SKU: BR.PB-5549-07

ISBN 9790004213599. 6.5 x 9 inches.

Robert Schumann placed great importance on the genre of the overture, as can be seen in the chronology of the genesis of his sole opera Genoveva. In his Haushaltbuch the composer entered as his first idea thoughts of an overture, then produced the score even before having begun working on the actual opera. Schumann was right on the mark when he suspected that the overture alone should enjoy a favorable reception. The Overture appeared in print at about the same time that the opera was premiered. It established itself in the concert hall as an autonomous work and ranks today - along with the Manfred Overture - among Schumann's most beloved concert overtures. The Genoveva Overture is being released in a text-critical Breitkopf Urtext edition for the first time. The main source is the first printing revised by Schumann.

The Urtext debut of Schumann's beloved overture.

SKU: BR.PB-5585

ISBN 9790004213957. 10 x 12.5 inches.

Little is known about the actual composition process of Lemminkainen and the performance and publication history is rather complex, resulting in a first complete printing of all the four movements en suite through the complete edition of Jean Sibelius Works only in 2013.In summer 1894 Sibelius went to Central Europe, carrying among others a plan for an opera freely based on the Kalevala in his mind. But during this trip he reassessed his composing: I think I have found my old self again, musically speaking. I think I really am a tone painter and a poet. As a result he abandoned his opera plans, but musical material may have found its way into the Lemminkainen pieces which he started composing during that time. Lemminkainen became popular from the beginning and has attained a fixed position in the concert repertoire.On Lemminkainen's Return Sibelius commented: I would like to see more pride in us Finns. Why should we be ashamed? This is the underlying thought in Lemminkainen's Return. Lemminkainen is just as good as the noblest of earls. He is an aristocrat, without question an aristocrat!.

SKU: BR.PB-5307-07

For the new Fidelio Overture, which was written at lightning speed in 1814, there is a copy of the score in the Austrian National Library which offers a reliable basis for a new, text-critical edition.

ISBN 9790004212318. 6.5 x 9 inches.

Urtext virgin territory: the Fidelio OvertureTo this day, the two major Fidelio overtures are still performed from music texts that go back to the imprecise and corrupted first editions of the parts. In the meantime, however, the state of the sources for both works has significantly improved through many new findings.For the new Fidelio Overture, which was written at lightning speed in 1814 for the reprise of the opera (and was performed with a slight delay), there is a copy of the score in the Austrian National Library which offers a reliable basis for a new, text-critical edition. This manuscript, in which one finds countless indications of corrections and completions in Beethoven's hand, is the only extant source that was examined by the composer himself.

For the new Fidelio Overture, which was written at lightning speed in 1814, there is a copy of the score in the Austrian National Library which offers a reliable basis for a new, text-critical edition.

SKU: BR.PB-4903

ISBN 9790004206997. 9 x 12 inches.

SKU: BR.PB-4896

ISBN 9790004206928. 10 x 12.5 inches.

SKU: BR.PB-5144

ISBN 9790004208885. 9 x 12 inches.

SKU: BR.PB-5505

ISBN 9790004211519. 10 x 12.5 inches.

A visit to the opera whetted the composers creative appetite to explore the fairy-tale-like theme of Knight Raimunds love for the beautiful mermaid Melusine, which provided the basis for Mendelssohns fourth concert overture. As usual, Mendelssohn worked out the composition in his mind before committing it to paper, a task he most likely began towards the end of March 1833. The works premiere performance took place in London on 7 April 1834; the revised version was given its first account in Leipzig on 23 November 1835. Its ranking as No. 4 of the concert overtures was assigned around 1857 in a posthumous edition.(Ralf Wehner in the Study Edition of the Mendelssohn Work Catalogue).

SKU: BR.PB-4907

ISBN 9790004207031. 10 x 12.5 inches.

SKU: BA.BA08866-90

ISBN 9790006577200. 27 x 19 cm inches. Text: Gautier de Montdorge, Antoine-César / Bersin, Louise-Angélique.

The ballet â??Les Fêtes d'Hbâ? deals with the talents that are usually the subject of the Opra and are placed at the service of love on stage: poetry and declamation (1st entre, La Posie), song and harmony (2nd entre, La Musique) and finally dance and choreography (3rd entre, La Danse); hence the alternative title of the ballet â??Les Talents lyriquesâ?. In this ballet opera, Rameau consistently gives priority to the female roles. The prologue glorifies Hb, the goddess of youth, and her alliance with love, while â??La Posieâ? praises the poetress Sappho, who sings almost throughout, and â??La Musiqueâ? concentrates on the omnipresent princess Iphise; finally, â??La Danseâ? has as its main character the shepherdess Ã?gl, who excels in dance and song.

Since the premiere, the text of the libretto has been perceived as rather unbalanced. Rameau compensates for these poetic shortcomings with musical boldness and innovations of the highest order. Be it the overture that throws Lully's model overboard, the varied choral movements such as that of the Thessalians â??Que jusqu'au fond de nos grottes profondesâ?, the virtuoso arias such as Sappho's air â??Un jour pass dans les tourmentsâ? or the magnificent monologues for Iphise and Tirte â?? the originality and beauty of the music testify to incredible ingenuity.

Audio sample on Youtube