Bruckner Complete Edition

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Planned content of the 1st edition

The Bruckner Complete Edition is the scholarly-critical edition of all works by the composer Anton Bruckner , which has been published by Musikwissenschaftlicher Verlag Wien (MWV) since 1933 .

Editor / Publishing Director

The Bruckner Complete Edition is published by the International Bruckner Society. From 1934 to 1945, Robert Haas was in charge of the scientific edition . Due to Haas' National Socialist past, he was forcibly sent into retirement in January 1946. The management of the complete edition was then entrusted to his colleague Leopold Nowak, who could not start his work until 1951, as much had been destroyed by the war. After Nowak became seriously ill, Herbert Vogg took over the continuation of the project in 1989. Since 2001, Tilly Eder as managing director and Angela Pachovsky as publishing director of the Musikwissenschaftlicher Verlag have been responsible for the complete edition.

history

Preliminary work

In 1929 the International Bruckner Society (IBG) was founded in Vienna , which intended to create a complete edition as the basis for authentic performance material. Originally, the intention was to win the Breitkopf & Härtel / Leipzig publishing house, which in the 19th century had expertly looked after all the major editions of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schumann and Mendelssohn, for this project, but it did not materialize. ( Why is not known, but perhaps he was too busy with the publication of the 'Complete Works' Johannes Brahms', which he had started together with the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde / Vienna, because - as with Bruckner, the then 30-year-old property rights were Original publisher expired almost simultaneously around 1926 and 1927, which of course made a complete edition much easier. )

In 1930, the Augsburg publishing house Filser in Augsburg published the Requiem and the Missa solemnis, edited by Robert Haas, as the first critically edited works. (Unfortunately the Filser publishing house soon ceased to exist, which again hampered the complete edition.) A striking date was April 2, 1932, on which Siegmund von Hausegger performed the ninth symphony twice in a row in Munich: on the one hand, in the one previously played from the original manuscript clearly deviating print edition, then in the musical text of the autograph developed for the complete edition.

Max Auer also tried to include Franz Schalk in the complete edition, which only partially succeeded. He acted and waited, but at least Schalk wanted to accept publication of the manuscripts for purely scientific purposes . On the other hand, he attached great importance to seeing the hitherto unprinted Linz version of the 1st symphony and the original version of the F minor Mass - which was still played in the court orchestra, also conducted by Schalk - in print. He thought similarly with the 6th symphony, which he also wanted in a revised version - the manuscript. Since Franz Schalk died in 1931, he was no longer able to conduct the original version of the original version of the 9th Symphony that was intended for him.

The order in which the works appeared was well thought out: First, compositions that had never been published (Requiem, Missa solemnis, Linz version of the 1st symphony), then the heavily modified scores (5th / 4th / 2nd symphony, and finally the less problematic scores (since the annexation of Austria in 1938 made access to some sources impossible - e.g. Alma Mahler had taken Bruckner manuscripts with her when emigrating - the 3rd Symphony (III / 1) could only be made after the original form which lay in a copy in Bayreuth, stung but it survived only a few copies, the war and postwar years) Even Robert Haas received -.. despite contractual agreements -. not all the manuscripts that were often privately owned, access ( the The inglorious role of Max Morold and the uncooperative behavior of Lilly Schalk - Franz Schalk's widow - was occasionally mentioned in the specialist literature, but did not really penetrate the general consciousness a. Also, all those publishers who had reprinted Bruckner after 1927 were not very enthusiastic about the complete edition, as it was the first time - in some very popular works - it showed the massive changes; and often made their scores difficult to sell. The force of the newly discovered original was very strong. From 1941 at the latest, the war years made further work more and more difficult.

