Universal Edition

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Alfred Kalmus
Director 1909-1938
typical early cover ca. 1910

Contents

History

The company was founded on June 1, 1901 in Vienna by a group of Austrian music retailers who sought independence of domination from the large German firms in Leipzig. The initial offerings were geared towards the Austrian domestic market for standard classical repertoire and educational music. By the end of its first year, the U.E. catalog contained some 400 titles, dominated by works of Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, and Schumann. In 1903, the Vienna publisher Ludwig Doblinger assigned its publication rights for Bruckner's works to U.E. in exchange for shares in the new company. The next year saw the addition of titles by Max Reger, Richard Strauss, and Franz von Suppe with the acquistion of the publisher Aibl. Rapid growth continued with the purchase of publishers August Cranz (1909), Otto Maass' Söhne (1918), A.J. Gutmann (1920), Hofmeister (1921), Josef Blaha (1924) and Wiener Philharmonischer Verlag (1925).

Commencing with the directorship of Emil Hertzka (1869-1932) and general editorship of Josef von Wöss in 1907, the firm entered the field of publishing new works. Some of the first contemporary composers of the period who joined the U.E. catalog were Delius and Bartok (1908), Mahler, Schoenberg and Schreker (1909), Casella, Webern and Zemlinsky (1910), Szymanowski (1912), Wellesz (1915), Janacek (1917), Kodaly (1920), Kaminsky and Krenek (1921), Milhaud (1922), Berg (1923), Weill (1924), Hauer (1925), Martin and Martinu (1926). While the initial issues of new works consisted of joint publications with other publishers like Roszavolgyi (Bartok), Harmonie Verlag (Delius) and Ricordi (Casella), the very first work issued solely by U.E. was Josef von Wöss' vocal score for Mahler's Symphony No. 8 - published just in time for the work's premiere in September 1910. Universal's distribution in other countries was expanded greatly when Alfred A. Kalmus (elder brother of Edwin F. Kalmus, joined the company in 1909. Distribution and joint-publication contracts were negotiated with Fürstner, Bote & Bock, Breitkopf & Härtel, F.E.C. Leuckart, Ricordi, and other important publishers.

After a long disruption initiated by the Nazi takeover of Austria (1938), which saw the dismissal of director Hugo Winter (who became director after Hertzka's death in 1932) and Alfred Kalmus, the firm gradually regained its prominence in the promotion of contemporary music with the restoration of the original shareholders (1952), which continues to the present day. Composers with works added to the U.E. catalog in the post-war period include Bennett, Berio, Birtwistle, Boulez, Dallapiccola, Einem, Feldman, Halffter, Ligeti, Pärt, Stockhausen, and Takemitsu, among others. Since 1914, the company headquarters has been in the Musikvereinsgebäude (also home of the Gesellschaft für Musikfreunde and the Vienna Philharmonic); with branch offices in London, New York, Mainz, Melbourne, Milan, Tokyo, and Zurich.

In October 2007, Universal's attorney sent a Cease and Desist letter to IMSLP, in an attempt to force IMSLP to apply Austrian copyright laws to users worldwide. IMSLP subsequently shut down (from Oct. 2007 through June 2008) undergoing a reorganization in the process. On July 1, 2008, IMSLP-Petrucci Music Library re-opened to the general public.

Catalogs, Editions

Plate Numbers

UE's plate numbers coincide with the Edition number as a general rule. Estimated dates appear in italics

