Publication of a historical-critical edition of the complete musical and literary works by Hanns Eisler (Hanns Eisler Complete Edition)

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Georg Witte
• Subject Area: Musicology
• Term: from 1999 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5184292

The Hanns Eisler Complete Edition is conceived as a historical-critical edition of the complete musical and literary works of Hanns Eisler. Thus far, the following volumes of music have been published: 2002 -- the incidental music to Roundheads and Peakheads (V/3); 2006 -- the incidental music to Scared as Hell (V/5); 2009 -- Songs for Voice and Piano 1917-1921 (III/1); 2011 -- Chamber Symphony (IV/6); 2012 -- Nonets (IV/7); 2013 -- the film music to The Grapes of Wrath and Hangmen Also Die (VI/10); 2014 -- the film music to Nuit et brouillard (VI/23); 2015 -- Piano Music I. Sonatas and Variations (IV/10). In the series of Eisler's writings, the following volumes have been published: 2007 -- Collected Writings 1921-1935 (IX/1.1); 2010 -- Letters 1907-1943 (IX/4.1); 2013 -- Letters 1944-1951 (IX/4.2). By the end of the current funding period, the following volumes will have been published: Orchestral Music I (IV/1), A Cappella Choruses 1925-1932 (I/5), and Letters 1952-1956 (IX/4.3). Also currently in preparation are the following volumes of music: Songs for Voice and Piano 1922-1932 (III/2), Songs for Voice and Piano 1938-1948 (III/4), German Symphony (I/1), The Measures Taken (V/1) and the following volumes of writings: and Johann Faustus (IX/3.1-2), Letters 1957-1962 (IX/4.4) and Conversations with Hans Bunge (IX/5.1). These will be published in the funding period covered by the present application; in this same period, work will also begin on the following volumes: Music for Voice and Ensemble 1918-1932 (II/1), Songs for Voice and Piano 1948-1956 (III/5), Piano Music II. Piano Pieces (IV/11), the incidental music to The Mother (V/II), and Conversations with Nathan Notowicz and others (IX/5.2).This renewal application aims to ensure the continuity of the Hanns Eisler Complete Edition and is a prerequisite for further funding by the Academy of Sciences and Literature Mainz. The result of this DFG long-term funding will be 23 completed volumes of music and writings plus four that will be in an advanced stage of preparation (Music for Voice and Ensemble 1918-1932, Songs for Voice and Piano 1948-1956, the incidental music to The Mother, Conversations with Nathan Notowicz and Others). This will cover the key series Choral Music (I), Music for Voice and Instrumental Ensemble or Orchestra (II), Music for Voice and Piano (III), Instrumental Music (IV), Incidental Music (V), Film Music (VI), and Writings (IX). At the same time, important lacunae will be filled, because a large number of Eisler's works have either long been out of print or have never before been published at all. This is even the case with such significant works as the German Symphony and The Measures Taken. The Hanns Eisler Complete Edition is thus making a fundamental contribution to the investigation and re-evaluation of the musical and literary oeuvre of this composer.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Co-Investigator: Professor Dr. Thomas Phleps