Dear all,
first of all I beg excuses for my miserable english (it`s not fishing for
compliments as you will see in the following text). Secondlly: it's
difficult to speak about authenticity forgetting authorisation and
definition of text, musical text in this particular example. The problems
Mr. Howe is speaking about have very much in common with the discussion
that has taken and is taking place within editorial theory. What's the
text, is it the authorised text, is it the text sources transmit, is it the
text reception has shapen? Am I interested in the product of artistic
creation or in the creation process itself? Last but not least: what's the
function of the author and of the author's intention (in the case of
traditional or anoymous works just spell tradition or transmission instead
of author)? Do I have to see them as ultima ratio, as producents, as
constructors of meaning or rather as equal alternatives beside others to
understand the text I want to edit / interprete etc.? It's not my intention
to ask question but rather to repeat questions others have formulated.
Every attempt to answer them univocally would result in a sort of
dogmatism. O.K. Looking at the caleidoscope of possibilities and
combinations it's almost impossible to discerne the right place for
"authenticity". The difference between interpretation and edition ist not
as big, as many people think. In some way both, interpreters and editors,
do the same thing: they define the text, its elements, its shape, its
"sound". Therefore I would suggest Mr. Howe to consult the works of
authors that has attempted to say something (sometimes intelligent,
sometimes less intelligent) about editorial methods, arguments and so on.
In particular: Peter Shillingsburg, Tanselle, Gregg, Bowers, Hans-Walter
Gabler, Martens, Hans Zeller, Grier (specifically about music editing),
MacGann, etc.
Only few are concerned with music, they give nevertheless a very
good general background for understanding some problems music editors and
interpreters have. Sometimes it's not easy or impossible to adapt their
opinions to music. In any case they are informative. Finally I want to
stress that it would be a mistake to identify the opinions of these authors
(they are often very dissimilar or contradict each other) with my own.
Reciban un cordial saludo
Cristina Urchueguía
(München)
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