Imogen Holst: Editor

The editions listed below have become something of a legacy, such is the importance of this area of IH’s work. Indeed, her first task when she moved to Aldeburgh was to orchestrate Britten’s cantata ‘Rejoice in the Lamb’.  There is an enormous amount of material, edited and arranged, in the Holst Library at Snape and also at the house in Aldeburgh where she lived during the last few years of her life.  Editing ranged from the preparation of short songs for a single performance to the production of full-scale editions; a number of the latter have been published. She prepared much material for performance with the Purcell Singers during the 1950s and 1960s, culminating in fresh editions of notable choral works.

Almost all of the work listed was undertaken during her time at Aldeburgh (1952-1984), and includes piano reductions for Britten, opera and oratorio, instrumental music and choral music.  Her arrangements, where they involve more than editing, and including much for recorder, are listed in the main catalogue.  In addition, there are many works by Gustav Holst which IH edited and revised – some of these may be found in her catalogue of his works (1974).

A list of the editions made of works by other composers

Piano reductions (Britten) All published by Boosey and Hawkes except Curlew River (Faber)
Gloriana	Op 53	1953
The Turn of the Screw	Op 54	1954
The Prince of the Pagodas	Op 57a	1956
Noye’s Fludde	Op 59	1957
Nocturne	Op 60	1958
Cantata Academica	Op 62	1959
A Midsummer Night’s Dream	Op 64	1960 (with Martin Penny)
War Requiem	Op 66	1961
Symphony for Cello and Orchestra (with Mstislav Rostropovich)	Op 68	1963
Cantata Misericordium	Op 69	1963
Curlew River	Op 71	1964    (Rehearsal Score)
Opera and Oratorio
Venus and Adonis	Blow	1956    -           revised
Dido and Aeneas	Purcell	1960    B&H   ed. with Britten
St John Passion	Schutz	1962    OUP    ed. with Pears
St Matthew Passion	Schutz	1965    OUP    ed. with Pears
St Luke Passion		1965 ed.from anonymous manuscripts circa 1440
How Blest are They	Purcell	1968    OUP    ed. with Ledger
The Fairy Queen	Purcell	1969    Faber   ed. with Britten
Instrumental Music
Rejoice in the Lamb	Britten	1952    B&H  (arrangement of the organ part for orchestra)
March from Gloriana	Britten	1954    (MS) scored for orchestra
Fifty Bach Tunes	J.S. Bach	1960    (MS) trans. for d. rec.
Ten Bach Tunes	J.S. Bach	1961    (MS) trans. for d. rec
Seven Tunes for Piano	Gustav Holst	1983    Faber arr. for easy piano
Choral Music
This list is based upon the manuscripts at 9, Church Walk, Aldeburgh.  Imogen Holst edited numerous other short works for performance, but the manuscripts have not been found.  Undated manuscripts are not included here.
Three Songs	Humphrey	1938    Lyrebird ed. for voice/pft
Nature’s Homily	Humphrey	1941    MS ed. for baritone/pft
As when the dove	Handel	1942    MS realisation of cont.
Cantata no 79	J.S. Bach	[1945] ed. for SSA
St John Passion	J.S. Bach	1948    ed./trans.
O Lord, grant the Queen	Purcell	1953    ed/realised
Under the Greenwood Tree	Arne	1955    realised for voice/pft
Four Songs	Carey	1955    realised for voice/pft
For ever blessed	Handel	1955    realised for voice/pft
Forty Rounds	Ravenscroft	c.1960prepared for publication
Misc. medieval music		c.1960ed. for Purcell Singers
Bach Chorales		1960s  ed./trans. for performances at Long Melford)
St Luke Passion	Anon c. 1440	1965 realised for unacc. voices
O Jesu, look	Kirbye	1966    ed. for SSATB
I will lift up	Tudway	1966    realised for S/cont.
Browning	Byrd	1970    ed. for performance
A Dialogue between two Penitents	Blow	1978    realised for 2 T/kbd

© Christopher Tinker 2007