The Bruckner Complete Edition in the Musikwissenschaftlichen Verlag Wien (MWV)

The Musikwissenschaftliche Verlag Wien was founded in 1933 by the International Bruckner Society specifically for the publication of an academic and critical complete edition of Anton Bruckner's works published by the Austrian National Library in Vienna and the IBG. Years of preparatory work by Robert Haas, director of the music collection of the Austrian National Library, preceded the establishment of the publishing house and the first publications of the Bruckner Complete Edition. Haas became scientific edition manager, his first colleague was Alfred Orel . In 1937 Leopold Nowak became co-editor. Numerous volumes were published in quick succession despite the adverse time conditions. When Austria was annexed to the German Reich in 1938, the MWV and IBG in Vienna were dissolved and the continuation of the complete edition was transferred to Leipzig. In 1945 the stocks there were destroyed in a bomb attack.

After the end of the Second World War, the IBG and the MWV were reactivated in Austria, with which the creation of the Bruckner Complete Edition returned to Austria. (The Bruckner Verlag in Wiesbaden is to be seen as a kind of post-war Interregnum, which was very competently looked after by Fritz Oeser - a former assistant to Haas.) The first edition after the break of several years was the one presented in 1951 by Leopold Nowak as the new scientific director corrected reprint of Alfred Orel's edition of the 9th Symphony. It is the first volume of the current Bruckner Complete Edition. Nowak initially revised the scores published before 1945 and included source material that had not been taken into account until then. In particular, the attempts made by Haas in the 2nd and 8th symphonies to mix different versions of Bruckner's work and thereby create an ideal version no longer seemed tenable, so that as a consequence the two versions of the 8th symphony were initially published separately. Until 1989, Leopold Nowak edited almost the entire work of Bruckner as scientific director. After he had to resign from the management of the complete edition for health reasons, the still outstanding volumes of music could be compiled and presented under the management of Herbert Vogg until 2001.

Since 2001, Rüdiger Bornhöft has continued to perfect it through corrections based on lists of printing errors and the incorporation of new research results into reprints. In addition, previously outstanding audit reports have been added. In the course of all this, the desire arose for a series that took into account the latest findings, consistent and contemporary edition guidelines, so that in 2011 the New Anton Bruckner Complete Edition was started (see edition chronology, section d).

Edition chronology for the Bruckner Complete Edition

The names of the editors in brackets

a. Preparatory work for the Bruckner Complete Edition

  • 1930 Requiem / Missa solemnis in B flat (Robert Haas)

b. Old Anton Bruckner Complete Edition (Scientific Director: Robert Haas)

  • 1934 9th Symphony / Four Orchestral Pieces (Alfred Orel)
  • 1935 1st Symphony, Linz and Vienna version / 5th Symphony / 6th Symphony (Haas)
  • 1936 4th Symphony, 2nd version (Haas)
  • 1938 2nd symphony, mixed form of 1st and 2nd version (Haas)
  • 1939 8th Symphony, mixed form of 1st and 2nd version (Haas)
  • 1940 Mass in E minor, 2nd version (Haas / Nowak)
  • 1944 7th Symphony / Mass in F minor (Haas)

Revision or template reports

Alfred Orel and Robert Haas enclosed so-called 'master reports' with many of the scores. As in the case of the 5th and 6th symphonies, these were relatively short, in the other works somewhat more detailed and in the 2nd symphony (1938) we have a very productive report in which Haas also includes the alternative clauses to the first and second Sentence added. Unfortunately, these reports could only be found in the major conducting scores; the better-known study scores have not received any. (As a rule, these can only be viewed today in large state libraries with a large number of old holdings, because they have never been reissued.) Unfortunately, the reports on the problem cases 7th and 8th symphony are missing. Likewise at the two trade fairs. The scores were given the enigmatic designation 'Partitur Sonderausgabe'. The Haas estate did contain sketches for the reports, but they could not be used. (Perhaps Haas suspected that the political development would not go well - the time for other work would be too short - and so he wanted at least to present the scores. Nowak repeatedly speaks of revision reports, but has only submitted a few. and 6th symphony he took the Haas' reports as a reprint and added a few additions. It is fair to say that he expressly praises the work of Haas as the basis for Bruckner research. Which in turn shows that Haas and Nowak - with Except for the problem case 8th Symphony - who valued each other professionally and personally throughout their lives . [ Personal information from Vogg / Vienna to Joseph Kanz .])

