Mahler 9 Full score

[BeethovensQuill]

Just a question to ask anyone who has M9 in full score, all i can find are 2 editions one on Dover and one on Universal which states fullscore-facsimile.  Just wondered what peoples thoughts are and which version they have.  There is a big price difference, the Dover one i can get for £12.95 and the Universal is £38.95 from Boosey&Hawkes.

thanks 

[waderice]

My particular version, which I bought around 30+ years ago, is a "Philharmonia" study score.  According to the inside title page, the Philharmonia series was apparently a subsidiary of Universal Edition, though at the time I bought it, I don't know if there was a full-price Universal Edition score available, nor can I tell you if the Philharmonia version was a less-expensive version of the Universal Edition.  The English translation of the German introduction states that "this pocket score is a photo-mechanical reproduction of the whole text of the symphony from the complete works of Gustav Mahler, edited by Erwin Ratz (Kritische Gesamtausgabe, vol. X).  In this text the original - more or less corrupted in earlier editions - has been resored on the basis of authentic source material and scrupulous editing procedures to conform to Mahler's intentions".

If you intend to look for this Philharmonia edition, I can't tell you if it is still available, or if the full-price Universal Edition has superseded it.  By way of caution, the less-expensive Dover full-size score might not have any updates that the Universal Edition might have.  Barry might have something to say about this, if he has a study score of the 9th.

Wade

[James Meckley]

I own the Universal Edition Mahler 9 score (UE 3398) and consequently never felt the need to buy the Dover Edition, so I can't help you with specific information as to differences, if any. I will make the following general observations:

1) The Philharmonia Pocket Score of M9 (No. 472) to which Wade refers is still available for about $20.00. It differs from the U.E. in size—the U.E. is 9.5 x 7.0 inches while the Philharmonia is 7.25 x 5.25 inches. Legibility could be an issue with the smaller format.

2) The Dover Edition, in this case, is probably fine. The promotional material claims it's "...a reproduction of the editions published by Universal Edition, Vienna, n.d." Since the Dover is 12.0 x 8.25 inches, it may be the best choice of all for legibility. The Dover Mahler score to be most cautious about is M6. It's the first version of the symphony (the same as the Eulenburg Edition), and it differs dramatically from the U.E. in orchestration throughout.

3) I bought my U.E. M9 score in 1970 (for £1-50p from Blackwell's Music Shop in Oxford), so the U.E. and the Philharmonia scores did—and do—coexist.

The following Website has the 1912 U.E./C. F. Kahnt M9 score available for reference in PDF form:

http://imslp.org/wiki/Symphony_No.9_%28Mahler,_Gustav%29

It also suggests that the Dover is a reproduction of the U.E.


James

[BeethovensQuill]

Thanks very much for the information James, i think thats made my mind up to get the Dover edition and save some money. 

[Freddy van Maurik]

Also, which may be of interest to any of us, Universal have started a new series of study scores (the 'Neue Studienpartitur-Reihe'; size is somewhere between the pocket scores of Philharmonia, Eulenburg etc. and the normal full-price scores). These are printed 'nach dem Text der Kritischen Gesamtausgabe'.

The M9 is available for just € 26,95 (about $ 35,-) and therefore (in my opinion) the best option.
The catalogue number is UE34319; ISBN 978-3-7024-6798-2 and ISMN 979-0-008-08149-1.

Oh, here's a link: http://www.universaledition.com/Symphonie-Nr-9-for-Orchestra-Gustav-Mahler/sheet-music-and-more/detailview/UE34319/kid/947136

Freddy

[James Meckley]

Here's an interesting article by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra librarian on the matter of various editions of Mahler symphonies. She focuses on the Fifth which seems to be particularly problematic. Notice her response to the question at the bottom, in which she makes score/edition recommendations:

http://kschnack.wordpress.com/2009/07/12/is-mahler-5-the-same-as-mahler-5/

James

[BeethovensQuill]

Thanks to Freddy and again much thanks to James for highlighting that particular article with the Dallas SO librarian, looks like the Universal edition IS the one to go for, damn ah well cant put a price on genius, although its cheaper than the new edition of Vaughan Williams full score for the 5th symphony which is £60.