Dido and Aeneas, Fowler edition
Posted: 20 Apr 2016 06:26
John Henry Fowler
Editor, Choral Public Domain Library
Dear Sir:
Thank you for the enormous work that you have done in publishing Henry Purcell’s opera “Dido and Aeneas.” I am the director of a choir which has recently produced a concert version of the opera, and we have found your score and parts invaluable.
Jerome translated the entire Bible into Latin and made only two errors; he is now considered a saint. You and I are not so blessed; please allow me to draw your attention to the following errors in your edition of 7-8-2006, in the hopes that you or someone else may have time to correct them for the online edition. Most of the errors are in the realization of the continuo part; I pointed out to our harpsichordist that in the old days she would have had to create the whole part herself, but she was not much comforted.
First, a suggestion: it would be much more convenient if the measure numbers and movement numbers in the full score, the choral score, and the instrumental parts were all the same. All of the page and measure numbers that I give here are from your edition of the full score.
Page 7 measure 42: harpsichord part RH should begin with E-flat and C together.
P 17 m 149: chorus word is “monarchs”.
P 23 m 213: harpsichord part RH should read E-G, E-A.
P 28 m 275: soprano solo should read C.
P 33 m 296: harpsichord part opening chord should be E-minor.
P 34 m 304-305: harpsichord part RH tied note should be C. m 308 and 309 harpsichord part RH beat 3 of each measure should be a C major chord. m 312 and upbeat: semiquaver run should be one tone lower and finish on G.
P 40 m 350: harpsichord part RH quavers should be one tone higher, to read C D.
P 44 m 374: Violin 1 should read A D B.
P 48 m 427: Harpsichord part RH first chord should be B-flat C G.
P 56 m 484: harpsichord part RH should read E G B-natural. M 488: Basso should read C E-natural D-natural.
P 58 m 498: harpsichord part RH should read E C G C G E.
P 59 m 506: Violin 2 should read D-natural D-natural F-sharp.
P 60 m 510: harpsichord part RH top note should be D.
P 64 m 533: Basso part should read C B-flat A.
P 67 m 570 : chorus word should be “vaulted”.
P 70 m 589: Violin 2 and alto parts should read D E.
P 73 m 604-605: Harpsichord LH should read D C F E / D .
P 75 m 615: Violin 2 should read G G G A.
P 76 m 620: harpsichord part RH should begin with D-F. m 623: Violin 2 part should read C G C C D.
P 80 m 647: Basso should read B-flat. M 652 harpsichord LH should read C D E .
P 81 m 659: Basso should read G.
P 82: is this movement 24-b or 25?
P 83 m 672: Harpsichord RH should replace E’s with D’s.
P 89 m 729: Violin 1 should begin with E. m 734: harpsichord RH second chord should be A major.
P 90 m 738: harpsichord Rh should be D major chord.
P 92 m 755: Basso should begin with G.
P 96 m 767: harpsichord LH should start with G.
P 100 m 799: harpsichord RH should begin with a dotted quaver rest.
P 102 m 816: harpsichord RH should read B-flat A G F E-natural.
P 104 m 840 and 841: harpsichord RH should read B-flat A B-flat C D. m 845 harpsichord RH should read F-E D-G. m 847 harpsichord RH should read C-D-A.
P 105 m 863 and 864: harpsichord LH rhythm should match voice and Basso rhythms. M 864-865: harpsichord RH should read F A C B-flat / A D E.
P 107 m 875: vocal Bass part should read D E-flat F.
P 109 m 885 and 886: harpsichord RH needs B-naturals.
P 110 m 894 and 895: harpsichord LH rhythm should match Basso rhythm. M 896: harpsichord LH should read E-flat E-flat B-flat.
P 111 m 901: harpsichord RH should read C-A D-F.
P 113 m 922: harpsichord RH should end with C-sharp-E.
P 114 m 927 and 928: Basso and harpsichord LH should read F A B-flat A / B-flat.
P 116 m 950 and 951: harpsichord RH needs reworking. M 954: harpsichord RH should begin with B-flat.
P 118 m 964: vocal bass should read A-flat F G G.
P 120 m 971: violin 1 and soprano should read D B-flat G.
P 125 m 1018: harpsichord RH lowest note should be D.
P 131 m 1078: harpsichord RH second chord should be G minor.
Thank you again for all of your hard work, and for your patience with this letter.
