Unsung Composers

The Music => Composers & Music => Topic started by: Darrel Hoffman on Monday 26 February 2024, 21:55

Title: Théodore Thurner (1833-1907) Piano Concerto missing/duplicated pages
Post by: Darrel Hoffman on Monday 26 February 2024, 21:55
I'm attempting to transcribe a piano concerto by French composer Théodore Thurner.  There is a manuscript available on IMSLP:
 https://imslp.org/wiki/Piano_Concerto_No.3_(Thurner%2C_Th%C3%A9odore)

However, I've run into an error - in Section 2, page 55 is missing.  In its place is a copy of page 35.  (I gather someone misread the page number, the handwriting can be a problem.)  Then later on in Section 4, page 35 comes up a third time in place of page 135 - that's less excusable - and an odd coincidence that the same erroneous page is used twice in addition to its appearance where it belongs between 34 and 36...

I wonder if anyone knows where I could find another source without this problem?  And maybe where I could find his first 2 concerti as well?  I can only infer their existence based on this one being labeled as the third.
Title: Re: Théodore Thurner (1833-1907) Piano Concerto missing/duplicated pages
Post by: Alan Howe on Monday 26 February 2024, 22:03
Does this help?
https://www.themorgan.org/music/manuscript/115837
Title: Re: Théodore Thurner (1833-1907) Piano Concerto missing/duplicated pages
Post by: Darrel Hoffman on Monday 26 February 2024, 22:24
Indeed, the missing pages are there, thank you.  Anyone know how one would go about getting it corrected on IMSLP?  Not that I absolutely need to, but when I see errors, I like to correct them when I can...
Title: Re: Théodore Thurner (1833-1907) Piano Concerto missing/duplicated pages
Post by: Alan Howe on Monday 26 February 2024, 23:05
Glad you at least have all the correct pages.
Title: Re: Théodore Thurner (1833-1907) Piano Concerto missing/duplicated pages
Post by: cypressdome on Tuesday 27 February 2024, 03:19
Thanks for bringing this to our attention.  I have uploaded corrected files to IMSLP.
Title: Re: Théodore Thurner (1833-1907) Piano Concerto missing/duplicated pages
Post by: Alan Howe on Tuesday 27 February 2024, 10:04
Thanks very much for tidying up the score.
Title: Re: Théodore Thurner (1833-1907) Piano Concerto missing/duplicated pages
Post by: Darrel Hoffman on Tuesday 27 February 2024, 15:30
Thank you both, that was surprisingly quick work.  Expect a simulated recording of this on my YouTube channel in maybe a month or so (there's a few other things going up first), I'll post an update here when it's finished.

Incidentally, I notice that IMSLP also features MIDI recordings of some pieces, I suppose I could upload them there as well, though I imagine those don't get quite as much publicity as YouTube.
Title: Re: Théodore Thurner (1833-1907) Piano Concerto missing/duplicated pages
Post by: Alan Howe on Tuesday 27 February 2024, 15:38
Just to blow our own trumpet here for a moment: there is an extraordinarily wide range of expertise among our members. It's amazing how often they respond to questions posed or offer solutions to problems encountered.

Thanks to all of you!
Title: Re: Théodore Thurner (1833-1907) Piano Concerto missing/duplicated pages
Post by: eschiss1 on Saturday 02 March 2024, 14:33
btw before uploading simulated/midi recordings to imslp, do check the Policy on uploading recordings (https://imslp.org/wiki/IMSLP:Performers_Portal#Recording_Policy).
Title: Re: Théodore Thurner (1833-1907) Piano Concerto missing/duplicated pages
Post by: Darrel Hoffman on Saturday 02 March 2024, 16:37
So I interpret that as basically, MIDI is barely acceptable, and mostly provided that no better recordings are available.  Since the works I'm doing are deliberately obscure ones for which I was unable to find recordings, I believe this criterion is met.

As for the level of quality, that's obviously subjective, but I haven't yet received any negative feedback.  (Other than pointing out that a real recording had been posted a week before my submission in the case of the Herz #5.  These take a while, sometimes I'll get scooped.)

I also wouldn't post a recording of an incomplete orchestration, as I did with the Borgstrom (though I've got the full version of that queued up for the near future.  I do think IMSLP should have the full score up there since it's available, but I'm not sure if there are legal reasons why this can't be done?)

