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To all,

Sorry, maybe it's wasting your time to answer this naive question:

What is the purpose of Facsimile Edition?

I came across Henle Facsimile edition such as Chopin Etude Op 10. No 3, but I don't think people buy this to replace their Urtext edition .

so, I'm just curious what they want to do with it?

Thanks.

Bossie

A facsimile is an image of the manuscript, the handwriting of the composer. It would be used as source material, if the actual manuscript is not available, which is the usual case.

Haha ... I got the Henle and Cortot for Op 10 and 25, but I've never seen the FAX edition. Did they have fax machines then? Ah ... Chopin faxed
us his etudes ...

I did a google for "Facsimile Edition" and found this:

http://en.chopin.nifc.pl/institute/publications/facsimile

This special [fascist ... ooops! fascimile] edition is:

the first edition of the complete set of Chopin's music manuscripts

the most outstanding graphic reproduction of the original texts hitherto produced

a six-language source of the most up-to-date knowledge relating to the manuscripts and their history

an exclusive limited edition collectors series, bound in leather with gold fittings, reproducing the watermarks and substance of the original paper

an economical academic series with a plain exterior, equalling the original as a source of knowledge and a faithful reproduction

PPP,

If you want to see/feel/touch the FAX edition, try at Music Essentials.

But I'm still wandering how many people will buy this fax edition? A few years ago, Peter Edition issued another Urtext (a new critical) edition for Chopin works, which claims the closest/most original (?).

I wandering how many researcher/scholars out there still doing further research especially for Chopin works (as it is well known that Chopin sometimes had a few copies with slight variation of the same pieces) and thus buying this fax edition?

bossie

A facsimile edition gives you a window into a piece of history. They're not necessarily meant for performance, although some would consult them with great interest for that purpose.

I just like seeing the composer's own handwriting. It's a way to connect with history, tangible evidence that composers were people - albeit extraordinary ones - who wrote with paper and ink.

I've had my eye on Brahms 116 and Beethoven 101 for a while now. The Liszt sonata is also available, complete with the original ending crossed-out.

Kreisler,

Thanks for the reply. Now, I understand better

I recalled, there is an autograph sketch (similar to facsimile edition) on page 67 of Beethoven Sonatas Volume 2 published by Associated Board. Interesting ...

regards,
bossie