“I would like to see this piece published soon” – The first edition of Liszt’s arrangement of Wagner’s overture to “Tannhäuser”

Posted on March 27, 2017 by Peter Jost

The 19th century is rich in artist friendships. That between Franz Liszt and Richard Wagner stands out not only because of the significance of their musical creations, their complex personal relations, but also because of a striking imbalance in giving and taking. Put straightforwardly: The one, Liszt, admired, the other, Wagner, was admired. Liszt’s commitment to Wagner’s operas and music dramas, for which he felt unreserved enthusiasm, knew no bounds, whilst Wagner scarcely noticed Liszt’s works aside from the symphonic poems, and at most praised them out of gratitude for the help given him.

Illustration: Aline Bureau

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Posted in concert paraphrase of the overture to Tannhäuser (Liszt), first edition, Liszt, Franz, Monday Postings, piano solo, Wagner, Richard | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Deluxe for the continuo group – Part II: Telemann

Posted on March 13, 2017 by Norbert Müllemann

It was nearly three years ago, on 17 February 2014, that my blog post on a luxuriously appointed Henle Urtext edition of Bach’s Trio Sonata BWV 1038 appeared. At that time I wrote that we are upgrading reprints of baroque chamber music in order to outfit them also with a continuo score, added bass part, etc. What was not mentioned in this post, but actually taken for granted is: New editions scored with continuo are likewise opulently equipped. Another such deluxe edition has appeared recently, to which I’d like to refer here: Telemann’s Methodical Sonatas, Part I, with sonatas 1–6 (HN 1266). Continue reading →

Posted in copy, first edition, harmonics, Telemann, Georg Philipp, variant reading | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Here comes the Fifth Season – just like every other year!

Posted on February 27, 2017 by publisher

Once again it’s time to celebrate Carnival all over the world, and the climax is, of course, the special parade of the most original costumes and masks. The G. Henle publishing house is not to be left behind here. So, the highlight at Forstenrieder Allee in Munich is the costumed Urtext-edition parade through the house.

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Posted in Monday Postings | Tagged | 1 Comment

The Henle Library App is one year old – that’s a whole year of digital Urtext!

Posted on February 13, 2017 by Norbert Gertsch

On 3 February 2016 – on the 117th birthday of Günter Henle, the founder of our publishing house – we launched the Henle Library App. A year later we are proud to announce that it has found its place in the musical world! Thousands of musicians regularly use it and are singing its praises, especially concerning one of the key features: the option of choosing from different fingerings by great musicians.

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Posted in Android, App, Cloud, Digital, Henle Library, iOS, Monday Postings, Tablet | Leave a comment

A new star in the Henle firmament – Béla Bartók Complete Critical Edition

Posted on January 30, 2017 by Annette Oppermann

After nearly three decades the time was ripe for a new complete edition at Henle –and so in 2016, Beethoven, Haydn and Brahms have welcomed in Béla Bartók a new addition. In an earlier blog when the Urtext edition of Bartók’s Allegro barbaro (HN 1400) was released, we already took “a peek through the keyhole” at the complete edition that we are publishing in collaboration with Editio Musica Budapest. But the door has now opened: A few weeks ago, For Children (HN 6200), the first volume of the Béla Bartók Complete Critical Edition appeared, which we now want to examine more closely with László Vikárius, editor of the volume and director of the complete edition.

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Posted in Bartók, Béla, Monday Postings, notation, piano solo, transcription | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Urtext from A to Z! What you’ll want to know about our new edition of Alexander Zemlinsky’s Clarinet Trio op. 3

Posted on January 16, 2017 by Dominik Rahmer

With our freshly released Urtext edition of the stunning “Brahmsian” Clarinet Trio Opus 3 by Alexander Zemlinsky (HN 578) we are closing two gaps at once. First of all, we are adding an important work to our offerings for this classical scoring, clarinet, piano and cello (or viola), to join such illustrious company as Mozart’s “Kegelstatt Trio” K. 498, Beethoven’s “Gassenhauer Trio” op. 11 and Brahms’s Trio op. 114 (not forgetting Schumann’s Märchenerzählungen op. 132 and Max Bruch’s Acht Stücke op. 83 for the same scoring). Furthermore, our first edition of a Zemlinsky work now has the nifty side benefit of actually extending our comprehensive Urtext catalogue from A(lbéniz) to Z(emlinsky) .… Continue reading →

Posted in first edition, Monday Postings, Trio for Piano, Clarinet and Violoncello op. 3 (Zemlinsky), Zemlinsky, Alexander | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Christmas Blog

Posted on December 24, 2016 by publisher

It is not only the Christmas season that comes around again to private homes once a year, but also the Christmas tree, at least since the 19th century. Friends and relatives are invited, there must be decorations and lots of other things have to be organised.  Not even a composer’s household was spared. Continue reading →

Posted in Liszt, Franz, Monday Postings, Wagner, Richard | Tagged | 1 Comment

Autumnal thoughts on “Buntes Blatt” in f-sharp minor by Robert Schumann

Posted on December 12, 2016 by Wolf-Dieter Seiffert

Robert Schumann, Bunte Blätter op. 99, First Edition, Robert-Schumann-Haus Zwickau, Archiv-Nr.: 1996.23-D1; the download of this image is prohibited. Click to enlarge.

A little birthday gift
for András Schiff (December 2016)

Coloured leaves everywhere, on the trees and on the ground. I can see them outside my window, on Forstenrieder Allee in Munich, where the G. Henle offices are. Coloured leaves everywhere – that’s the keyword for today’s blog post on Schumann’s seldom-played “Bunte Blätter” op. 99. Continue reading →

Posted in Bunte Blätter op. 99 (Schumann), harmonics, piano solo, Schumann, Robert | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Editions also have their histories. The revision of César Franck’s violin sonata

Posted on November 28, 2016 by Peter Jost

The question of why from time to time editions in the Henle catalogue are re-published as revised was already dealt with in an earlier blog post. Following up on this, I’d like today to present a special case, that is, the just about to be published revision of César Franck’s famous violin sonata.

Henle first published Franck’s masterwork as HN 293 in 1975, so more than forty years ago. That edition was then based on two sources: the (allegedly sole) autograph, together with the first edition, which had not yet been separately treated as score and separate violin part (as is usual today). Continue reading →

Posted in articulation, autograph, dynamics, first edition, Franck, César, Monday Postings, new source, piano + violin, Urtext, Violin Sonata (Franck), Yehudi Menuhin | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Johann Jacob Froberger on his 400th birthday

Posted on November 14, 2016 by Norbert Müllemann

Many Urtext enthusiasts will already have noticed in 2014 that the G. Henle publishers are now also exploring the “pre-Bachian” period. Appearing that year was an edition of Johann Kuhnau’s complete works for keyboard instruments. Admittedly, Kuhnau is not all that far removed from Bach, being only 25 years older and also his predecessor as cantor at the St. Thomas church in Leipzig. Continue reading →

Posted in autograph, Froberger, Johann Jacob, measure numbering, Monday Postings, piano solo, Urtext | Tagged , , | 1 Comment