates from around 1911 but that, having set the incomplete work to one side, he returned to it in the 1930s after composing the published March No. 5. with the trio from the 1911 sketches now forming part of the Empire March , published by Enoch, it was presumably unavoidable that Elgar would devise a new trio, based on his second Piano Improvisation of 1929.
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: The Marches
