Tristan und Isolde in Full Score (Dover Opera Scores) Paperback – June 1, 1973

This Dover publication offers a complete orchestral and vocal score of one of the most complex and difficult musical works ever written, one that is even now ahead of other contemporary operatic works in its total effectiveness and impact. It requires large orchestral and vocal contributions, and its score offers nearly as much music as Beethoven's 9 symphonies. The Dover edition is a thick 655 page volume in which there are as many as 24 separate instrumental lines for the 100 orchestral players, plus three or four for the singers. It is 655 pages long, 8.5 by 11 inches in extent, roughly the size of the Tampa Bay Metro (pop 3.3 million) phone book. Its size allows the type to be easily read and the music to be followed when listening to a recorded source, for example, and to be easily read and understood in almost any context, other than that of actually conducting a performance. It is obviously not intended for the local high school musical, though (and I am not just making this up) an amateur Tarpon Springs (pop.20,000) music group recently staged a complete performance of Wagner's four Ring Operas, with piano musical accompaniment this year! If you're determined to go this route with Tristan, you need this score, badly! I have found it useful in my role as record reviewer, in resolving certain difficult questions I have come up against here and there in this deep and difficult work. Indeed, it is fine for anyone who has any unresolved question about the music. It is sturdily paperbound, and it is well worth the modest asking price. Much of the text, however, is reprinted directly from German sources, so an elementary understanding of that language is helpful.That is all I can think of on the downside, and in summary I found this work not only authoritative but also user-friendly. There is one final matter to be noted. The source copy for this edition was originally the property of the well-known 19th century conductor Felix Mottl. Mottl made a comprehensive series of suggestions to enhance the effectiveness of presentation of the music in actual performances. These helpful suggestions are systematically identified by the letter B in this edition of the score. You can use them or not, your choice, but they are there, identified throughout by that letter B.

Clear to read, easy to understand, and great binding to help open the book all the way. I'd recommend for any Wagnerian.

I just start to listen this opera recently. and i found this book online, it's a beautiful book! reasonable price, perfect!

The only reason I can't give this volume a full 5 stars is the ordering of the staves in each system: not only (as with Schott's other 1st-edition-scores of Wagner's works) is it occasionally inconsistent from system to system; it also still insists on NOT separating the woodwinds from the brass (and, worse yet, mixes them around!); furthermore, it's awkward to have to look for the violins and viols as being ABOVE the voice-parts instead of below.Otherwise, it's a steal and absolutely a MUST-GET for any serious musician who cares about his craft (whether conductor, singer or instrumentalist)!!! Not only is it a very reliable edition (typical with C.F. Peters), it also is that much the more valuable for including the editorial markings and suggestions of an important Wagnerian conductor of 100 years ago by the name of Felix Mottl; it's very obvious that he knew his stuff!!!! To boot, the fonts and engravings are such that one just CAN'T fault it other than what I've described above.Very warmly recommended!! [For those who want a fully-modern edition featuring all of what I'd like, one has to get Schott's current edition which, although indeed the very best one for both study and for conducting from (especially in terms of size - though it's amply possible to direct from this edition, so clear it happens to be!), is also fantastically expensive! Also worth mentioning is that this Dover republication has been on the market for around 35 years...]

Tristan und Isolde is quite possibly Wagner's finest achievement. In fact, it holds a unique place in operatic history; it has inspired the thinking of philosophers, even scientists, just as works such as Oedipus Rex, Hamlet and Don Giovanni had done before. No opera lover's book shelf is complete without a copy of this score. Dover's edition is a reprint of the reliable C.F. Peters edition from the early twentieth century. The scholarship is highly reliable as is generally true with Peters, especially with Peters' German scores. There is an English translation of all German frontismatter, but no glossary of German musical terms. The cover art for this edition is Der Kuss in Gustav Klimt, an art work as erotic and disturbing as this Opera is. The score is too big, and the book too small for podium use, but it is perfect for at home. Many of the innovations of twentieth century music and drama, indeed all twentieth century culture, may never have occurred if this opera had not been written. If that sounds far-fetched, buy this score, and a good recording, and see why I make that assertion.

