Orchestral parts – how long before do you usually get them?

[Victoria]

They have sent me the parts! 🙂 I’m so relieved..sorry for sounding silly, but this is the first time I’ll play opera excerpts and I don’t want to screw it up. Thanks so much for your offer Elizabeth. This forum is wonderful.

That is indeed a very interesting article, but that probably only work for strings? I can’t imagine how woodwinds or brass could fake it like that.

[MusikFind1]

1. In the U.S for orchestra parts that are only on rental, the librarian should order from the publisher so that the score and parts arrive about 6 weeks before the first performance. This means that the rental order should be on file at least 3 months in advance of the performance. For some works there is only one set of material and that is reserved for the first rental order that arrives.

2. These are the statements from the major rental publishers websites:

Boosey & Hawkes = standard rental period is ten (10) weeks. This can be extended to twelve (12) weeks at no extra charge if necessary.
European American Music Distributors LLC = standard rental period is six (6) weeks prior to the first performance date.
C.F. Peters Corp./ Oxford University Press = will ship the rental material to arrive four (4) to six (6) weeks prior to the first performance.
Theodore Presser Company/Carl Fischer Music = standard rental period is two (2) months prior to performance with materials sent two (2) weeks prior to the delivery date, where possible. [i.e. 10 weeks]
G. Schirmer, Inc. = materials are shipped six (6) weeks prior to performance.

The orchestra is paying for this service and if the material is not arriving in time, the orchestra librarian should contact the rental publisher about a refund on the rental fee.

3. For orchestra parts that are for sale, the harpist should buy their own part to which they can add their personal markings and pedalings. You are sure to perform this work in some other season.
When the season brochure is released buy the harp parts at that time, as orchestra music is now being printed to order. A three week delivery time is standard.

The EMS website is the first place we check to see if a part is for sale. EMS can also supply parts that are for sale that are not listed – in the U.S. that is usually any work Published before 1923. http://www.emsmusic.com/

Clinton F. Nieweg.
(Orchestra Repertoire Proofreader/Editor)

Co-founder:
MOLA (Major Orchestra Librarians’ Association) http://www.mola-inc.org
(for Librarians of major orchestra, band and opera organizations).

OLI (Orchestra Library Information) Yahoo group
(for Librarians of regional, community and university orchestras).
(archiving information for orchestra librarians)
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/OrchLibInfo/

Questions?
Proofferr at comcast dot net

[Author]

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