A workshop report from the Korngold-Werkausgabe: Challenges of a hybrid film music edition

Erich Wolfgang Korngold (1897–1957) represents the musical history of modernism in all its diversity, but also in its upheavals. In addition to his most frequently performed works for the concert hall (Violinkonzert op. 35, 1937/45) and the opera stage (Die tote Stadt op. 12, 1920), he also wrote music for over 20 films. Between 1934 and 1955 Korngold wrote music for major Hollywood productions, thereby shaping the classic “Hollywood sound”. The Erich Wolfgang Korngold-Werkausgabe takes up the challenge of editing this film music and thus making it accessible not only for research but also for musical practice. Using the example of “The Adventures of Robin Hood”, my lecture will focus on some of the challenges that have to be mastered in the edition of film music: How does one approach the collaborative creation context of film music? What is actually being edited and how can the medium of film be part of a music edition?