Johnny Johnson

There has long been a pressing need for a collected, critical edition of Kurt Weill‘s music. In the decades since the composer‘s death in 1950 his musical legacy has been represented in print either by flawed editions or not at all. Only two of his compositions for the stage have ever been published in full score. Several major theatrical works were never circulated in any form, and only a few orchestral and chamber compositions have been generally available.

The Kurt Weill Edition addresses this basic need. For the first time, each of the composer‘s completed works will be presented in a form realizing the highest editorial and scholarly standards, dedicated to use by both scholars seeking authoritative texts and performers seeking accurate editions.

A portion of Weill‘s œuvre presents the usual editorial challenges of a critical edition: the identification, transcription and correction of a holograph manuscript. But many of the music theater works that constitute the very heart of the composer‘s creative output require a careful re-examination of the conventional assumptions supporting the preparation of a Gesamtausgabe. In response to this circumstance, the Weill Edition has established editorial principles that are clear yet flexible, sensitive to the remarkable variety of genres represented within the œuvre and to the important role the composer placed upon collaboration within the theatrical production process.

A critical report, soft bound in a smaller, separate volume that is included in the purchase price, accompanies each main volume. The report contains detailed information on the sources and editorial decisions relevant to that volume’s genesis. Purchasers will receive information about options for receiving the report text in electronic form as well.