Fantasia Contrappuntistica - Publication History

Publication History

• BV 255 Große Fuge

1) Title: Große Fuge. Kontrapunktische Fantasie über Joh. Seb. Bach's letztes unvollendetes Werk für Klavier ausgeführt.

Published: New York: G. Schirmer, Copyright 1910, plate no. 22004, (100 copies printed privately), (39 pages).

Dedication: An Wilhelm Middelschulte Meister des Kontrapunktes

Dated (p. 39): Begonnen auf dem Dampfer "Barbarossa" um Neujahr 1910. Beendet in New Orleans am 1. März 1910.

Notes:

1) p. 30: "Diese Zusammenstellung des Hauptthemas aus der Kunst der Fuge mit den drei vorigen Subjecten verdanke ich den Studien des Herrn Bernhard Ziehm in Chicago. F. B."

2) p. 38: "Partitur-Darstellung der Durchführung auf S. 33, welche aus clavieristischen Gründen dort eingeschränkt ercheint."

3) p. 39, the plan of the work: "Fuga I: Subject 1; Fuga II: Subject 2 und 1; Fuga III: Subject 3 und die vorigen: Intermezzo: Subject 3; Variazione 1.: Subject 1; Variazione 2: Subject 3; Variazione 3: Subject 2 and die vorigen; Cadenza: Subject 3 and 4; Fuga IV: Subject 4 and the vorigen; Stretta"

Ref: Kindermann, pp. 244-245.

2) Published: Boston: Boston Music Company, 1910

Ref: Roberge, p. 35.

• BV 256 Fantasia contrappuntistica (edizione definitiva)

1) Title: Fantasia contrappuntistica. Preludio al Corale "Gloria al Signore nei Cieli" e Fuga a quattro obbligati sopra un frammento di Bach. Compilita per il Pianoforte. (Edizione definitiva)

Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, Copyright 1910, cat.no. V.A. 3491 (45 pages)

Dated: (Giugno 1910).

Note: The plan of the work "Distribuzione dell'opera" is on the final unpaginated page.

Ref: Kindermann, pp. 245-250.

2) Title: Fantasia contrappuntistica

Published: Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, cat. no. BB IV.

In: Bach-Busoni Complete Edition, Vol. IV, pp. 82-123 (42 pages); pp. 125-127 (Appendix) (3 pages)

Dedication: An Wilhelm Middelschulte, Meister des Kontrapunktes.

Reprint: Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, cat. no. BB IV.

Note: The Appendix contains music cut from Fuga IV and still present at this point in the first edition, which Busoni decided to omit for public performance.

Ref: Kindermann, pp. 245-250.

3) Title: Fantasia contrappuntistica

Published: Wiesbaden: Breitkopf & Härtel, (Roberge), cat. no. Edition Breitkopf 3491, pp. 1-43; pp. 44-45 (Appendix)

Dedication: An Wilhelm Middelschulte, Meister des Kontrapunktes.

Note: The Appendix contains music cut from Fuga IV (p. 37) and still present at this point in the first edition, which Busoni decided to omit for public performance.

Ref: IMSLP #03400 Image:Busoni fc.pdf (14:08, 2 September 2008)

Ref: Roberge, p. 35.

• BV 256a Fantasia contrappuntistica (edizione minore)

1) Title: Choral-Vorspiel und Fuge über ein Bachsches Fragment (Der "Fantasia Contrappuntistica" kleine Ausgabe). Preludio al Corale e Fuga sopra un frammento di Bach (Edizione minore della "Fantasia Contrappuntistica")

Published: Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, Copyright 1912, cat.no. V.A. 3829 (21 pages)

Dedication: gewidmet Richard Buhlig.

Note: This edition contains a preface by Busoni.

2) Title: same as for (1)

Published: Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, cat. no. BB IV.

In: Bach-Busoni Complete Edition Vol. IV, pp. 61-79.

Dedication: An Richard Buhlig.

Note: This edition contains a foreword.

Reprint: Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, cat. no. BB IV.

Ref: Kindermann, pp. 250-251.

• BV 256b Fantasia contrappuntistica (for two pianos)

1) Title: Fantasia contrappuntistica. Choral-Variationen über "Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe" gefolgt von einer Quadrupel-Fuge über einBachsches Fragment für zwei Klaviere

Published: Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, Copyright 1922, cat.no. E.B. 5196, plate no. 28713 (68 pages)

Dedication: An das Künstler- und Freundespaar Kwast-Hodapp.

Notes:

1) According to a later entry in Schnapp's Busoni-Archive catalog, the now-lost autograph had the following date at the end: "Berlin, 3. Juli 1921"

2) The Busoni-Archive of the Berlin State Library (Busoni-Archive No. 356) preserves a proof copy with Busoni's handwritten corrections.

3) On the back of the title page is a plan of the work: "A. Analytischer 1. Choral-Variationen (Einleitung - Choral und Variationen - Übergang). 2. Fuga I. 3. Fuga II. 4. Fuga III. 5. Intermezzo. 6. Variato I. 7. Variato II. 8. Variato III. 9. Cadenza. 10. Fuga IV. 11. Corale. 12. Stretta. - B. Architektonischer: Zeichnung in Form einer Gebäudefassade."

4) According to the B&H Busoni catalog this edition appeared in 1921.

Reprints:

1) Leipzig: VEB Breitkopf & Härtel,

2) Wiesbaden: Breitkopf & Härtel,

Ref: Kindermann, p. 251.