Elgar: Coronation Ode; Civic Fanfare; God save the King
Complete Edition Volume 7
Expected to ship in 1-2 weeks.
- Composer: Edward Elgar (1857-1934)
- Editor: Iain Quinn
- Format: Full Score – Hardcover
- Binding: Hardcover
- ISBN:
- Urtext / Critical Edition
Description
This volume, edited by Iain Quinn, contains Elgar's Coronation Ode and his orchestration of God save the King , two works which, to an extent, are familiar to all; and in contrast his Civic Fanfare. Few will have heard the latter and their knowledge of it will probably be limited to three oft-repeated anecdotes: that he composed it for an orchestra lacking violins; that the delayed entry of the mayoral procession at the work's première, the opening ceremony of the 1927 Three Choirs Festival, required Elgar to encore the work immediately following its first performance; and that in the run-up to a later Three Choir's Festival the original full score was found to be missing, a loss which Elgar rectified by transcribing an HMV recording of the first performance.
The lost original score has since resurfaced along with an even earlier full draft, but it was the discovery of a new score towards the end of 2016 which provided a fresh perspective on Elgar's gestation of the work. This suggests substantial uncertainties in all three anecdotes. Most intriguingly, the three scores show Elgar's introduction of a ‘vamp until ready' repeat section at the start of the work which offers a far more plausible explanation of events at the work's première.
Similarly surprising findings have surfaced from work on the Coronation Ode , prompting the intriguing question: if King Edward's appendicitis had not caused the postponement of the 1902 coronation, would ‘Land of Hope and Glory' be as familiar to us as it is today? Correspondence between Elgar and representatives of the Grand Opera Syndicate who had commissioned the work records pressure on Elgar to reduce the length of the work, culminating in an agreement to do so. The correspondence does not reveal how this was to be achieved, but a comparison of the surviving autograph scores of the work suggests that it was Elgar's intention to cut ‘Daughter of Ancient Kings', ‘Hark upon the Hallowed Air', ‘Only Let the Heart be Pure' … and ‘Land of Hope and Glory'. The cancellation of the London première removed the time constraints, enabling the work to be performed in full in Sheffield. One can only speculate what might have become of ‘Land of Hope and Glory' had the London première proceeded without the now universally renowned finale.
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: Coronation Ode; Civic Fanfare; God save the King