I'll think about it, but I still think the YouTube posts will get far more attention.
Title: Re: Théodore Thurner (1833-1907) Piano Concerto missing/duplicated pages
Post by: eschiss1 on Sunday 03 March 2024, 02:21
One can also(?) use |NCRecordings= to link to external N(on)C(ommercial)Recordings.
Title: Re: Théodore Thurner (1833-1907) Piano Concerto missing/duplicated pages
Post by: Darrel Hoffman on Saturday 10 August 2024, 05:30
Well it took me way longer than expected, but I have now posted my rendition of the Thurner concerto:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1GCxVtXaow
Title: Re: Théodore Thurner (1833-1907) Piano Concerto missing/duplicated pages
Post by: FBerwald on Saturday 10 August 2024, 07:49
Is there any bio. info about this composer? I can't even find a wiki entry except a passing ref. as the dedicatee of one of Cécile_Chaminade's composition
Title: Re: Théodore Thurner (1833-1907) Piano Concerto missing/duplicated pages
Post by: Wheesht on Saturday 10 August 2024, 10:07
There is a lecture (in French) about his life and work by one Charles Vincens from 1906 in 'Mémoires de l'Académie des sciences, belles-lettres et arts de Marseille' that can be accessed via Gallica (https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k57544243/f416.item.r=%22Th%C3%A9odore%20Thurner%22Vincens) at the French National Library.
Title: Re: Théodore Thurner (1833-1907) Piano Concerto missing/duplicated pages
Post by: eschiss1 on Saturday 10 August 2024, 13:05
Oooh, I adore pieces that have the brass go "pavillion(s) en l'air". (p.83 of the Thurner ,  also happens toward the end of the first movement development of Nicolai Myaskovsky's symphony no.11 in B-flat minor.)
Title: Re: Théodore Thurner (1833-1907) Piano Concerto missing/duplicated pages
Post by: eschiss1 on Saturday 10 August 2024, 13:13
A review I've located of a performance of Thurner's concerto stipulates that the dedicatee was Etienne Martin. Hrm. My mistake. Looking at the article, it's a review of Thurner's musical output. Translating a bit: "The first concerto, in G minor, was performed for the first time by Thurner in 1872..."
Title: Re: Théodore Thurner (1833-1907) Piano Concerto missing/duplicated pages
Post by: eschiss1 on Saturday 10 August 2024, 13:18
Ah, it's the same Vincens article, just found over Google Books instead (https://books.google.com/books?id=k2hQAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA405).
Title: Re: Théodore Thurner (1833-1907) Piano Concerto missing/duplicated pages
Post by: Darrel Hoffman on Saturday 10 August 2024, 17:16
Quote from: eschiss1 on Saturday 10 August 2024, 13:05Oooh, I adore pieces that have the brass go "pavillion(s) en l'air". (p.83 of the Thurner ,  also happens toward the end of the first movement development of Nicolai Myaskovsky's symphony no.11 in B-flat minor.)

I was curious as to what that phrase even meant and how to properly interpret it.  The fact that it's accompanied by an "fff" pretty much did the trick I think.  Thurner was evidently not shy about using the far ends of the dynamic range - there were a lot more "fff"s and "ppp"s than I'm used to seeing in a score, often very close together.  One of the things that made interpreting this piece a bit more challenging than some I've done.
Title: Re: Théodore Thurner (1833-1907) Piano Concerto missing/duplicated pages
Post by: Darrel Hoffman on Saturday 10 August 2024, 17:42
Quote from: Wheesht on Saturday 10 August 2024, 10:07There is a lecture (in French) about his life and work by one Charles Vincens from 1906 in 'Mémoires de l'Académie des sciences, belles-lettres et arts de Marseille' that can be accessed via Gallica (https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k57544243/f416.item.r=%22Th%C3%A9odore%20Thurner%22Vincens) at the French National Library.
Any chance that article has been digitized anywhere?  I can sort of read French, but not well, and the text on that page is not selectable so I can't translate it.  I usually include a link to a bio article on my videos, generally Wikipedia since that's easiest, but this guy doesn't have an wiki page in any language as far as I can tell.
Title: Re: Théodore Thurner (1833-1907) Piano Concerto missing/duplicated pages
Post by: Wheesht on Saturday 10 August 2024, 17:58
Well, you could try the button on the right for downloading/printing and then use OCR to make the text selectable.
Title: Re: Théodore Thurner (1833-1907) Piano Concerto missing/duplicated pages
Post by: Darrel Hoffman on Saturday 10 August 2024, 18:09
Hmm, I suppose, though I'd have to find some OCR software, preferably one equipped with a French dictionary, as the good ones don't just read the letters, but use a dictionary to resolve any questionable scans. 

