Also from Oxford comes a scholarly and authoritative edition of Gilbert and Sullivan's Ruddigore. The beauty of this edition (and the vocal score is beautifully engraved) is that it returns to the music and libretto of the original Savoy Theatre run and, for good measure, includes a certain amount of previously unpublished material as appendices, conveniently cued for inclusion, as well as the complete libretto. Perhaps this will be another OUP trail blazer? It deserves to be. * Music Teacher May 2001 *
In Sullivan's centenary year one of the best ways of honouring the composer, besides performing his music, is to publish a new and scholarly edition of one of his works. This is what Oxford University Press have done with the new Ruddigore edited by David Russell Hulme . . . For the first time in 113 years we can now get closer to the work as Gilbert and Sullivan intended it . . . All that is needed to create an original Ruddigore is contained in the vocal score, full score and orchestral parts of the new OUP edition, with its appendices of the 'lost' sections . . . The vocal score incorporates the libretto, which is a tremendous advantage during the rehearsal period when hopping between score and separate libretto is an annoying and time consuming operation . . . This is also evident in the painstaking and thorough editing of the musical score. * Sir Arthur Sullivan Society Magazine Autumn 2000 *
[contd]. . . which has clear background notes in the Critical Commentary. For the musician this is one of the most valuable and interesting sections of the full score. I found it much easier to use than the one which accompanies the Broude Brothers Trial by Jury . . . The printing of the full score, on white paper as opposed to cream for the Broude edition, is crystal clear - very important for a conductor . . . The piano reduction for the vocal score, though based on the Tracy original has been edited to remove inconsistencies, improve distribution between the hands or to mirror more clearly the orchestral setting . . . * Sir Arthur Sullivan Society Magazine Autumn 2000 *
. . . I cannot recommend these scores highly enough, because at one stroke they supersede all others both past and present. OUP deserves support and praise for being the first British publisher to honour Sullivan in this way. Chappells, who have made a mint from selling libretti and vocal scores, should have been doing this sort of thing years ago. Their support of Sullivan in his Centenary year is boomingly silent * Sir Arthur Sullivan Society Magazine Autumn 2000 *
I warmly welcome this addition to the OUP catalogue . . . David Russell Hulme has done every Savoyard worth his salt, a considerable favour . . . As if all the foregoing is not recommendation enough, this score has been edited in such a way that it will be an excellent choice for stage managers and directors as well as for the music staff. Any Savoyard worth his/her salt, will want a copy of this one. * Henry Howell, Australian Music Teacher March 2001 *
