Monteverdi variable
An edition of the Marian Vespers that does justice to both small and large choirs and various instrumental ensembles.
No other 17th century composition has been published in as many editions as Monteverdi's Vespers. Carl Winterfeld made the start with a few excerpts. It was first published in full by Gian Francesco Malipiero in 1932 as part of the first complete Monteverdi edition. This version formed the starting point for the subsequent editions, some of which were re-instrumented and shortened for musical practice.
For a long time, the edition by Gottfried Wolters, published in 1966, was decisive in practice. It shaped the reception of Vespers like no other. Beginning in 1986 with Clifford Bartlett, a whole series of source-critical editions then appeared. Three new editions have also been published in the 21st century, most notably that by Antonio Delfino as part of the new Monteverdi Complete Edition.
This version follows the 1610 print as closely as possible. Erroneous passages have been corrected with the help of handwritten additions and corrections from the 17th century. The parts have been prepared in such a way that they serve well in performances with both small and large choirs; the instrumental scoring can be handled flexibly thanks to the variants suggested in the table. The edition includes a comprehensive critical report, a translation of the Latin text into German and English as well as six facsimile prints of the original manuscript and the title page with the dedication to Pope Paul V, dated September 1, 1610. The content includes eleven choral movements, a Sonata sopra Sancta Maria and the Magnificat in twelve movements.
Claudio Monteverdi, Vespro della Beata Vergine, Urtext edited by Uwe Wolf, score, CV 27.801/00, € 49.00, Carus, Stuttgart 2014
