Unsung Romantic-Era Cello Sonatas

[jerfilm]

The FOOTE Sonata, opus 78 was issued on LP many years ago.

Jerry

[Lionel Harrsion]

I think Foote's cello sonata has been reconstructed and recorded, not sure, may be thinking of his concerto.)

For information: Patrick Meadows and I (soundpost.org) prepared an edition of Foote's Cello Concerto.  The MS of the full score was complete and so it didn't require any reconstruction, just the usual tidying up of missing accidentals and other little slips of the pen.  It's as good a piece of any of Foote's (which is saying a lot, in my view) but no-one seems to have taken it up yet. 

[Mark Thomas]

Lionel, I have a 1985 recording of Douglas Moore playing Foote's Cello Concerto accompanied by the Rochester Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jere Lantz. That's Rochester, New York, not Kent! In the concert programme it is noted that "To make modern day performances possible, Douglas Moore edited the score to correct numerous errors by comparing the fair copy with the manuscript score, which is in the New York Public Library at Lincoln Center. After a piano reduction was made for early performances, each page of each instrumental part was corrected so as to agree with the corrected score so that performances with orchestra would be possible." The note also states that Moore had performed the work "a dozen times" since 1981. I don't know if you are aware of this.

It is, I agree, a lovely work and fully up to Foote's high standard. It's neglect is such a shame.

[Lionel Harrsion]

Lionel, I have a 1985 recording of Douglas Moore playing Foote's Cello Concerto accompanied by the Rochester Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jere Lantz. That's Rochester, New York, not Kent! In the concert programme it is noted that "To make modern day performances possible, Douglas Moore edited the score to correct numerous errors by comparing the fair copy with the manuscript score, which is in the New York Public Library at Lincoln Center. After a piano reduction was made for early performances, each page of each instrumental part was corrected so as to agree with the corrected score so that performances with orchestra would be possible." The note also states that Moore had performed the work "a dozen times" since 1981. I don't know if you are aware of this.

It is, I agree, a lovely work and fully up to Foote's high standard. It's neglect is such a shame.

Indeed we were aware, Mark; when we prepared our edition in 2009 Patrick enjoyed extensive correspondence with Douglas Moore and while we worked mainly from a photocopy of Foote's MS, in order that our efforts could be further refined Douglas graciously sent us a copy of his corrections (which kindness we duly acknowledged in our score, of course).  Douglas prepared his version using pen and ink, before these techno-whizz days of Sibelius and Finale; either way is guaranteed  to give one spots before the eyes, as colleagues here can no doubt confirm!  As you say, it's a lovely work and so well worth the optician's bills. 

[eschiss1]

Re the Foote: see the IMSLP page, especially the miscellaneous comments field, for - well, ok, more or less the same information, also a downloadable full score of the new edition etc.

[BFerrell]

The Rochester Symphony is in Rochester, Minnesota. It was recorded by NPR at Mayo Hall in 1985.

[chill319]

Does anyone besides myself hear an enthusiasm for Bruch in the Foote Cello Concerto?