About the edition
This edition of Alban Berg’s complete works is prepared as a historical-critical edition that can be used in practical musical life as well. It is based on all available surviving sources, in particular the autograph sources and prints that were checked by the composer. Since a Complete Edition that eliminates printing errors and other mistakes from the musical notation no longer meets today’s expectations and requirements, it rather seems requisite to explore the various stages in the development of the notation, insofar as the composer considered them binding, and as far as possible also learn about the reasons for the alterations. As with all notable artistic works, it is necessary to document the composition process as precisely as possible in accordance with the situation in each case.
For this reason, all authentic versions – including the composer’s own arrangements – are considered for each work in the edition.
Besides the original works and the composer’s own arrangements, several compositions from his student days have survived which do not have the status of >“works>” as such and were primarily elaborated for his lessons with Arnold Schönberg. In addition, the estate contains compositions that are principally of interest from the perspective of the composer’s development, especially the large number of “Jugendlieder”.
Finally, Berg’s writings on music are similarly significant. These are musical analyses (mostly of works by Arnold Schönberg), and also lectures, essays and dedications (sometimes written as poems) as well as interviews.
Structure
The edition is structured systematically; grouping within the individual volumes is likewise systematic and (subordinately) chronological.
Allocation of the individual works to the various volumes should be considered on a practical level as well. The principle of placing different versions of a work into different volumes has already proven its worth, as this kind of grouping enables easy comparison of the different versions.
The nature of Berg’s œuvre suggests structuring into three groups:
I. Musical works (works published by Berg himself, whose performance he instigated or desired)
II. Musical estate (works from his youth and works that were written in the course of his lessons, including those that to a certain extent mark the conclusion of his composition course with Schönberg)
III. Musical writings and poems (Berg’s writings on music).
This structure with its three groups is designed to especially highlight the difference between recognised musical works on the one hand, and documentation on Berg’s development as a composer on the other.
The volumes in the first two groups are published in two series:
Series A: Music scores
Series B: Sources, critical commentary, genesis documentation, edition of sketches and discarded early versions.
Editorial procedure
The musical notation is standardised to some extent, under consideration of Berg’s characteristic peculiarities while accounting for the needs of today’s practical musical life. The special status of the notated music as >“text>”, as an independent mode of presenting the work, must be observed at all times. Additionally, this applies to many individual details that are executed as described below.
Berg’s practices and special details are taken into account where this was his express wish or conclusively established from the sources – e.g. an unusual score layout and page divisions to emphasise symmetrical constructions; order of the main title pages and instrumental lists; in special cases also the bowing, beaming, positioning of dynamics and verbal additions, as well as the choice of specific types of rests and rhythmic note values. The scores have notation that is either transposing or not transposing (therefore in C) according to the originals in each case; any use of clefs for individual instruments and clef changes which deviate from current practices were only retained if there were special reasons in favour of this.
Accidentals are standardised, again in accordance with Berg’s penchant for excessive use (including in works that are in a specific key). Accidentals are omitted or deleted where notes are repeated directly one after another, otherwise this follows the tendencies recognisable in the sources.
The following are standardised or made uniform without any special mention in the Critical Report:
– Score layout/order and instrument names (taking account of Berg’s customary practices);
– Time signatures, position and font of tempo and character indications, bar numbers;
– Dynamics and signs/symbols, expression markings and other verbal additions;
– Performance indications; e.g. gestopft [muted] and +, or Flag. [harmonic] and °, are not used concurrently; markings for mutes are printed as a uniform abbreviation and without the occasional addition of an exclamation mark;
– Repetition of accidentals at the beginning of a page.
Corrections and additions by the editor are not marked or highlighted typographically, but listed in the Critical Report together with deviating variants from important sources. The performance alternatives (ossias) frequently added are printed – as intended by Berg – on smaller staves within the main notation; the comments written in footnotes by Berg himself are likewise entered as footnotes.
Special provisions for individual works are explained in the respective commentary volume (Series B). Volumes in Group II are subject to special guidelines.
The volumes in Groups II and III are published in a smaller format.
The texts prepared by the volume editors in both series are published in either German or English, depending on the wishes of the author in question.
Rudolf Stephan (November 1995)
Translation: Rosemary Bridger-Lippe
Funding organization: Alban Berg Foundation
Publisher: Alban Berg Foundation at Universal Edition AG
Edition director since 2015: Prof. Dr. Martin Eybl
(Edition director until 2015: Prof. Dr. Rudolf Stephan)
Research fellows
Klaus Lippe, M. A.
lippe[at]albanbergstiftung.at
Dr. Ingrid Schraffl (maternity leave)
schraffl[at]albanbergstiftung.at
External contributors
Prof. em. Dr. Mark DeVoto
Dr. Thomas Ertelt
Prof. em. Dr. Douglas Jarman
Prof. Dr. Kordula Knaus
Dr. Ulrich Krämer
Dr. Jonas Pfohl
Prof. Dr. Klaus Schweizer
Manuel Strauss, M. A.
