Philip Scharwenka VC

[Gareth Vaughan]

I see that Musikproduktion Hoeflich (MPH) https://repertoire-explorer.musikmph.de/ have just published a new edition of Philip Scharwenka's splendid VC. Let us hope this will encourage a recording.

[Mark Thomas]

Very often MpH scores have excellent and highly informative prefaces, which are all freely available online. Unfortunately this isn't one of them.

[violinconcerto]

Normally thay don't have new editions but just copies of old scores out of copyrights if I see that correctly.

[eschiss1]

Their specialty is smaller-score reprints, though with some never-published-in-full-score works, e.g. Magnard's 1st and 2nd symphonies, I think they have commissioned first-ever typeset scores. VC: Not all their scores are yet out of copyright --this is important to note- sometimes they publish things by arrangement with the copyright-holder. (They are very clear about this on their site...)  EG some works by Reinhard Schwarz-Schilling (1904-85) in copyright in EU, CA, and due to renewed publication in the US (or in the case of Die Botschaft (1979-82), laws applying to such recently-published works apply), USA too, but yes, republished by MPH by arrangement.

[eschiss1]

BTW in regards Philipp Scharwenka, a recording of 2 of his violin sonatas did come out last year on TYXArt (first recording I think I've seen of his chamber music since Olympia recorded a lot of it back in the day). It's streamed on Naxos Music Library, going to have a listen soon (and to some Schwarz-Schilling too, just because .) Anyway, anyone else have a listen to the new Scharwenka disc (incidentally)?

[Martin Eastick]

Yes - I did actually get this TYXart CD when released in Germany last year - and excellent it is too! With regards to the violin concerto, I don't think we will need to wait much longer for this to be recorded.........

[Mark Thomas]

You tease! Care to expand on that?

[Alan Howe]

I see the preface was written by Christoph Schlüren - he often authors sleevenotes too, so....

[Alan Howe]

Normally thay don't have new editions but just copies of old scores out of copyrights if I see that correctly.

Ah, but that's precisely what some of us want...

[Gareth Vaughan]

I must retract. This is not a NEW edition, just a reprint, but at least it makes the score more readily available - and, alas, Mark is right: the preface is very lightweight - disappointing. I note they have also published Ferdinand Hiller's Concert Overture No. 2 - a rather pointless exercise IMHO since scores AND parts to both Hiller's Concert Overtures are available at IMSLP. The preface to this is similarly "feeble", and misleading. The author writes: "Among the relatively few orchestral works are four overtures..."  In fact there are at least 6 overtures, at least 7 (possibly 11) symphonies, 2 orchestral fantasies (Op. 127 and Op. 166) 3 piano concertos + a 4 movt "Konzertstuck" for piano & orchestra, a Violin Concerto + a "Fantaisiestuck" for violin and orchestra and a Romance for Violin and Orchestra, and a Cello concerto – hardly "relatively few orchestral works".

[violinconcerto]

Yes, and other services just do the same as well but cheaper... check abebooks.com and get a scanned copy of the Scharwenka score for 8 US$...

[eschiss1]

Some of the works that are still-in-copyright (in some areas) that they republish (by arrangement with copyright holders) are well within the bounds of this forum, actually. (Later Respighi for starters?) (The Schwarz-Schilling mentioned above is quite enjoyable to me- just listened to a symphony of his "Diatonica" - but ok, won't press the point.)

Of course, even in the case of out-of-copyright works, they also have full scores of some works only reduced scores at best - if that- IMSLP users have been able to find to upload. Etc.

(Also: Paul Büttner's 4 symphonies, the first three of which are I think on YouTube and the fourth of which is or was on CD; all the Raff, Gade, Fuchs, ... symphonies, not just the several @ IMSLP; Hans Huber's 2nd violin concerto (first publication in full score); etc. My only connection with them is that I -have- written a couple of (unfortunately poor ) prefaces for them and received some in return, but have no obligation to say good things about them; I am I admit well-disposed towards them, though...)

[Mark Thomas]

For the avoidance of doubt, I wasn't criticising MpH, just the poor preface to this score. Of course IMSLP duplicate many of the scores, but MpH's products aren't PDFs but bound, pocket-size books. Judging by the way their catalogue has grown they're meeting a real and substantial need.

[eschiss1]

I think well of both organizations (and do more work for IMSLP) for what it's worth and thought you came in clearly and meaning only positively, I think I was just expanding on a thought/contrast

[JimL]

A 4-movement konzertstück by Hiller?  I only see 3, Gareth...