Plate Composer Work Year
Beethoven Piano Sonata No.32, Op.111 1916
U.E. 00228 Boieldieu La Dame Blanche 1901
U.E. 00627 Schumann Allegro, Op.8 1901
U.E. 00659 Haydn Symphonies (arr. for piano), vol. 2 1902
U.E. 00682 Erb Violin Sonata No.1, Op.21 1901
U.E. 00760 Hummel Etudes, Op.125 (Trneček ed.) 1901
U.E. 00814 Ascher La Moscovite - Dance nationale 1901
U.E. 00815 Mayer Valse-Etude, Op.83 1901
U.E. 00876 Schubert Octet in F major, D.803 (arr. Brandts-Buys) 1905
U.E. 00940 Grädener String Quartet No.2, Op.39 1905
U.E. 00970 Beethoven Symphony No.2 – piano 4h arr 1901
U.E. 01007 Strauss Cello Sonata, Op.6 1901
U.E. 01081 Strauss Tod und Verklärung, Op.24
U.E. 01268 Reger Symphonische Phantasie und Fuge für Orgel
U.E. 01287 Reger Ausgewählte orgel choralvorspiele 1901
U.E. 01368 Strauss Nocturno, Op.7 1904
U.E. 01369 Strauss Horn Concerto, Op.8 (horn,pf arr) 1904
U.E. 01592 Strauss Horn Concerto No.1, Op.11 1904
U.E. 01615-7 Kienzl Aus meinem Tagebuche, Op.15 (3 books) 1908
U.E. 01699 Sibelius Dance Intermezzo, Op.45 No.2 (piano arr.) 1904
U.E. 01996 Schütt Concert Paraphrases on J. Strauss's Waltz Motifs (nos. 1, 3, 10) 1910
U.E. 01997 Schütt Concert Paraphrases on J. Strauss's Waltz Motifs (nos. 4, 5, 12) 1910
U.E. 02539 Friedman 3 Pieces, Op.33 1910
U.E. 02590 Foerster Jessika, Op.60 (v.s.) 1909
U.E. 02591 Foerster Jessika, Op.60 (v.s.) 1909
U.E. 02598 Walter Violin Sonata in A major (score & part) 1910
U.E. 02657 Foerster Stabat Mater, Op.56 (red.) 1910
U.E. 02759 Korngold Der Schneemann 1910
U.E. 02772 Mahler Symphony No.8 (plate 1) 1911
U.E. 02804 Mraczek Piano Quintet in E-flat major (score & parts) 1910
U.E. 02806 Graener Quartett über ein Schwedisches Volkslied, Op.33 (score) 1910
U.E. 02992 Schoenberg 3 Pieces, Op.11 (no.2 elaborated by Busoni) 1911
U.E. 03000 Mahler Symphony No.8 (plate 2) 1911
U.E. 03041-46 Schoenberg 6 Orchester-Lieder, Op.8 (vocal score by Anton Webern) 1911
U.E. 03075 Beethoven Piano Sonata No.30, Op.109 (Schenker edition) 1913
U.E. 03283 Stöhr String Quartet No.1 in D minor, Op.22 (parts) 1913
U.E. 03601 Bruckner Mass 3 in F minor (Benedictus, arr. for piano by Woss) 1911
U.E. 03696 Schoenberg Gurre-Lieder (v.s.) 1912
U.E. 03767 Wöss Sextet in E minor for piano and strings, Op.46 (sc&pts) 1912
U.E. 03852 Szymanowski 9 Preludes, Op.1 1906
U.E. 03855 Szymanowski 4 Etudes, Op.4 1906
U.E. 03864 Szymanowski Piano Sonata No.2, Op.21‎ 1912
U.E. 03974 Beethoven Piano Sonata No.28, Op.101 (Schenker edition) 1921
U.E. 03977 Beethoven Piano Sonata No.31, Op.110 (Schenker edition) 1914
U.E. 03979 Mraczek Elegie 1913
U.E. 03999 Novák Serenade in D major, Op.36 (score) 1913
U.E. 04038 Beethoven Piano Sonata No.29, Op.106
U.E. 04978 Bruckner Afferentur regi, WAB 1 1922
U.E. 04984 Bruckner Am Grabe, WAB 2 1923
U.E. 05270-73 Marx Lieder mit Klavier-Begleitung 1915
U.E. 05276 Schoenberg 6 Orchester-Lieder, Op.8 (f.s.) 1913
U.E. 05391 Schmidt Symphony No.2 in E-flat (f.s.) 1914
U.E. 05516 Smyth The Wreckers (v.s.) 1916
U.E. 05540 Zemlinsky 6 Songs after Poems by Maeterlinck, Op.13 1914
U.E. 05662 Zemlinsky Eine florentinische Tragödie, Op.16 (vocal score) 1916
U.E. 05858 Szymanowski 3 Masques, Op.34 1919
U.E. 05888 Webern 5 Movements, Op.5 1922
U.E. 05889 Webern 5 Movements, Op.5 1922
U.E. 05894 Peters String Quartet in A major (score) 1918
U.E. 05967 Webern 5 Pieces for Orchestra, Op.10 1923
U.E. 06010-11 Wöss 2 Organ Suites, Op.40 1921
U.E. 06017 Marx Romantisches Klavierkonzert (2pf. arr.) 1920
U.E. 06018 Marx Romantisches Klavierkonzert (score) 1921?
U.E. 06082-3 Weingartner String Quartet No.4, Op.62 (score, pts) 1918
U.E. 06209 Schoenberg Herzgewächse, Op.20 1920
U.E. 06231.6234 Heller Ballade, Op.34 (Transcription of Schubert's Erlkönig, ed.Wöss) 1920
U.E. 06236 Heller La Chasse, Op.29 (Vöss ed.) 1920
U.E. 06322 Müller-Hermann Symphony, Op.27 (v.s.) 1924