I am 12 years old and this book touched me and so did the movie!!!! In fairytales the end is happy and everyone lives happily ever after. Whatever! That hardly ever happens. This story tells the truth that not all relationships are perfect. I found myself crying at the end because I want to love someone like Tristan and Isolde loved each other!!!! I recomend buying this and the 2006 movie Tristan and Isolde. Their both GREAT!!!!

there is absolutely no music notation displayed in the sample making it pretty worthless for deciding whether or not to purchase an expensive title

Dover Publications are to be congratulated on producing paperback editions of some of music's greatest scores, and doing so at bargain prices. As the publishers say, this Tristan edition is a republication of the Peters, Leipzig edition of c.1910, complete with frontispiece, page index, Wagner's comments (in both the original german and translated into english) about the choice of brass, horns and Cor Anglais, and occasional extra stage directions by Felix Mottl - conductor of the 1911 Munich production. The print is very clear. The only downside for some purchasers would be the absence of translations into english or french of the libretto and stage directions.

The book was in great shape and arrived quickly with no shipping or duty charges. A great find!

Excelente articulo, la edición es muy buena (tamaños de los pentagramas, acomodo de voces, buen papel), legible, y me fue entregado en buenas condiciones.

Turned out to be vocal score not full score as the picture misleadingly portrayed. Not happy.