annotation

VEB Breitkopf und Härtel continued to print the old Anton Bruckner Complete Edition ( ed. Haas et al. ) In Leipzig (GDR) until 1990 and supplied the entire Eastern Bloc with it. Although forbidden, these editions were also sold clandestinely in Germany (West) and Austria and offered openly in other foreign countries. These old editions are still available on loan. And in the USA reprints of the old BGA - including orchestral parts that can be bought - are still on sale today. That causes some confusion. Many conductors, including those of the youngest generation, remain loyal to these editions because they seem to them to be the most musically convincing. Hans Hubert Schönzeler wrote in his book "Bruckner" (MWV / Vienna 1974) about the Haas versions: '... and from the point of view of the actual sound its solution may be more satisfactory.' (P. 110)

c. New Bruckner Complete Edition (Scientific Director: Leopold Nowak)

  • 1951 9th Symphony / 5th Symphony (Nowak)
  • 1952 6th Symphony (Nowak)
  • 1953 4th Symphony, 2nd version / 1st Symphony, Linz version (Nowak)
  • 1954 7th Symphony (Nowak)
  • 1955 8th Symphony, 2nd version / String Quartet in C minor (Nowak)
  • 1957 Mass in D minor (Nowak)
  • 1959 3rd Symphony, 3rd version / Mass in E minor, 2nd version (Nowak)
  • 1960 Mass in F minor (Nowak)
  • 1962 Te Deum (Nowak)
  • 1963 string quintet with intermezzo (Nowak)
  • 1964 Psalm 150 ( Franz Grasberger )
  • 1965 2nd Symphony (Nowak)
  • 1966 Requiem (Nowak)
  • 1968 Symphony in D minor "Zero" (Nowak)
  • 1972 8th Symphony, 1st version (Nowak)
  • 1973 Symphony in F minor "Study Symphony" (Nowak)
  • 1975 4th Symphony, 1st version / Missa solemnis in Bb (Nowak)
  • 1977 Mass in E minor, 1st version / 3rd Symphony, 1st version (Nowak)
  • 1980 Adagio No. 2 to the 3rd Symphony (Nowak) / 1st Symphony, Viennese version ( Günter Brosche )
  • 1981 Finale 1878 for 4th Symphony / 3rd Symphony, 2nd version (Nowak)
  • 1984 Small church music works (Hans Bauernfeind / Nowak)
  • 1985 Rondo in C minor for string quartet (Nowak)
  • 1987 Cantatas and choral works (Franz Burkhart / Rudolf H. Führer / Nowak)
  • 1988 Works for piano for two hands ( Walburga Litschauer )
  • 1994 9th Symphony, Finale Fragment (John Alan Phillips) / Works for piano four hands (Litschauer)
  • 1995 1st Symphony, fragment of the original version of the Adagio and older Scherzo composition (Wolfgang Grandjean) / evening sounds for violin and piano (Litschauer)
  • 1996 9th Symphony, Finale fragment, facsimile volume (Phillips) / Four orchestral pieces (Hans Jancik / Rüdiger Bornhöft) / Overture in G minor (Jancik / Bornhöft) / March in E flat major (Bornhöft) / Magnificat / Psalm 146 / Psalm 112 (Paul Hawkshaw)
  • 1997 Psalm 114 / Psalm 22 (Hawkshaw) / Songs for voice and piano (Angela Pachovsky)
  • 1998 9th Symphony, study volume for the 2nd movement: Drafts, older trio (Benjamin Gunnar Cohrs) / organ works (Erwin Horn) / Requiem. New edition (Nowak / Bornhöft) / Letters Volume 1 - 1852–1886 (Andrea Harrandt)
  • 2000 9th Symphony. New edition (Cohrs)
  • 2001 Secular choral works (Pachovsky / Anton Reinthaler)
  • 2002 9th Symphony. Final. Documentation of the fragment (Phillips)
  • 2003 Letters Volume 2 - 1887-1896 (Harrandt)
  • 2004 4th Symphony, 3rd version 1888 (Benjamin M. Korstvedt)
  • 2005 2nd Symphony, 1st version 1872 (William Carragan) / Mass in F minor. New edition (Hawkshaw)
  • 2007 String Quintet / Intermezzo. New edition (Gerold W. Gruber) / 2nd Symphony, 2nd version 1877 (Carragan)
  • 2015 The Kitzler Study Book (1861-1863). Facsimile (Hawkshaw and Erich Wolfgang Partsch)

