The absolutely right Rite of Spring

We’ve received the following summary from Clinton F Nieweg, head of head of MOLA (Major Orch. Librarians’ Assn.), on the state of the art with Stravinsky’s error-strewn score:

The research shown below may help to understand the different publications for:

THE RITE OF SPRING (Vesna svyashchennaya; Le sacre du printemps)  Compiled
by David Daniels with comments added by Clinton F. Nieweg.

An attempt to clarify the confused publication history of this work:
1913: first performance  (no parts published).
1921: first published edition (Éd. Russe de Musique).
1929: corrected edition (Éd. Russe de Musique) Dover reprint of the score
only with no corrections, for sale.
1933 ?: Kalmus uncorrected reprint. Now POP. Listed as “1911” [sic]
edition on rental from Luck’s. See 2000 edition below.
1943: revision of the Sacrificial Dance (AMP – Transferred to Boosey
rental.)  The only real revision/orchestration of any section. Study score
only for sale.
1947: “revised version” (Boosey; actually just corrections).
1965: more corrections (Boosey).
1967: re-engraved. (Current Boosey rental edition – under copyright for all
countries). Masterworks Library score for sale.

2000: Corrected [not critical] edition (Kalmus; ed. Clinton F. Nieweg) for
use in the U.S. only, where the basic work is PD. Has 3 page (21 item)
Annotated Bibliography prepared by Hajime Teri Murai, 2 page preface listing
the large differences in editions and a 3 page Selected Comparison of
Versions Chart prepared by Nieweg.

Mr. Nieweg and his associates corrected 21,000 (yes thousand) engraving
errors for the 2000 reprint of the 1921 publication. This score and parts
are for sale from any music dealer in the U.S.
From 2004 to present, further research and proofing is being done on the
2000 edition. An incomplete errata list is posted on The Orchestra Music
Errata Catalog hosted by MOLA. As of May 29 2013, a new supplementary 310
item errata chart has been compiled. This chart will not be available until
further sources are proofed. The source used for research are:

Sketches, 1911-1913
Microfilm of the manuscript Autograph score, 1913 “AS”
Printed orchestra parts, 1921, 1967, 2000
Ansermet 1922 errata list.
Reduction by Stravinsky for one piano (4 hands), BH 1926, 1947.
Russian reprint of the above, Kalmus reprint K05921

Snips from previous comments on Slipped Disk:
>You want to know about errata, consult Clinton Nieweg, Principal Librarian
Emeritus of Phila. Orch. and head of MOLA (Major Orch. Librarians’ Assn.).
Clint has compiled a generation’s worth of errata lists for every piece
imaginable. Out of curiosity someone should ask him to share what he has on
Rite. I’d bet it’s a bible.

> Some people consider the Kalmus edition (omg yes, Kalmus!! imagine dat) of
Le Sacre from 2000 edited by former Philadelphia Orchestra Clint Nieweg
(member of MOLA) as the latest, most authentic edition.

> Clinton Nieweg spent a lifetime collecting errata from not only Phila.
Orch. musicians, but from librarians of every other US orch. as well. These
are the mistakes noted by the musicians when they play a piece, reported to
their orch. librarian. Clint has been using these errata lists for revised
editions of Kalmus works. So actually, it’s very possible that this 2000
revised Kalmus edition is the most accurate.

Comments, Questions?
Clinton F. Nieweg.
(Research for Librarians – Conductors – Performers).
proofferr(at)comcast(dot)net

Andrew Bradford (died 1742) publisher of the first newspaper in
Philadelphia:
Last words: “Oh Lord, forgive the errata!”

From a major conductor: “Errare humanum est; corrigere Clinton F. Nieweg
est.”