Sperger Sonata No. 1 in D major info

[swan6797]

I have been doing some serious research on the sperger sonata no.1 in d major for a performance practices class and have been coming up short. I recently ordered your edition (i have been playing the Klaus Trumpf edition up til now). What i need to know is where to find a copy of spergers unedited manuscript, or at least other edited versions. I read your other sperger reply and saw that you mentioned that it is full of errors and has been edited 4 or 5 times. Who are these other editors and, when were their edits published, by who,ect.

thank you for all your help and info about this great sonata.

Corey

 

[PNeher]

I have been doing some serious research on the sperger sonata no.1 in d major for a performance practices class and have been coming up short. I recently ordered your edition (i have been playing the Klaus Trumpf edition up til now). What i need to know is where to find a copy of spergers unedited manuscript, or at least other edited versions. I read your other sperger reply and saw that you mentioned that it is full of errors and has been edited 4 or 5 times. Who are these other editors and, when were their edits published, by who,ect.

thank you for all your help and info about this great sonata.

Corey

Hi Corey,
I believe all Sperger's archived scores are in the library in Schwerin or in Moecklenberg. Both these places have been heavily accessed by Klaus Trumpf. I would recommend that you contact him to get copies of the orginal scores. Or contact the music libraries in the cities. Try interlibrary loan too. trumpf is your best bet!
PN

 

[swan6797]

First of all thank you for your reply it is much appreciated. I am currently trying to access the libraries in Germany to try to receive a copy over ILL, but the task is slow and so far has not yielded any results. Also like you suggested my first instinct was to go directly to Klaus Trumpf as well. He was also of little use telling me that he was too busy to answer my questions. I am sure he will get around to it eventually, but being a graduate level class this is a very important paper and am in a rush for those last few needed materials to better my research. Any other thoughts or info on the sonata would be appreciated.

Thanks again,

Corey

 

[PNeher]

Perhaps Doblinger, the original publisher of the Malaric editions could guide you to a source. I doubt it, but it might be worth a try. And any trust or relatives of Rudolf Malaric would likely have info. I thought Trumpf has/had a web site? This have any info? Anyway, keep trying Trumpf. Tell him the timeline problem. He MIGHT have a heart and give you info that you need in a timely manner.

The work is one of many listed in the library of Sperger's works, found in his personal library... from what I understand. These have been cataloged not only by Trumpf. I am trying to remember... it may have been Paul Bruhn (Brun?) that wrote the History of the Double Bass and included stuff about this. Also try Grove's Dictionary.
Best!
PN

 

[swan6797]

Just getting around to saying thank you for all the direction you gave me. I finally got it worked out with the library in Schwerin to send me a copy of the manuscript. Anyways I just had a quick question about your edition. In comparison to the other editions I have studied the one thing that really sticks out is the use of low D and double stops. Was this done in an attempt to recreate what the sonata might have sounded like on a 5 string Viennese Violone? Either way I think it really adds to the piece and makes for a better interpretation on a modern instrument.

thanks again
Corey

 

[PNeher]

Just getting around to saying thank you for all the direction you gave me. I finally got it worked out with the library in Schwerin to send me a copy of the manuscript. Anyways I just had a quick question about your edition. In comparison to the other editions I have studied the one thing that really sticks out is the use of low D and double stops. Was this done in an attempt to recreate what the sonata might have sounded like on a 5 string Viennese Violone? Either way I think it really adds to the piece and makes for a better interpretation on a modern instrument.

thanks again
Corey

You are welcome... glad to help (if it REALLY was help) though the info was sorta limited. Regarding low D, "yeah, that's it!" Actually, I am always trying to make music more interesting for the "lay-listener" (non-bassists) and using the entire range is one aspect of that. Another is that improvisation was rampant during the Baroque and Classical eras. Many composers, including Sperger I believe, would write short-cuts, knowing full well that they would improvise those spots...and musicians at the time would know to do that. The art is lost on us today, and there are few indications in scores that passages are to be varied. I used this litle bit of knowledge to wreck havoc on the piece (and many others!) But I find the over-all effect much more interesting and listenable for today's (20th and 21st century) audiences. Creativity in interpretation/performance should always be thought of primary to the composer's print. Don't forget that without the performer, the music does not LIVE! I can say this as a composer. If a composer does not write incredibly specific, the music is open for interpretation. Beethoven hated this aspect of musicians (supposedly) and became more specific. Mahler too. Stravinsky hated string players' way of never being clear with rhythm (compared to wind players and percussionists) which lead him to write very specific articulation marks for string players. But the manuscript of ANY composer is written in such a limited language, that naturally any adept interpreter will have a hay-day in making the music their own. It is important that a performer DO that. Who wants to hear the same piece played the same way over and over by different people?? This is what is happening in the violin world, and the piano world (and the Pop world). Let's not let it happen in the bass world!
Sorry for the strong opinions... too much coffee this morning!! Best to you!
PN

 

[swan6797]

I was looking over the many comments you have made in regard to sperger in this forum and one in particular caught my eye. You stated, "Malaric and others have made many mistakes, and frankly Sperger made numerous too and was not all that inspired as a composer.". I understand and have seen many of the mistakes made in the numerous editions, but was wondering on what basis you were saying that Sperger was not all that inspired as a composer. Is this just due to the fact that the sonata no.1 was most likely composed while he was working as a copyist in his search for a court position and he really wanted to be a soloist not a composer? This is just my guess i have no idea and have found no evidence to as when the sonata was actually composed. Just hoping you could shed some light on this.

Thanks again

Corey

 

[PNeher]

I was looking over the many comments you have made in regard to sperger in this forum and one in particular caught my eye. You stated, "Malaric and others have made many mistakes, and frankly Sperger made numerous too and was not all that inspired as a composer.". I understand and have seen many of the mistakes made in the numerous editions, but was wondering on what basis you were saying that Sperger was not all that inspired as a composer. Is this just due to the fact that the sonata no.1 was most likely composed while he was working as a copyist in his search for a court position and he really wanted to be a soloist not a composer? This is just my guess i have no idea and have found no evidence to as when the sonata was actually composed. Just hoping you could shed some light on this.

Thanks again


Corey

Hi Corey,
Glad you are doing this. I would be very interested in your research and any paper that may come of it.
When I say not all that inspired, I mean in comparison to the Classical Era's major composers. It would be hard-pressed to put Sperger in the compositional category as Mozart or Haydn, or even Ditters von Dittersdorf. Even Vanhal had better conceived and developed tunes. I think, yes, as a solist Sperger focused on playing and collecting music (thanks to him we have all the others), but whether he focused on real development is certainly in question. Unlike Haydn and Mozart, and again even Gluck, Salieri, and lesser composers, Sperger did not develop his themes and structure beyond what was "required" of the day. So they are very pretty tunes (the second movement of the first sonata you are studying is simply gorgeous!) but they do not develop in Classical Style as established by the major composers. This is why I say "not all that inspired." But this does NOT mean it is not important repertory for the bass. Since Mozart only wrote Per Questa and a few other things for solo contrabass, and Haydn the concerto, we really have few examples of major composer rep. from that time. Ditters, Vanhal, Keyper, Hoffmeister, and the others all are in about the same mid-level of importance - as composers, but Sperger being the soloist, makes his music known and it is very accessible... and therfore important to us. (the Sonata in E is much more interesting, but again does not really develop).
So here's MY opinion as a composer, teacher, performer.. take it as you will. And good luck!
PN