Sincerely,
Greg Johnson
Editor, Choral Public Domain Library
Dear Sir:
Thank you for the enormous work that you have done in publishing Henry Purcell’s opera “Dido and Aeneas.” I am the director of a choir which has recently produced a concert version of the opera, and we have found your score and parts invaluable.
Jerome translated the entire Bible into Latin and made only two errors; he is now considered a saint. You and I are not so blessed; please allow me to draw your attention to the following errors in your edition of 7-8-2006, in the hopes that you or someone else may have time to correct them for the online edition. Most of the errors are in the realization of the continuo part; I pointed out to our harpsichordist that in the old days she would have had to create the whole part herself, but she was not much comforted.
First, a suggestion: it would be much more convenient if the measure numbers and movement numbers in the full score, the choral score, and the instrumental parts were all the same. All of the page and measure numbers that I give here are from your edition of the full score.
Page 7 measure 42: harpsichord part RH should begin with E-flat and C together.
P 17 m 149: chorus word is “monarchs”.
P 23 m 213: harpsichord part RH should read E-G, E-A.
P 28 m 275: soprano solo should read C.
P 33 m 296: harpsichord part opening chord should be E-minor.
P 34 m 304-305: harpsichord part RH tied note should be C. m 308 and 309 harpsichord part RH beat 3 of each measure should be a C major chord. m 312 and upbeat: semiquaver run should be one tone lower and finish on G.
P 40 m 350: harpsichord part RH quavers should be one tone higher, to read C D.
P 44 m 374: Violin 1 should read A D B.
P 48 m 427: Harpsichord part RH first chord should be B-flat C G.
P 56 m 484: harpsichord part RH should read E G B-natural. M 488: Basso should read C E-natural D-natural.
P 58 m 498: harpsichord part RH should read E C G C G E.
P 59 m 506: Violin 2 should read D-natural D-natural F-sharp.
P 60 m 510: harpsichord part RH top note should be D.
P 64 m 533: Basso part should read C B-flat A.
P 67 m 570 : chorus word should be “vaulted”.
P 70 m 589: Violin 2 and alto parts should read D E.
P 73 m 604-605: Harpsichord LH should read D C F E / D .
P 75 m 615: Violin 2 should read G G G A.
P 76 m 620: harpsichord part RH should begin with D-F. m 623: Violin 2 part should read C G C C D.
P 80 m 647: Basso should read B-flat. M 652 harpsichord LH should read C D E .
P 81 m 659: Basso should read G.
P 82: is this movement 24-b or 25?
P 83 m 672: Harpsichord RH should replace E’s with D’s.
P 89 m 729: Violin 1 should begin with E. m 734: harpsichord RH second chord should be A major.
P 90 m 738: harpsichord Rh should be D major chord.
P 92 m 755: Basso should begin with G.
P 96 m 767: harpsichord LH should start with G.
P 100 m 799: harpsichord RH should begin with a dotted quaver rest.
P 102 m 816: harpsichord RH should read B-flat A G F E-natural.
P 104 m 840 and 841: harpsichord RH should read B-flat A B-flat C D. m 845 harpsichord RH should read F-E D-G. m 847 harpsichord RH should read C-D-A.
P 105 m 863 and 864: harpsichord LH rhythm should match voice and Basso rhythms. M 864-865: harpsichord RH should read F A C B-flat / A D E.
P 107 m 875: vocal Bass part should read D E-flat F.
P 109 m 885 and 886: harpsichord RH needs B-naturals.
P 110 m 894 and 895: harpsichord LH rhythm should match Basso rhythm. M 896: harpsichord LH should read E-flat E-flat B-flat.
P 111 m 901: harpsichord RH should read C-A D-F.
P 113 m 922: harpsichord RH should end with C-sharp-E.
P 114 m 927 and 928: Basso and harpsichord LH should read F A B-flat A / B-flat.
P 116 m 950 and 951: harpsichord RH needs reworking. M 954: harpsichord RH should begin with B-flat.
P 118 m 964: vocal bass should read A-flat F G G.
P 120 m 971: violin 1 and soprano should read D B-flat G.
P 125 m 1018: harpsichord RH lowest note should be D.
P 131 m 1078: harpsichord RH second chord should be G minor.
Thank you again for all of your hard work, and for your patience with this letter.
Sincerely,
Greg Johnson