My “The Rite of Spring” Used Book Store Find
- January 15, 2009
- By Michael Kaulkin
- Reminiscences
- 4 comments
OK, this may not be on par with finding the score of an unknown Beethoven symphony sewn into the lining of an 18th-Century Tyrolian overcoat, but I think this is kind of cool.
I have on my shelf what seems to be an original copy of the first full score of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, published in 1921 by Édition Russe de Musique. (Prior to that, only the four-hand piano version had been published.) I found it around 1990 in a Budapest antikvárium, a used book store.
[dcs_lb_link url="/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/Rite-of-Spring-Cover-Ferencsik-Signature.jpg" title="Rite of Spring cover with conductor János Ferencsik's signature"]
[/dcs_lb_link]The title page of this score bears the handwritten name “Ferencsik” and the year 1929, leading me to the conclusion that in 1929 it was a possession of the great Hungarian conductor János Ferencsik, who led the Hungarian National Philharmonic from the Fifties into the Eighties.
Click the thumbnail to the left to see where Ferencsik wrote his name on the cover page.
Not only that, there’s an indication that markings in red were supplied by Stravinsky himself. In the large image at the top of this post, you can see where Ferencsik (presumably) wrote “Piros: Straw.”, indicating that the red markings were from Stravinsky. (“Piros” = “Red” in Hungarian)
I’m no expert on the various revisions of The Rite of Spring, nor do I have handy a copy of a more recent printing, so I have no idea if there’s any great significance to these markings. I’m assuming not, but here are a few examples:
Dynamics in the strings at rehearsal 32
Apparently rethinking the time signature notation at rehearsal 39
Rebeaming the trombones accordingly, also at rehearsal 39
monkeytom
That is super cool beans!
Anonymous
Perhaps a book expert can shed some light on this. It may just be a very valuable find.
texascomposer
I just recently found your blog while looking for some outlet of educated music dialog online and today just read this post. That score is an amazing find! I would be crying and giddy like a child if I found something like that lying around a half-priced books. Beautiful find. Once in a life-time. I am extremely jealous!
geoffrey terry
Hi,
In consideration of your facinating piece I thought you might be interested in the following:
In 1966 the Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra, as it was then known, undertook a tour of the UK. The conductor was Janos Ferencsik. I made a recording of the concert in the Royal Festival Hall London and will be releasing it on CD next month. The concert included: Egmont, Dances from Galanta and the Brahms 1st Symphony. The encore was the Radetzky March.
I should perhaps mention that the recording was the first ever to use CNSTR.
If you are interested, in view of your background, I would be prepared to supply you with a prerelease copy at the standard cost of £10 plus £3 postage.
Kind regards
Geoffrey
http://www.orchestralconcertcds.com