Historical Publication Info
History
The company's origins date to 1811 when Vincent Novello published A Collection of Sacred Music as performed at the Royal Portuguese Chapel. The publishing enterprise was under way in earnest when Novello and his son Alfred (1810-1896) opened a shop in London's Soho district in 1829. Alfred soon realized the value of making standard works available in inexpensive editions, which in turn enabled the rapid growth of chorus and singing societies throughout England. The firm expanded rapidly with the publication of popular choral collections such as Novello's Choral Handbook an Singing for the Million. By 1836, Novello was able to issue an octavo vocal score for Mendelssohn's oratorio St. Paul at a price so low that competing publishers could not believe it it was possible.
In 1844, Novello launched the periodicals The Musical Times and the Singing Class Circular, which included at least one new choral work in octavo format. These proved so popular that the octavo format was soon established the one most often used for choral music and vocal scores - a practice which continues to the present day. By 1847, Novello established their own printing facilities. Using an improved version of moveable type for musical notation, the choral series known as "Novello's Octavo Editions" was established. Along with thousands of choral works, vocal scores for Handel's operas and oratorios were issued, plus new choral works from Mendelssohn and other contemporary composers.
Absorbed firms include Coventry & Hollier (1849-1851), Ewer (1867), Elkin & Co. (1960), Goodwin & Tabb and Paxton (1971). Bought out by Music Sales, Ltd. in 1990s and merged with Chester, Hansen.
Editions
- Purcell Society publications (1878-
Imprints, Agencies, Addresses
Imprints
- Vincent Novello (1811-1866)
- J. Alfred Novello (1829-November 1861)
- [Novello's] Sacred Music Warehouse (1834-1856)
- Novello & Co. (November 1861-1867)
- Novello, Ewer & Co. (1867-1897)
- Novello & Co., Ltd. (1898-
Addresses
- 67 Frith Street, Soho (1829-1834)
- 69 Dean Street (1834-1867)
- 24 Poultry (May 1845-July 1856)
- 389 Broadway, New York (August 1852-1859)
- 35 Poultry (July 1856-1861)
- Clinton Hall, Astor Place, New York (1859)
- 1 Berners Street (December 1867-end of 1906)
- Novello, Ewer & Co., 1, Berners St. W. and 80 & 81, Queen St. E.C.
Plate Numbers
| Plate |
Composer |
Work |
Year
|
| 239 |
Mendelssohn |
Symphony No.5, Op.107 (Mvts. 3 & 4 arr. for organ by W.T. Best) |
|
| 3533 |
Lemmens |
4 Pieces for the Organ |
(1865)
|
| 3909 |
Zimmermann |
Spring Melody, Op.10 |
(1869)
|
| 3983 |
Zimmermann |
Gavotte, Op.14 |
(1870)
|
| 4909 |
Zimmermann |
Gavotte, Op.20 |
(1873)
|
| 5420 |
Gadsby |
Alcestis (vocal score) |
(1876)
|
| 5489 |
Stanford |
God is Our Hope and Strength, Op.8 (vocal score) |
(1877)
|
| 5712 |
Zimmermann |
Suite, Op.22 |
(1878)
|
| 6010 |
Abt |
The Wishing Stone (vocal score) |
(1880)
|
| 6180 |
King |
Night, Op.22 |
1884
|
| 6370 |
Gounod |
Wedding March No.1 |
(1880)
|
| 6592 |
Gounod |
La rédemption (Arr. organ solo) |
(1882)
|
| 6671 |
Zimmermann |
Bourrée, Op.24 |
(1883)
|
| 6715 |
Spohr |
Mass in C minor, Op.54 |
(1870)
|
| 7178 |
Gounod |
Mors et vita (Arr. organ solo) |
(1885)
|
| 7255 |
Gadsby |
The Forest of Arden (full score) |
(1886)
|
| 7319 |
