Music scores are compositions containing music notes that reflect the rhythm, pitch, and notes to be played in a song. Scores are therefore said to be the blueprint of a composition. Music scores are typically shown as a script or a manuscript. The different parts of a composition are written on the same page, with vertical bars that connect them.
These vertical bar lines connect to the staves of a page, making it a complete score used widely by musicians worldwide. They are essential for music, and Henle Verlag is one of the best publishers of music scores. Here are some reasons why Henle Verlag’s Urtext is one of the most sought-after music scores around:
What is Urtext?
Urtext is a scholarly edition of a music piece, with an objective analysis using all the latest research and changes made to music. It is one of the most reliable editions of music in a period and is a practical and functional tool that musicians can easily use for performances.
What are the benefits of Henle Verlag’s Urtext Score?
Great performers in the twentieth century believed that musical texts from the eighteenth century needed to be completed and had lost their meaning through transmission, giving no clear indication of how musicians should perform the scores. Therefore, they made their renditions of the scores in the presence of eyewitnesses. However, they used the first print version to make these changes, and the original text was significantly distorted, sometimes even unrecognizable.
Henle Verlag helps to provide reliable Urtext editions of musical texts, which are edited to align with the highest scholarly principles while also serving the practicality of musicians. They have good page turns, which provide musicians with suggestions on fingerings and bowings, so they can easily play their music pieces. These Urtext editions also have aesthetically pleasing music engraving, which is easy to read.
Additionally, the Urtext editions contain a short preface introducing the work in German, English and French, as musical texts in the past have these language origins. Furthermore, they include footnotes on specific pages of the score to explain the choice of certain interesting musical concepts. It helps to retain the authenticity and gives musicians a background of the music score.
Henle Verlag also has a digital ‘Henle Library’ app, which allows musicians to change the fingers and bowings in the music score and help them with their performances if they prefer to use their digital devices instead of a physical music score sheet.
Conclusion
Suppose you are looking to pursue piano lessons in Singapore. In that case, it is best to look for a music school which uses Urtext music scores to educate their students, as they provide reliable interpretations and guidance for finger-work and performance directions for you to perform well in The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) piano exam in Singapore, which is a required course for aspiring piano performers. Here at Wowpianowow, we encourage our students to use Henle Verlag music scores for their piano exams as we believe in an efficient and enriching approach to learning the piano. Contact us today for a free trial session!