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Messiah orch partsDate: June 8, 2013 by William Spencer  Views: 213
Hi there: Has anyone here ever used the IMSLP orchestra parts for Messiah? If so, how do they stack up against commercial ones? Thanks! Bill
Replies (3): Threaded | Chronological
Carter Collins on June 9, 2013 7:34am
Bill,
I was a soloist for a presentation of Messiah in which IMSLP orchestra parts were used in addition to Schirmer editions for the chorus and soloist. It was a near disaster, as the strings were all missing separate and various groups of measures in different movements, and the violist was missing entire choruses which were present in the conductor's score (which was only discovered the day of at the final dress rehearsal).
Adjustments were made, and the performance went off without a hitch, but the extra effort involved could not have been worth it to the conductor or the instrumentalists (who were then sight-reading at a performance).
In other words, I would suggest another source, or a great many hours of score study.
Carter L. Collins
Austen Wilson on June 9, 2013 10:42am
To me it sounds like things were chaotic not solely because parts of IMSLP were used, but rather the following:
1. Two different editions were used, which tends to be a recipe for disaster.
2. Parts were not checked ahead of time by the conductor. That should be done well in advance of the first rehearsal with orchestra. Certainly discrepencies should not be discovered at the dress rehearsal!
IMSLP parts are decent, but whenever I use them, I have to be meticulous about checking them against a reliable source.
Applauded by an audience of 1
on June 9, 2013 7:41am
The string parts, cembalo, trumpet, timpani which I used from IMSLP this past Feb. were fine. It is important, however, to add rehearsal letters to match vocal score being used. Crucial!
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