Fantasia Contrappuntistica - Arrangements

Arrangements

• Fantasia contrappuntistica: Transcribed for large orchestra and organ by Frederick Stock.

•Title: Sinfonia contrappuntistica. Choral vorspiel (Gott in der Höh' allein sei Ehr) und Fuge über ein Fragment von J. S. Bach. Original für Clavier von Ferruccio Busoni. In Grosses Orchester und Orgel übertragen von Fr. A. Stock

•Manuscript: Autograph of Frederick A. Stock, Chicago.

•Date of composition: "begonnen Donnerstag, 24. Juli 1911 - beendet Freitag, 11. August 1911. Düsseldorf."

•Instrumentation: 3 flutes, 3 oboes, 3 clarinets, 2 bassoons, contrabasson; 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba; timpani, percussion (glockenspiel); harp, organ; strings

•Score: 96 pages with notes.

•First performance: 21 August 1911, Dortmund.

•Note: The Stock orchestration was authorized by Busoni, who heard the first performance with mixed reactions: 'What the layman understands by "music of the angels" was brought into being. Stock's orchestral arrangement is un-mystical and, for my taste, lacking in fragrancy and in transparency, though in some parts brilliant work.' In 1913 Busoni was scheduled to conduct this version for the Royal Philharmonic Society of London. At the rehearsals he began to insist on changes to the orchestration, but there was inadequate time for the new parts to be copied out, so the work was withdrawn. As a result, this version has never been played again.

•Ref: Kindermann, p. 249; Beaumont, pp. 170, 175; Roberge, p. 35.

• Fantasia contrappuntistica: Transcribed for organ by Wilhelm Middelschulte.

•Title: Ferruccio Busoni. Fantasia Contrappuntistica. Preludio e Corale "Gloria al Signore nei Cieli" e Fuga a quattro soggetti obligati sopra un framment di Bach. Für Orgel übertragen von Wilhelm Middelschulte.

•Date of composition: 1911

•Published: Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1912. EB 3612

•Ref: Kindermann, p. 249; Beaumont, p. 160; Roberge, p. 35; Sitsky, p. 140.

• Fantasia Contrappuntistica: Newly transcribed for organ by Helmut Bornefeld.

•Title: Ferruccio Busoni. Fantasia Contrappuntistica über ein Bachsches Fragment für Orgel bearbeitet von Helmut Bornefeld

•Date of composition: "Berabeitung fertiggestellt am 10. Oktober 1955."

•Manuscript: Wiesbaden: Breitkopf & Härtel

•Published: Wiesbaden: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1962, EB 6342, plate no. Wb. 495, (64 pages).

•Notes:

1) Foreword, dated "Heidenheim-Brenz, März 1962"

2) Generally uses the text of the two-piano version, BV 256b

•Ref: Kindermann, p. 249; Beaumont, pp. 160, 176; Roberge, p. 35; Sitsky, pp. 140-141.

• Fantasia Contrappuntistica: Transcribed for double string orchestra, piano, 2 harps and celesta by Antony Beaumont.

•Date of composition: 1971

•Dedication: to Ronald Stevenson

•Published: Wiesbaden: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1977 (manuscript facsimile).

•Note: Generally uses the text of the two-piano version, BV 256b, but restores some of the cuts in the fugues. Acknowledges debt to Bartók for the choice of instrumentation which resembles that of Bartók's Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta. The first movement of the Bartók piece is also a fugue which employs Bernhard Ziehn's symmetrical techniques.

•Ref: Beaumont, pp. 160, 176; Roberge, p. 35.

• Fantasia Contrappuntistica: Transcribed for orchestra by Larry Sitsky.

•Title: Concerto for Orchestra: Completion and Realization of Busoni's "Fantasia Contrappuntistica"

•Date of composition: 1984

•Published: unpublished? (Roberge)

•Ref: Roberge, p. 35; Sitsky, pp. 157-161.