Elgar: The Dream of Gerontius (Second Edition)
Complete Edition Volume 6
Expected to ship in 1-2 weeks.
- Composer: Edward Elgar (1857-1934)
- Editor: Iain Farrington
- Format: Full Score – Hardcover
- Binding: Hardcover
- ISBN:
Description
Gerontius itself needs no introduction, among the best known and extensively scutinised of all of Elgar's works, so why publish a second edition?
The first edition, published in 1982, was only the second volume to appear in the Complete Edition, before the series had developed a house style and attained an equilibrium. The preliminaries to the first edition are rudimentary: a single-page Foreword, a Commentary listing containing only eight entries, two illustrations and no listing or description of sources.
A new and significantly improved second edition is an appropriate way of marking the fortieth anniversary of the publication of the first edition, not just commemorating the date of publication but also demonstrating the lengthy range of improvements that have been gradually incorporated in Elgar Complete Edition volumes over the past years. These include not only an ability to draw upon a much greater range of sources, including sketches and proofs initially collected by Jaeger and acquired by the British Library in 1997, but:
- a fully re-originated full score;
- the full text of Cardinal Newman's poem from which Elgar created his libretto, highlighted to distinguish those sections retained and rejected by Elgar and also containing the annotations added by General Gordon to his published copy of the poem found in his possession at the time of his death in Khartoum;
- Jaeger's thematic analysis of Elgar's work including 76 musical examples and Jaeger's labelling of the themes, commissioned by the Birmingham Festival Committee and published in the Festival programme;
- an extensive 18-page Foreword covering the historical development of the work from Newman's writing of the poem, through the Birmingham Festival's commissioning and Elgar's composition of the work, and the difficult premère to March 1903, where a succession of ten performances confirms the work's acceptance. Much of the engaging correspondence between Elgar and Jaeger is reproduced in detail, and a number of readily accepted premises are challenged.
- The volume also contains 8 pages of illustrations, including facsimiles of Elgar's short-score setting of the four-line passage beginning ‘I had a dream' which he omitted from the completed work;
- and comes complete with detailed descriptions of the numerous sources (including Elgar's annotations to his manuscript full score for the performance of the Prelude and Angel's Farewell as an orchestral suite) and a full Commentary listing.
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 Dream of Gerontius (Second Edition)