．1911年（頃）刊行のペータース版リプリント。フェリックス・フォン・モットルの指示や注記がコマゴマ書き添えられているので、音楽之友社や全音楽譜出版社のポケット・スコアで前奏曲と『愛の死』に馴染んだ向きには最初のうち戸惑いがあるかもしれない。中には原典版志向から食わずギライの拒絶反応を起こすヒトもいそう（時代の違いかお国柄か、楽器の並びも今とはちょっと違って、管楽器が上からフルート、オーボエ、クラリネット、イングリッシュ・ホルン、フレンチ・ホルン、ファゴット、バス・クラリネット）。とは云え、Tacetレーベルの『The Welte-Mignon Mystery』シリーズでCD復刻されているピアノ・ロール録音に聴くモットルの『トリスタン』前奏曲（1907年録音）は、管弦楽ではなくピアノ・リダクションと云うハンデを除けば、テンポと云い表情と云い評者が聴いた中では最高の演奏解釈。第一次大戦前の音楽家と云うと指揮者も器楽奏者も歌手も何やらモッサリした印象があるけれど、そんな偏見を引っ繰り返す名演奏で、この構想ないしイメージを脳内でオーケストラに投影すれば、フルトヴェングラーもカルロス・クライバーもまるで比較にならないと思えるほど。上記の加筆・補筆も、アレコレの演奏家を聴き比べてはダレは遅い・カレは速いなどと語り合って飽きないファン＆マニアの生態を思えば、指揮者の解釈を実演ではなく文字で示したに過ぎない本スコアに目クジラ立てるのもスジ違いなんじゃないの、と。ちなみにモットルは―またはモットル「も」―まさにこのオペラの指揮の最中に心臓麻痺で亡くなった。　『トリスタン』でいつも印象的なのが、上と下、右と左、奥と手前の方向・遠近・立体感で、音楽面では第一幕の見張りの歌、第二幕の狩りの音楽やブランゲーネの警告、第三幕の牧笛、場の設定も船の甲板上とその船が向かうコーンウォール、王城内の庭と城外の狩猟パーティ、カレオールの古城と城壁の向こうの海と、いずれも此岸と彼岸、この世とあの世をサウンド＆ステージで象徴する天才ワーグナーならではの作劇＆作曲術。この三次元界に過去・現在・未来の時間的パースペクティヴィティ（登場人物がしばしば回想に耽るのはワーグナーに限らずオペラ一般の一つの特徴だが、本作ほどにしつこく思い出バナシ＆ムカシ語りが繰り出されるのも珍しいような）が加わって、時間＆空間を超越した「生まれる前にいて、死んだ後に戻っていくところ」を浮き彫りにする。この劇構想が求める異次元の無重力感こそ、時間軸に沿って前へ前へと進んでいくはずの音楽が絶えず後方を振り返る、あるいは方向感そのものを捨象する独特の作曲書法―ライトモティーフ（着想はやはりベートーヴェン『第九』から）や無限旋律、所謂トリスタン和音その他―を逆に導き出したものだろう。ワーグナー自身本作をオペラならぬ「Handlung ドラマ」と称したことと思い合わせて、審美面での前衛性のみを強調・追求する純音楽的アプローチ（例えばベーム指揮の1966年バイロイト盤やバーンスタイン指揮の1981年バイエルン盤）がここでは如何に誤りであるかと考えたりする。　前奏曲で云えばまさにそのトリスタン和音、冒頭のチェロがトリスタン、応える木管がイゾルデ、両者が響き合う不協和音は二人の悲恋を表す…なんてのは安手の小説か映画の読み過ぎ・観過ぎなんであって、惚れたハレたのラヴ・ロマンスは本作にあっては実は単なる口実、本来のテーマはズバリ「人間は生きているうちは幸せになれない」。その絶望を訴える、地下なる苦界からの呼びかけと、遥か上方から微かに、やがてはっきりと応える彼岸の声とが求め合い、歩み寄り、歓喜に燃えて―テンポもヴォリュームも最高潮に達して*―触れ合うその寸前で敢えなく失墜、再びもとの暗闇へと転落していく…と、芥川龍之介『蜘蛛の糸』かプラトンのイデア論を交響詩風に描いたようなドラマ性には、上記和音を―例え音楽史において如何に重要な意味を持つものであろうと！―弦＆管が均等・均質に並んだ音塊ではなく、舞台手前のチェロとずっと奥の木管と云う距離感を持った別々のオブジェ群として取り扱う―映画で云えばパンフォーカス効果のように―のが適切と思われる。スコアを虚心に、または愚直に読めばチェロの出だしが「pp」、木管の最後がdim.して「p」なんだから「pp＜（トリスタン和音）＞p」のワン・フレーズと捉えたくなるのも確かだが、初演時の編成の大きさ―弦五部が上から16・16・12・12・8―を考えると、同じ「p」でも弦と管とで音量もバランスも異なってむしろ当然（モットルも弦セクションについての注記で「Vorzüglich gut und stark zu besetzen. 主要な位置を占めるため、特に優秀で強力であるべき」と）。チェロがイマイチ弱ければ、ヴィオラを重ねるなどの工夫があってもいいのでは（実は、クライマックスの余燼を残して冒頭部分が回想される第85～89小節なんかはそうなっている）。マーラーが何かの曲を指揮した時、スコア中のトランペット（？）の「f」を「遠くで鳴っている f」なんだと実際には「pp」で吹かせたと云うエピソードがあったけれど、音楽バカの奇癖と笑殺するだけでなく、こういう想像力が芸術の鑑賞や理解には求められる場合があるとは銘記しておきたい。　　　　*【追記】ここで初めて冒頭の二つの動機が、それぞれホルンとトランペットで同時に―ブルックナーの第8交響曲の幕切れの如く―鳴らされる。音色・音質の性質上後者のみが浮き上がってしまうのが専らだが、木管やチェロも動員してフォルティッシモにまで膨れ上がる前者は是非忘れずに強調してほしいところ。「f espress.」に始まるフレーズ―後者は「f」のみ―のトップにアクセントをハッキリ付けて、演奏会形式ならマーラー流にベル・アップ、あるいは『巨人』同様に奏者起立の演出があったっていいとさえ思う。このあたりの陰影付け、それに上記の和音のくだりなどは本アイテムの「試し読み」を参照。