Orchestra (Score)
SKU:
HL.49045561
Richard Strauss Werke
Complete Edition Score
Band 4. Composed by
Richard Strauss. Edited
by Stefan Schenk and
Walter Werbeck. This
edition: Hardback/Hard
Cover. Sheet music.
Edition Schott.
Classical. Hardcover.
Composed 1888-1891. Op.
23. 236 pages. Duration
18'. Schott Music
#RSW304. Published by
Schott Music
(HL.49045561).
ISBN
9783901974045.
Stra
uss's first tone poem
distinguishes itself from
all other subsequent
orchestral compositions
in its existence in three
different versions. Even
among the operas and
other compositions in his
hand there is no other
work with a comparable
history of origin and
publication. What is
more, the final version
of Macbeth is the only
valid form of the work
and the only variant with
further sources (cf.
Critical Report) in
addition to the autograph
score. In contrast, the
second version has only
been preserved in an
autograph score and
autograph piano reduction
(the orchestral parts
which must have existed
have obviously not
survived). This was never
printed and was replaced
by the published third
version. The two
surviving versions should
therefore not be
considered to be of equal
status. Unlike the case
of Ariadne auf Naxos in
which the earlier version
was for a time the sole
valid alternative and was
yet never completely
displaced by the soon
dominating later version
of the opera, only the
final third version of
Macbeth is considered as
valid. Right from the
outset, it was a matter
of course for the editors
of the present volume to
include the second
version as a first
publication (in addition
to the above-mentioned
surviving pages of the
first version), albeit in
different forms. The
surviving pages of the
first version are
reproduced in facsimile
and the second version,
as a subordinate form of
the work, appears
alongside Strauss's piano
reduction in a modified
source edition, i.e.
without intervention on
the part of the editors.
The ultimate third
version is published as a
full edition (please
refer to the Critical
Report for further
details). In order to
facilitate a comparative
study of the second and
third versions, the
relevant page numbers of
the score are placed
opposite one another (the
autograph piano reduction
of the second version is
included at the end of
the music section of the
volume). The editors hope
that this synoptic
representation will
prompt interest in
further studies on
Strauss's art of
orchestration: a field of
research which has still
remained insufficiently
examined. A study of
Macbeth namely
illuminates as clearly as
could be wished how much
significance Strauss
allotted to sound
alongside form. The
subjects were not merely
intended to generate an
individual figure, but
also specific tonal
colours, and the
instrumentation was
simultaneously designed
to provide an optimal
communication of
thematic-motivic texture
to the audience. The 'new
path' threw up
consequences which caused
Strauss a considerable
amount of difficulty. He
was however a fast
learner and had already
swum free with Don Juan
and all the more with Tod
und Verklarung.