Problem is, even if I did that, then only I would have it.  I'd like something I could link from the video page so that others can read it.  Maybe I'll just link directly to the the Gallica page and let the viewers decide if they want to go to the trouble.  I know there are at least a few native French speakers in my audience.
Title: Re: Théodore Thurner (1833-1907) Piano Concerto missing/duplicated pages
Post by: eschiss1 on Saturday 10 August 2024, 18:12
You can also try the same from the Google link I mentioned, which may provide the link in more formats than Gallica, though its Epub/OCR download is not wonderful (or maybe I'm thinking about the Archive.org mirrors of some Google books.)
Title: Re: Théodore Thurner (1833-1907) Piano Concerto missing/duplicated pages
Post by: Darrel Hoffman on Saturday 10 August 2024, 18:45
Hmm, the PDF download worked, the Epub version was unreadable.  (As in the file was corrupted, not that it was illegible.)  You'd still have to copy/paste the text into Google Translate or equivalent if you want it in something other than French, as the browser doesn't offer translation directly from a PDF.  (At least mine doesn't.)  I'll update to use that link, with instructions for those who wish to translate to their language of choice (I assume that's not always English.)
Title: Re: Théodore Thurner (1833-1907) Piano Concerto missing/duplicated pages
Post by: eschiss1 on Saturday 10 August 2024, 22:25
If I have time later this year I can at least try transcribing the French directly and even perhaps testing my decades-old French to translate it. (As it is I should be doing other things- But I'll be done with those later this month.)
Title: Re: Théodore Thurner (1833-1907) Piano Concerto missing/duplicated pages
Post by: Darrel Hoffman on Sunday 11 August 2024, 02:13
If you want, but I don't really need it.  I can translate it myself from the PDF, and I'm in a similar boat regarding decades-old French.  I just wanted something I could link people to from the video description.

Ideally, somebody should write a wiki article, in English or French or whatever (I often use other language wikis when an English one isn't available).  That lecture would be a good source to cite for it.

But it's not a rush or anything.  I've linked the article in the description, both the Gallica and Google Books versions, so anyone who wants to know more can do their own research.

Myself, I might like to know if his first 2 concertos can be found, or any later ones if they exist, but beyond that, I've got other composers to work on.
Title: Re: Théodore Thurner (1833-1907) Piano Concerto missing/duplicated pages
Post by: eschiss1 on Sunday 11 August 2024, 14:24
Have you found the orchestral parts to any of Emile Prudent's concertos, say? :)
Title: Re: Théodore Thurner (1833-1907) Piano Concerto missing/duplicated pages
Post by: Darrel Hoffman on Sunday 11 August 2024, 15:09
I in fact posted my rendition of Prudent's first concerto just a month ago:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTeGqIx88As
(Trying to figure out if you knew that already?  Some people use different nicknames on YouTube than here.)

I could not find orchestral parts for his second, just a solo reduction.  I was not aware there were more than two but I haven't looked that deeply into it.

For the most part I just use what I can find on IMSLP.  Most of the other sources I've looked at have a very small niche selection available, or they're hiding behind pay-walls, or they're loan libraries that probably only deal with actual orchestras (I prefer digital to paper copies anyhow as I need to make lots of notes as part of my process and you can't really do that with loaned manuscripts.)
Title: Re: Théodore Thurner (1833-1907) Piano Concerto missing/duplicated pages
Post by: eschiss1 on Sunday 11 August 2024, 15:59
I forgot to check, sorry!! I guess there's Opp.34 and 48, and a morceau de concert Op.67, and there might be other works with orchestra besides. All BNF lists for any of them, I think, is the piano parts, though there might be orchestral parts elsewhere.
Title: Re: Théodore Thurner (1833-1907) Piano Concerto missing/duplicated pages
Post by: Darrel Hoffman on Sunday 11 August 2024, 17:59
Ah, just a coincidence that you mentioned something I did very recently then.  I had a brief conversation with someone about not being able to find the parts for the 2nd concerto, wasn't sure if you were the same person or not.  But the full parts are available on IMSLP for the Op.34 at least, which is what I used:
https://imslp.org/wiki/Concerto-symphonie%2C_Op.34_(Prudent%2C_%C3%89mile).

Just the solo part for the Opp.48 and 67.