Klarinet Archive - Posting 000290.txt from 2001/04

From: Bilwright@-----.net (William Wright)
Subj: Re: [kl] On the matter of editing and other things
Date: Sat, 14 Apr 2001 16:18:24 -0400

This discussion highlights the fact that there is more than one
purpose for printing music. A sheet of printed music cannot satisfy
all goals simultaneously.

Where the discussion goes haywire is when someone asserts that a
particular purpose is the highest and best purpose. Talk about value
judgements!

It seems obvious to me that when an editor's name appears on a
sheet of music, some changes have been made. If I want to see what the
composer actually put onto a particular sheet of paper (there may have
been more than one such sheet) (which may not be what was originally
played), then I need to do some research. I may need to be satisfied
with what I think "sounds good" even after I've done my research.

My own school boy level of 'research' into J.S. Bach's "Bist Du Bei
Mir" (BDBM) is a good example. I originally saw the theme of BDBM in
an 'easy clarinet duets' book. I wanted to see the entire piece ---
was it an aria from an opera? an excerpt from a symphony? a hymn? a folk
melody? piano + voice? full orchestra?

Imagine my surprise to find that BDBM is known *only* (allegedly)
through the personal notebook of Bach's second wife. The music is not
written in Bach's personal hand. It is believed (open to discussion)
that Bach collected only the first two pieces in his wife's notebook and
left the rest of the notebook's contents to her pleasures and judgments.
After 4 or 5 years, he (allegedly) bound his wife's notebook as an
elegant birthday present.

So did J.S. Bach even write BDBM? Perhaps someone who has done
serious research knows, but I sure don't.

Should I condemn everyone who has published a copy of BDBM because
the authorship is not clear? Perhaps if a copy says "This is the
guaranteed accurate composer-authorized version"; but not otherwise.

....but my tale is only beginning.....

When I looked at an (allegedly accurate) reproduction, it includes
several 1/8-rests that are filled in by the piano accompaniment. These
rests don't appear in my 'easy clarinet duets' book. Without a full
piano keyboard, no single note from a clarinet fills the void properly
(to my ear, at least, I spent several weeks trying). So he editor took
the only reasonable approach (IMO). He extended a few 1/8-notes into
1/4-notes.

I could go on, but I hope that I've made my point: there is more
than one purpose to printing music. We shouldn't dismiss those
publishers who have goals other than the goal that interests us. When
a piece of music has an editor's name on it.... well, it's been edited;
and thank goodness it has. I play clarinet, not some other instrument.

Cheers,
Bill

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