Bodley - Proserpina

Proserpina: Goethes Melodrama

with Music by Carl Eberwein

Proserpina: Goethes Melodrama

with Music by Carl Eberwein

Orchestral Score, Piano Reduction, and Translation
edited by Lorraine Byrne Bodley

Carysfort Press

A Carysfort Press Book

Proserpina: Goethes Melodrama with Music by Carl Eberwein
Edited and translated by Lorraine Byrne Bodley

First published in Ireland in 2007 by Carysfort Press Ltd
58 Woodfield, Scholarstown Road, Dublin 16, Ireland

ISBN 978-1-904505-29-5

2007 Copyright of this edition of the music remains with the editor.

Enquiries about orchestral parts should be addressed to
or to Carysfort Press

Typeset by Carysfort Press

Cover design by Brian OConnor

Printed and bound by eprint limited
Unit 35, Coolmine Industrial Estate, Dublin 15, Ireland

This book is published with the financial assistance of
The Arts Council (An Chomhairle Ealaon), Dublin, Ireland

Caution: All rights reserved. No part of this book may be printed or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system without permission in writing from the publishers.

This book is sold subject to the conditions that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated in any form of binding, or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition, including this condition, being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

For Margaret, beloved mother and friend

Acknowledgements

The idea for this score emerged through my writing the first English translation of the discussion of music in Goethes letters to the composer, Zelter: Goethe and Zelter: Musical Dialogues (Ashgate, 2008). The volume of letters is a mine of information about musical life in Germany at that time (1797-1832) and contains many references to unfamiliar works by unknown composers, long omitted from the canon of musical works discussed and performed today. While working on this critical translation of Goethes letters I familiarized myself with any music discussed in these letters which I did not already know. Searching through Goethes private music collection in the Goethe and Schiller Archive in Weimar, I discovered the work of Carl Eberwein, an unknown composer, whose dramatic setting of Goethes melodrama, Proserpina, is for solo voice (speaking part) and orchestra, with a choral finale. Struck by the highly dramatic impact of a manuscript which is beautifully orchestrated and notated, I immediately applied for a copy of the score, and showed it to my husband, Seirse Bodley, who confirmed my immediate impression of the work. Excited by the discovery, I sent a copy of the score to the principal conductor of the RTE Symphony Orchestra, Gerhard Markson, who was immediately interested in performing it. We discussed the project with Brian ORourke, Orchestral Manager of National Symphony Orchestra, and the Irish premiere of this work was scheduled for Friday, 30 November 2007 in the National Concert Hall in Dublin, performed by the National Symphony Orchestra, the RTE Philharmonic choir, conducted by Gerhard Markson, with the German singeractress, Elfi Hoppe in the role of Proserpina. I am immensely grateful to Gerhard Markson for the immediate interest he showed in the score, an interest that was pivotal in bringing it to professional performance.

This score has been in preparation for the past year, and I have been helped by many people. From the time I began, my husband, Seirse Bodley, was prodigal of his assistance, allowing me to tap his extensive knowledge of preparing an orchestral score for performance. He also kindly read the manuscript, score and piano reduction, and suggested many improvements. He has my heartfelt thanks. Dr Dan Farrelly of Carysfort Press graciously put at my disposal his years of experience as a Germanist and extraordinary knowledge of the Goethe period, and I owe much to his generosity and guidance. The manuscript has been read by Dan Farrelly, from whose criticisms I have greatly profited. Professor Nicholas Boyle took time from his busy life to read my work; he also agreed to write the preface and give a lecture in Maynooth on the afternoon of the performance. The interest he expressed in Goethes monodrama Proserpina at the conference Goethe: Musical Poet, Musical Catalyst in Maynooth in April 2004 ignited my initial interest in the melodrama. I feel very privileged that he should travel to Ireland during term time to attend the first performance of this score.

In preparing this edition I owe much to the acumen of Michael Casey, music copyist for this score, who patiently deciphered Eberweins music from our first, less than adequate, A4 photocopy of the score. For his good-humour, professionalism and generosity with his time I am immensely grateful. I am especially grateful to Frau Evelyn Liepsch and Frau Wagner at the Goethe and Schiller Archive in Weimar, who not only hunted down the original manuscript for me to work with, but offered to make me an A3 photocopy of the autograph, which proved invaluable. I am also indebted to the Goethe and Schiller Archive for the newly-taken photographs of the original score for this publication.

I am grateful to the National University of Ireland Maynooth, for facilitating my research. The National University of Ireland Publications Scheme made this score possible by awarding me a publication grant. Thanks are due to the President of the National University of Ireland, Maynooth, Professor John Hughes, for his support and interest in this publication and performance; to Dr Barra Boydell, who warmly welcomed my suggestion of a research seminar on Proserpina in Maynooth on the afternoon of the performance. My chief gratitude must go to my friends, colleagues, and students of the Departments of Music and German especially Professor Gerard Gillen for their unfailing encouragement and support, and to Professor Fiona Palmer for her financial and moral support. The German Ambassador, Herr Christian Pauls, and the Director of the Goethe Institute, Herr Rolf Stehle, also have my warm thanks for their financial support of this research project.

I am grateful for the generous encouragement I have received from the Society of Musicology in Ireland: from the President of that Society, Professor Jan Smaczny (Hamilton Harty Professor of Music, Queens University Belfast) who immediately agreed to give a guest lecture at the symposium and to support the project. My thanks are due to the inaugural President of the Society, Professor Harry White (Professor of Music, University College Dublin), who, with his usual generosity, agreed to launch this publication.

I have many specific acts of kindness to record from the following: Marie Breen and Dr Paddy Devine (Department of Music, NUIM); Minister Councillor, Clarissa Duvigneau (German Embassy, Dublin); Rolf Stehle and Barbara Ebert (Goethe Institute, Dublin); Cressida Kocienski (Tate Gallery, London); Professor Florian Krobb (Department of German, NUIM); Dr Michael Murphy (Honorary Secretary SMI), and Tina Talukder (Cultural Department, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany).

It is a privilege for me to thank everyone at Carysfort Press, first and foremost, Dr Dan Farrelly. I am profoundly grateful for my association now relatively long with this excellent press.

Finally, heartfelt thanks to my dear mother Margaret, to whom this book is dedicated: I will always be grateful for her time, her immense love, and her faith in me.