Alban Berg Complete Edition
Trauttmansdorffgasse 27
1130 Vienna, Austria
Publishing house: Universal Edition AG, Vienna
GROUP I: MUSIKALISCHE WERKE
1. “Wozzeck”, opera in three acts based on Georg Büchner (in 3 parts).
2. “Lulu”, opera in three acts based on the dramas “Erdgeist” and “Die Büchse der Pandora” by Frank Wedekind (in 2 parts); – Supplement: Act III, short score (facsimile and commentary).
3. Symphonic pieces from operas: – Three Fragments from the Opera “Wozzeck”; – Symphonic Pieces from the Opera “Lulu”.
4. Orchestral works: – Three Orchestra Pieces [Op. 6]; – Three Pieces from the “Lyric Suite” for string orchestra; – Arr. Johann Strauß: “Wein, Weib und Gesang”; – Annex: Fragments.
5. Concertos (in two parts): – Chamber Concerto for violin, piano and 13 wind instruments; – Concerto for violin and orchestra.
6. Orchestral songs: – Five Songs to Picture Postcard Texts by Peter Altenberg for voice and orchestra, Op. 4; – Seven Early Songs for voice and orchestra; – “Der Wein”, concert aria for soprano and orchestra.
7. Chamber music: – String Quartet, Op. 3; – Lyric Suite for string quartet; – Four Pieces for clarinet and piano, Op. 5; – “Adagio” from the Chamber Concerto for violin, clarinet and piano; – “Hier ist Friede” [Here is Peace], Op. 4 No. 5 for chamber ensemble.
8. Piano music, songs, canon: – Piano Sonata, Op. 1; – Four Songs based on poems by Alfred Mombert and Friedrich Hebbel, Op. 2; – Seven Early Songs for voice and piano; – “Schließe mir die Augen beide” (Theodor Storm) for voice and piano, two compositions; – Canon for the anniversary of Frankfurt Opera House; – Annex: Three Orchestra Pieces [Op. 6] (piano, eight hands); “Präludium” from the Three Orchestra Pieces [Op. 6] (piano, four hands); String Quartet, Op. 3 (piano, four hands); Five Songs to Picture Postcard Texts by Peter Altenberg, Op. 4 (piano reduction); arrangements of works by other composers (Schönberg, Schreker).
GROUP II: MUSIKALISCHER NACHLASS
1. Jugendlieder (in 2 parts).
2. Compositions (instrumental music and choral works) from during his studies (in 2 parts): – I. Before his studies with A. Schönberg; – II. During counterpoint studies (15 choral works, partially canons; for piano: 4 inventions, 2 menuets, 3 fugues; 3 compositions for chamber music ensemble, including the “Five-part fugue with two themes for string quintet with piano accompaniment”; 3 pieces for string quartet); – III. During composition studies (compositions for piano: little variations, short pieces, menuet, scherzi, waltzes, adagio, variation themes and variations (including the “Twelve Variations on an Original Theme” in C major, otherwise mostly drafts), sonata drafts; compositions for string quartet: menuet, variation themes, variations, adagios; chamber music drafts for one instrument with piano); – Annex: Beethoven, Piano Sonata in E flat major, Op. 7,4 for string orchestra.
GROUP III: MUSIKALISCHE SCHRIFTEN UND DICHTUNGEN
1. Analyses of musical works by Arnold Schönberg: – Gurrelieder; – Pelleas und Melisande; – Chamber Symphony, Op. 9.
2. Collected essays, lectures, poems, plays and interviews.
Published volumes:
I/1, Wozzeck, ed. Klaus Lippe (2023)
I/2, Supplement, Lulu, Act III, Short score (facsimile edition), ed. Thomas Ertelt (2013)
I/5, Part 1, Chamber Concerto, ed. Douglas Jarman (2004)
I/5, Part 2, Violin Concerto, ed. Douglas Jarman (1996), Commentary Volume, eds. Douglas Jarman and Regina Busch (2022)
I/6, Orchestra Songs, eds. Mark DeVoto, Klaus Schweizer and Rudolf Stephan, in collaboration with Regina Busch (1997)
II/2, Compositions from his studies, Part 1: Instrumental music and choral works, ed. Ulrich Krämer (1998)
II/2, Compositions from his studies, Part 2: Instrumental music 2: Individual pieces, variations, sonata drafts, ed. Ulrich Krämer (2007)
III/1, Writings 1, “Analyses of musical works by Arnold Schönberg”, eds. Rudolf Stephan and Regina Busch (1994)
Separatum, symphony fragments, ed. Rudolf Stephan (1984)
Other editions published:
Sonate für Klavier op. 1, herausgegeben von Klaus Lippe, Wissenschaftliche Neuausgabe - authentische Urtext-Fassung [ed. Klaus Lippe, new scholarly edition – authentic Urtext version], UE33070, ISBN: 978-3-7024-2917-1 
, ISMN: 979-0-008-07681-7 (2006)
Jugendlieder für Stimme und Klavier, Vol. 3, prepared by Christopher Hailey, UE36611, ISBN: 978-3-7024-7374-7 , ISMN: 979-0-008-08703-5 (2016)