Almost unheard of

[Paul Barasi]

While reading the new recordings discussion on Arnold Cello Concerto on Naxos being completed Ellis, I was suddenly struck by music's peculiarity. Much is played together on rather more than one instrument. It is listened to collectively by an audience. But composition comes from a single mind. Gilbert may give Sullivan the words but not so much as a hummed tune. Bruckner's friends may criticise his scores but revision is down to a sole author. Music, which is a mass social activity, is created through individual, solitary composition. There are a few co-authored Strauss waltzes but surely we would have expected joint compositions from several Bachs, many songs by Gustav and Alma Mahler, or Clara and Robert Schumann – and we are talking about genuine joint composition, not works where different bits are written by different people.

So when some piece of music can't be finished entirely or properly and has to be completed, realised, made performable by someone else, this seemingly intrudes on the individualistic integrity of its provenance.  I am just not convinced that it should.

[mbhaub]

You're right that no completion can ever be construed to be 100% authentic and exactly what the composer wanted. No question that the person who does the work puts his own stamp on it. But I am extremely grateful for those selfless individuals who have brought some marvelous music to fruition for our enjoyment. Just a small list of incomplete works that I love to listen to:
Borodin: Polovtsian Dances, overture, heck the opera. Thank you Rimsky-Korsakov and Glazunov.
Mussorgsky: Boris Gudonov (Rimsky, again)
Mahler: symphony 10 (Cooke, Mazzetti, Barshai, Wheeler did wonders. No so thrilled with Carpenter)
Tchaikovsky: symphony no 7 (inauthentic, but who cares! This is great fun.)
Elgar: symphony 3. Is it really Elgar? I don't know, but I love Payne's vision.
Bruckner: symphony 9. I've played the Carragan latest version, but I think Samale-Cohrs et al have a better perception.
Puccini: Turandot. Can you imagine being without this? I can't.
Stenhammer: Piano concerto no 2 in Atterberg's orchestration. It was a fine thing as it was, but I guess now that we have the original, we don't need Atterberg anymore.

Then there are the completions that I don't think work:
Beethoven: symphony 10 by Cooper.
Schubert symphony 8 by anyone.
Tchaikovsky Piano cto no. 3. Just not that good.

And then the numerous editions that corrupt the composer's intent:
Tchaikovsky Rococco Variations by Fitzenhagen is the most offending
Tchaikovsky Piano Cto No. 2 by Siloti a bad idea.
Chopin: piano cto no 1 in the Balakirev orchestration. It might be fine, and I'd love to hear it.

[JimL]

You're right that no completion can ever be construed to be 100% authentic and exactly what the composer wanted. No question that the person who does the work puts his own stamp on it. But I am extremely grateful for those selfless individuals who have brought some marvelous music to fruition for our enjoyment. Just a small list of incomplete works that I love to listen to:
Borodin: Polovtsian Dances, overture, heck the opera. Thank you Rimsky-Korsakov and Glazunov.
Mussorgsky: Boris Gudonov (Rimsky, again)
Mahler: symphony 10 (Cooke, Mazzetti, Barshai, Wheeler did wonders. No so thrilled with Carpenter)
Tchaikovsky: symphony no 7 (inauthentic, but who cares! This is great fun.)
Elgar: symphony 3. Is it really Elgar? I don't know, but I love Payne's vision.
Bruckner: symphony 9. I've played the Carragan latest version, but I think Samale-Cohrs et al have a better perception.
Puccini: Turandot. Can you imagine being without this? I can't.
Stenhammer: Piano concerto no 2 in Atterberg's orchestration. It was a fine thing as it was, but I guess now that we have the original, we don't need Atterberg anymore.

Then there are the completions that I don't think work:
Beethoven: symphony 10 by Cooper.
Schubert symphony 8 by anyone.
Tchaikovsky Piano cto no. 3. Just not that good.

And then the numerous editions that corrupt the composer's intent:
Tchaikovsky Rococco Variations by Fitzenhagen is the most offending
Tchaikovsky Piano Cto No. 2 by Siloti a bad idea.
Chopin: piano cto no 1 in the Balakirev orchestration. It might be fine, and I'd love to hear it.

A quick note, Martin.  It was Stenhammar's 1st PC, not the 2nd that was orchestrated by Atterberg because the original score was thought lost (until it turned up).  And Mussorgsky did complete Boris Godunov.  It was even performed during his lifetime.  Rimsky K. et al simply thought the original so crude and lame that they took it upon themselves to "improve" it posthumously.

[mbhaub]

Thanks. You're right on the Stenhammer. I knew that...I think. I've played the 2nd concerto and should have known.  As to Boris, yes, Mussorgsky completed it, twice. I grew up knowing the Rimsky version, like most of us, and it wasn't until later that the originals were available. But, was the original published in Mussorgsky's time? Or did it take Rimsky's version to accomplish that? I should have also included Khovanschina in the list, but I'm less impressed with that opera: it's a mess no matter what. Odd thing though, the ubiquitous Dawn on the Moscow River (in the RK version) is the most "Russian" piece of music in existence for me. I don't know if Mussorgsky completed it, or just never orchestrated, but I'm eternally grateful that RK did. Not so thrilled with the Shostakovich.

[eschiss1]

Stenhammar 1st concerto- always a bit surprised the score turned up in the US.  The brief reconstruction of bits of his 3rd symphony is intriguing...

[Balapoel]

Then there are the completions that I don't think work:
Beethoven: symphony 10 by Cooper.
Schubert symphony 8 by anyone.
Tchaikovsky Piano cto no. 3. Just not that good.

I don't know, I think Schubert's b minor symphony completed is the only way to hear it, with his Rosamunde entr'acte finale (also in b minor, structured as a symphonic finale, and quite beautiful) and his own scherzo (the little bit of the trio completion doesn't bother me so much). The two fast movements add depth to the two slower movements.

I'll also put a plug in for Cooke's completion of Schubert's 10th symphony, especially the slow movement. Wonderfully lyric and contrapuntal - great stuff!
Balapoel