A German Requiem Op.45 (Full Score, paperback)

Brahms A German Requiem Op.45 (Full Score, paperback)

With this publication, Bärenreiter presents a new Urtext edition of “A German Requiem” by Johannes Brahms.  Based on the latest musicological research, the edition offers a scholarly reliable, clearly presented, and consistently performance-oriented musical text founded on a critical re-evaluation of the authoritative sources.

For the first time, historical performance practice has been systematically integrated into the edition.  This is based on the evaluation of annotations in scores and performance materials from the first edition together with additional sources on performance practice.  Numerous annotations that shed light on performance practice have been examined and documented here for the first time.  The additional sources range from contemporary reports and letters to early publications on performance practice.  The information gleaned from these sources is systematically cross-referenced and critically weighed against one another.

Among the newly identified sources is a set of parts discovered during the preparation of this edition.  These parts were used at the very first performance with printed orchestral materials– even before the world premiere of the final seven-movement version of the work.  This has made it possible, for the first time, to unequivocally identify a set of parts from the first edition.  There is evidence that these same parts were also used at a performance conducted by Brahms.

The comprehensive accompanying texts provide an introduction to the genesis and reception of “A German Requiem”, clearly outline the source material as well as editorial and performance-related issues, and provide a transparent rationale for the editorial decisions taken.

Thus, Michael Ostrzyga’s new edition provides all the necessary foundations for a scholarly and historically informed study of Johannes Brahms’s “A German Requiem”.

- Scholarly-critical edition taking all authoritative sources into account

- Extensive Commentary on the work’s genesis, reception history, as well as editorial and performance-related issues (Ger/Eng)

- Detailed Critical Commentary (Eng)

- Piano reduction by the composer in the vocal score (BA11314-90)

- Full score and parts (BA11314) and vocal score (BA11314-90) available for sale

- Additional digital material available from the Bärenreiter webshop (BA11653D)