Stanford |
Piano Quintet, Op.25 |
(1887)
|
| 7420 |
Bendl |
12 Zigeunermelodien (Second Series) |
(1887)
|
| 7540 |
Bendl |
12 Zigeunermelodien (First Series) |
(1887)
|
| 7545 |
Henselt |
Impromptu No.4, Op.37 |
(1888)
|
| 7719 |
Rheinberger |
Original Compositions for the Organ |
(1890)
|
| 7846 |
Stanford |
Piano Trio No.1, Op.35 |
1889
|
| 8004 |
Mackenzie |
A Jubilee Ode, Op.36 (vocal score) |
1887
|
| 8005 |
Cowen |
Ruth (vocal score) |
1887
|
| 8057 |
Stanford |
The Voyage of Maeldune, Op.34 (vocal score) |
1889
|
| 8138 |
Stanford |
Eden, Op.40 (vocal score) |
1891
|
| 8141 |
Parker |
The Kobolds, Op.21 (vocal score) |
1891
|
| 8160 |
Parry |
The Lotos-Eaters |
1892
|
| 8180 |
Cowen |
Summer on the River |
1893
|
| 8183 |
Stanford |
East to West, Op.52 (vocal score) |
1893
|
| 8207 |
Parry |
King Saul |
1894
|
| 8306 |
Elgar |
The Dream of Gerontius, Op.38 |
1900
|
| 9110 |
Armes |
St. Barnabas |
1881
|
| 9179 |
Dvořák |
Symphony No.8, Op.88 |
1892
|
| 9333 |
German |
Henry VIII |
1892
|
| 9708 |
Henschel |
Te Deum laudamus, Op.52 (vocal score) |
1893
|
| 10200 |
Speer |
The Jackdaw of Rheims, Op.8 (vocal score) |
1896
|
| 10560 |
Coleridge-Taylor |
4 Characteristic Waltzes, Op.22 |
1903
|
| 10661 |
German |
Much Ado about Nothing |
1898
|
| 10815 |
Elgar |
Variations on an Original Theme ('Enigma'), Op.36 |
1899
|
| 11442 |
Davies |
The Temple, Op.14 (vocal score) |
1902
|
| 11514 |
Parry |
Lady Radnor's Suite (full score) |
1902
|
| 11571-74 |
Coleridge-Taylor |
4 Novelletten for String Orchestra, Op.52 |
1903
|
| 12046 |
Elgar |
The Dream of Gerontius, Op.38 |
(1905)
|
| 12130 |
Elgar |
Introduction and Allegro, Op.47 |
1905
|
| 12338 |
Hollins |
Allegretto Grazioso |
1906
|
| 12356 |
Parry |
Suite in D major |
1907
|
| 12364 |
Parry |
Overture to an Unwritten Tragedy |
(1906)
|
| 12608 |
Bellairs |
Epic Ode |
1907
|
| 12667 |
Elgar |
The Wand Of Youth, Suite No.1, Op.1a |
1907
|
| 12728 |
Elgar |
The Wand Of Youth, Suite No.2, Op.1b |
1908
|
| 13350 |
Karg-Elert |
Chaconne and Fugue Trilogy, Op.73 (Lemare ed.) |
1910
|
| 13468 |
Elgar |
Romance, Op.62 (score) |
1912
|
| 13598 |
Elgar |
Symphony No.2, Op.63 (pno solo red by Karg-Elert) |
1912
|
| 13868 |
Kühmstedt |
Fantasia Eroica, Op.29 |
(1913)
|
| 14566 |
Elgar |
String Quartet, Op.83 (score) |
1919
|
| 14635 |
Elgar |
Cello Concerto, Op.85 (cello/piano reduction) |
(1919)
|
| 14737 |
Elgar |
Cello Concerto, Op.85 (full score) |
(1921)
|
| 14748 |
Dupré |
Vêpres du commun des fêtes de la Sainte-Vierge, Op.18 |
1920
|
| 14946 |
Karg-Elert |
Homage to Händel, Op.75b |
1922
|
| 14962 |
Karg-Elert |
7 Pastels from the Lake of Constance, Op.96 |
1923
|
| 14981 |
Holst |
The Perfect Fool, Op.39 |
1923
|
| 16790 |
Medtner |
Violin Sonata No.3, Op.57 |
1940
|
| 18978 |
Frankel |
Piano Quartet, Op.26 |
1962
|
Catalogs
Sources Consulted
- The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, edited by Stanley Sadie.
- New York and London: Macmillan Publications, 1980.
- The Macmillan Encyclopedia of Music and Musicians in One Volume, compiled and edited by Albert E. Wier
- New York: The Macmillan Company, 1938
- Humphries, Charles and William C. Smith. Music Publishing in the British Isles from Beginning Until the Middle of the Nineteenth Century. Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1970.
