Ravel Editions

[yodaofpiano]

Hi,

I am currently looking to buy some sheet music for Ravel's Miroirs collection, Gaspard de la Nuit, and Jeux d'eau. What editions would you all recommend for me? Is there a particular publisher that is usually associated with Ravel works? I was thinking Durand maybe, because I know they're usually associated with works of Debussy, so I was just wondering if maybe Durand would also be the publisher to go with Ravel works...

Thanks!

[b_nghiem]

Well I have Ravel's piano concerto published by Durand and it isn't bad at all,
although I would suggest either the Alfred Masterworks edition or the Verlag for those 3 pieces. As far as Miroirs goes, I have the Alfred Masterworks which is basically the urtext print but edited in footnotes by Nancy Bricard: I found it very useful since she included what his students, friends (fellow members of Les Apaches) and contemporaries suggested or were even told to do by Ravel himself. There is quite a difference in price, eg. Jeux D' eau was about $13 for Verlag and $3 for Alfred, I think. Well all in all those are 3 very good editions: what I like to look for in editions is that it, while being an urtext, also includes comments and notes from the editor, which both Alfred and Verlag always do at the beginning of the book. Good luck with those beautiful pieces!

[fast_forward]

Durand is the publisher associated with Ravel, but the editions have a number of printing errors, and the Durand edition have not really been corrected since they were first published. You can still go for these editions, some of the errors are fairly evident and you can make the change yourself, but some of the errors are more subtle, that editors have found through research into secondary sources.
Also if you are looking for something really cheap, the Dover edition of Ravel masterworks, prints the original french editions of all three of these pieces (and more) into one volume

As for edited editions, the Alfred edited by Nancy Bricard are very well, she has done extensive research, and also from her personal work performing the pieces has given note corrections, clarifying alignment, beaming, etc., as well as fingering, french translation... The one thing is the commentary is on the score itself, which can be a bit cluttered and messy to read from (but you can get used to it)
Also for some works (Jeux d'eau included) they are edited by Maurice Hinson, which personal I am not a big fan of (I found a number editorial choices, in the french translation and the music, that I didn't agree with)

Peters also has a very good edited version of Ravel's complete piano works, done by Roger Nichols, which is very clean looking, also well researched (extensive comments in the back).

As for Henle, I haven't done much work with this edition, so I can't say much, but what I've seen they have done good research, and made good editorial corrections. And really their books just look so slick and clean...

From personal experience I would go with Alfred (for Gaspard and/or Miroirs, not for Jeux d'eau) for a good reference edited score or Peters (for all three) for a good edited performance copy. Dover/Durand is good for a cheap copy of the score. Go for Henle if you really want and have the money (but personally Peters is cheaper and just as good quality, and just as clean)


Sorry for such a long rant. I hope it helps, and good luck!

[yodaofpiano]

Hey, thank you both for your awesome advice. I think I'm going to go with Henle for Jeux, and alfred for gaspard and miroirs. in response to fast_forward's comment about Maurice Hinson, my teacher and I both agree that many of what he suggests is not often what we feel should be done. to b_nghiem, I will definitely check out Durand if I ever learn either ravel concertos, which I absolutely love. thanks a bunch.