Symphony No. 9 as a special case

The publication of the 9th Symphony was a long-planned project by Leopold Nowak, which was intended for the end of the complete edition. At the beginning of his editing activity, the first volume was a revised reprint of the edition by Alfred Orel, to which Nowak later also wanted to add a revision and addition of the sketches and drafts. Shortly before his death in 1991, the 86-year-old transferred this task to John A. Phillips . Its annotated reconstruction of the finale fragment based on the score, short score and movement history pages received a lot of attention in the international professional world and was equated with a sensation. Phillips also made an arrangement for the concert hall in which the fragmentary parts were linked with explanations. The “Ninth” was presented in this form in November 1999 by the Wiener Symphoniker under the direction of Nikolaus Harnoncourt at the Wiener Musikverein. The large number of new details that Benjamin Gunnar Cohrs revealed in his critical report on movements one to three led to the decision to produce a new score. The comprehensive source material is discussed in study volumes for the individual sentences and in an additional text volume.

Orchestral materials and audit reports

Parts for the symphonies and other orchestral works are constantly being re-produced, taking current corrections into account. Accompanying the scientifically founded publication of the musical texts, corresponding revision reports were created early on, systematically from the 1980s onwards, detailing the sources and methodology of the respective edition, but also being characterized by a generally understandable and thus practical diction. The Musikwissenschaftliche Verlag provides an overview of the available reports.

d. New Anton Bruckner Complete Edition

Edition management : Paul Hawkshaw, Thomas Leibnitz, Andreas Lindner, Angela Pachovsky, Thomas Röder

Scientific Advisory Board : Mario Aschauer , Otto Biba , Hans-Joachim Hinrichsen , Erich Wolfgang Partsch , Robert Pascall, Larry Todd

Since 2011, a new edition of all of Anton Bruckner's works has been in preparation under the name Neue Anton Bruckner Complete Edition, which takes account of the current state of research, subjects all volumes to uniform guidelines and is supervised by an international team of editors. The reproduction of the authentic musical text has top priority, and the latest sources are also incorporated. All volumes appear both as large-format conductor scores and in study score format. As with the Bruckner Complete Edition, the performance material will be available on loan. The New Anton Bruckner Complete Edition should also take into account performance-related aspects to a large extent, which are discussed in detail in the forewords in addition to the sources and information on the history of its creation and reception. The first publication planned for 2014 is the 1st Symphony in the Linz version (Thomas Röder).

In addition to the New Anton Bruckner Complete Edition, all volumes of the previous Anton Bruckner Complete Edition will be available at the same time in the Musikwissenschaftlichen Verlag in order to offer science and practice a choice and to guarantee the possibility of performances according to individual traditions.

The New Anton Bruckner Complete Edition is supported by the International Bruckner Society and the Austrian National Library, with the patronage of the Vienna Philharmonic .

literature

For the history of the Bruckner Complete Edition see, among others

  • Leopold Nowak: The Anton Bruckner Complete Edition. Their history and fates , in: Bruckner yearbook 1982/83 (MWV Vienna 1984)
  • Herbert Vogg: A promise was kept , in: Bruckner yearbook 1997-2000 (MWV Vienna 2001) or studies and reports. IBG Bulletin No. 56 (2001)

Web links