Beethoven's Erlkonig

[Michael]

Over the past few years I have been downloading MIDIs from the “Unheard Beethoven Site”. I have usually avoided any “reconstructions” and tried to stick to the actual Beethoven sketches but I have become very fond of the completed “Erlking”, mainly because of its fantastic melody (which is preserved in full in the sketches) and because I really think it has been “assembled” the way Beethoven himself would have done it.
To hear the sketches and then the reconstruction is like having the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle joined up. There are two versions of the finished song but the one by Zimmer is the one I prefer.
What a surprise it was, then, to discover a “proper” recording, with voice and piano and all the verses on the new Beethoven edition. The lack of notes means that it is not presented as a reconstruction but simply as WoO 131, which in the catalogue, merely refers to the sketches. This should have been made clear, but it is such a splendid recording that I forgive them! They need not have included it at all.
I would urge anyone to listen to the MIDIs if only to hear the gorgeous, scary melody.
(“Unheard Beethoven” under WoO 131 – original and completed version.)

Michael

[Hofrat]

I sent the scores of both versions to a colleague in eastern Europe. He was most thrilled with them and said he wanted to record them properly. He hopes to be able to do it in late 2007.

[Hofrat]

I also sent the scores of both versions to a leading Schubert scholar. He found them most interesting and he prefered the Becker version.

[gardibolt]

There's also a marvelous orchestration of the work by Bela Bartok, which we have a copy of as well. Unfortunately the Bartok Estate refuses to grant us permission to put it online, on the theory that if Bela didn't publish it, he didn't want it to be heard.

[Hofrat]

Dear Gardibolt;

Today on the classical radio station, Bartok's unfinished violin concerto was performed. I wonder if Peter Bartok, Bela's son and head of the Bartok estate, approved of that realization!

[melvyn]

There's also a marvelous orchestration of the work by Bela Bartok, which we have a copy of as well. Unfortunately the Bartok Estate refuses to grant us permission to put it online, on the theory that if Bela didn't publish it, he didn't want it to be heard.

Is it not out of copyright by now?

[Hofrat]

Bartok died in September 1945, 62 years ago. It is my understanding that a copyright is for 70 years following the death of the composer. If so, we only have to wait 8 years. Gardibolt can correct me and give us more information.