Page 1 of 1

Morbid matters (perhaps not so musical)

Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2016 1:48 pm
by soh choon wee
A question came to my mind recently (due to my ill health).

We all collect scores, many are used and fingered.... usually those common one (eg Bach, Beethoven etc) but also some lesser seen scores.

One day, we will leave the world.... how do you dispose of such materials.

I guess, digital copies and prints, photocopies are easy, most library will not want them. I have no difficulties to burnt them off.

But what about actual scores, particularly those with markings etc....


Actually, i inherited quite a proportion from my mentor, and i added on my personal collections. Donation to libraries is a possibilities, but some libraries do not wish to take in 'marked' (fingering and notes scribbled) scores. Those markings are treasures only to the original collectors, but may be meaningless to others.

Please share your thoughts.

Re: Morbid matters (perhaps not so musical)

Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2016 3:40 pm
by Timtin
Funnily enough, this is a question which has also crossed my mind.
Also, how will whoever clears up my estate know which scores are
rare and which are commonplace.

My fear is that everything will be viewed in the same light, and
that everything will be donated to a charity, who will also be
utterly clueless about the valuable rarities.

The underlying problem is that very few folk nowadays are tuned
into classical music or are knowledgable about it, and to them it has
no relevance or value. (An intellectual quiz programme last night on
the BBC had a music question in which 8 supposedly educated adults
failed to identify an excerpt from the William Tell Overture!!!)

On the question of fingering and other marks, I hate seeing such things
on any score. Why do it? You wouldn't deface a book in that manner.
In fact, I'm not that keen on any fingering being provided, even if
it's printed. Maybe I'm in a minority of one here, but I believe pianists
should be perfectly able to do their own fingering as they play.

Re: Morbid matters (perhaps not so musical)

Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2016 6:30 pm
by alfor
Dear soh choon wee,

regarding marked ("prepared") scores,
I would try to find a young pianist (pupil) who
can appreciate your fingerings, performance suggestions, etc.

Have a nice day
and
Blessings upon you!

alfor

Re: Morbid matters (perhaps not so musical)

Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2016 9:57 pm
by Timtin
My philosophy towards the merits, or otherwise, of fingering
scores is summarised quite well here:-

http://www.pianisttopianist.com/?p=98

Re: Morbid matters (perhaps not so musical)

Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2016 2:40 pm
by Jean-Séb
soh choon wee wrote:A question came to my mind recently (due to my ill health).
We all collect scores, many are used and fingered.... usually those common one (eg Bach, Beethoven etc) but also some lesser seen scores.
One day, we will leave the world.... how do you dispose of such materials.
I guess, digital copies and prints, photocopies are easy, most library will not want them. I have no difficulties to burnt them off.
But what about actual scores, particularly those with markings etc....
Actually, i inherited quite a proportion from my mentor, and i added on my personal collections. Donation to libraries is a possibilities, but some libraries do not wish to take in 'marked' (fingering and notes scribbled) scores. Those markings are treasures only to the original collectors, but may be meaningless to others.
Sorry to hear about your bad health.
I guess that, as all collectors, we wonder what will be the fate of our lovely collection after our death. These treasures scores will probably be thrown away.
I think apart from donating to a music school if they accept, I assume that many scores with fingerings could be scanned and added to the collections of IMSLP. Someone might then find the fingering interesting.But it is a lot of work.