U.E. 06371-2 Bartók String Quartet No.2, Sz.67 (sc, pts) 1920
U.E. 06626 Szymanowski Nocturne and Tarantella, Op.28 1921
U.E. 06642 Webern 4 Pieces for Violin and Piano, Op.7 1921
U.E. 06643 Webern Entflieht auf leichten Kähnen, Op.2 1921
U.E. 06645 Webern 5 Lieder aus Der siebente Ring, Op.3 1921
U.E. 06878 Casella 11 Pezzi infantili, Op.35 1921
U.E. 06964 Wellesz Eklogen, Op.11 1921
U.E. 06997 Szymanowski Métopes, Op.29 1922
U.E. 07000 Beethoven Piano Sonata No.14, Op.27 No.2 (Schenker ed.) 1921
U.E. 07095 Webern Passacaglia, Op.1 1921
U.E. 07103 Janáček Káťa Kabanová (v.sc., arr. Bakala, trans. Brod) 1922
U.E. 07240 Smyth Fête galante (v.s.) 1923
U.E. 07249 Szántó Variations et Finale 1923
U.E. 07328 Korganov Album Lyrique, Op.20 (book 1) 1924
U.E. 07395 Webern 5 Lieder nach Gedichten von Stefan George, Op.4 1923
U.E. 07454 Krenek Der Sprung über den Schatten, Op.17 (v.s.) 1923
U.E. 07575 Webern 6 Bagatellen, Op.9 1924
U.E. 07577 Webern 3 Kleine Stücke, Op.11 1924
U.E. 07578 Webern 6 Lieder nach Gedichten von Georg Trakl, Op.14 1924
U.E. 07629 Webern 5 Geistliche Lieder, Op.15 1924
U.E. 07723 Sauer Concert Polka 1924
U.E. 07776 Gruenberg 4 Indiscretions for String Quartet, Op.20 (fs) 1925
U.E. 07777 Gruenberg 4 Indiscretions for String Quartet, Op.20 (pts) 1925
U.E. 07779 White Thereby Hangs a Tale 1925
U.E. 07780 White Cajolery 1925
U.E. 07781 White The Blossoming Idyll 1925
U.E. 07782 White Time's Bitter Flood 1925
U.E. 07783 White The Tangles of Neaera's Hair 1925
U.E. 07932 Schulhoff Partita für Klavier 1925
U.E. 08257 Webern 4 Lieder, Op.12 1925
U.E. 08393 Berg Kammerkonzert 1925
U.E. 08455 Tiessen, H. String Quintet, Op.32 (sc.) 1926
U.E. 08555 Webern 2 Lieder nach Gedichten von Rainer Maria Rilke, Op.8 1926
U.E. 08557 Webern 4 Lieder für Sopran und Kammerorchester, Op.13 1926
U.E. 08684 Webern 3 Lieder für Sopran, Klarinette und Gitarre, Op.18 1927
U.E. 08685 Schoenberg Suite, Op.29 (f.s.) 1927
U.E. 08747 Protopopov Piano Sonata No.2, Op.5 1927
U.E. 08772 Bartók Piano Sonata, Sz.80 1927
U.E. 08780 Berg Lyrische Suite 1927
U.E. 08785 Butting Duo for Violin and Piano, Op.32 (sc&pt) 1927
U.E. 08822 Casella Serenata, Op.46 1928
U.E. 08834 Myaskovsky Symphony No.9, Op.28 (f.s.) 1929
U.E. 08854 Huberman Transcriptions for Violin and Piano 1930
U.E. 08911 Marek Sinfonia à la mémoire de Franz Schubert, Op.28 1928
U.E. 08943 Kodály Intermezzo from "Hary Janos" 1927
U.E. 08958 Schulhoff Toccata on 'Kitten on the Keys' 1927
U.E. 08998 Webern String Trio, Op.20 (score) 1927
U.E. 09046 Blumenfeld 2 Pieces, Op.53 1926
U.E. 09201 Krein 2 Yiddish Songs, Op.39 (co-issue) 1928
U.E. 09522 Webern 5 Canons, Op.16 1928
U.E. 09525 Schulhoff Sonata for Solo Violin 1928
U.E. 09536 Webern 2 Lieder, Op.19 1928
U.E. 09603 Schubert 6 German Dances, D.820 (orchestra arr. by Anton Webern, f.s. 1931
U.E. 09697 Satie 5 grimaces pour Le songe d'une nuit d'été 1929
U.E. 09728 Krenek Leben des Orest, Op.60 (v.s.) 1929
U.E. 09759 Hauer Sinfonietta, Op.50 (score) 1929
U.E. 09846 Radnai Divertimento, Op.7 (score) 1930
U.E. 10050 Webern Quartet, Op.22 (score) 1932
U.E. 10127 Gaygerova String Quartet No. 1 (score) 1931
U.E. 10228 Berg Lulu Suite (f.s.) 1935
U.E. 10255 Webern 3 Gesänge aus 'Viae inviae', Op.23 1936
U.E. 10269 Škerjanc Preludio für Streichorchester (score) 1935
U.E. 10277 Bach Musikalisches Opfer, BWV 1079 (orchestra arr. by Anton Webern, f.s. 1935
U.E. 10541 Butting Symphony No.3, Op.34 (score) 1933
U.E. 10543 Butting Symphony No.2, Op.29 (score) 1933
U.E. 10794 Weigl String Quartet No.5, Op.31 (score) 1936
U.E. 10881 Webern Variations for Piano, Op.27 1937
U.E. 10888 Bartók Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta 1937
U.E. 10896 Krenek String Quartet No.6, Op.78 (score. Philh. 476) 1937
U.E. 11004 Webern Das Augenlicht, Op.26 (vocal score, Ger./Eng.) 1956
U.E. 11034 Badings Symphonic Variations (fs) 1938
U.E. 11247 Bortkiewicz Lyrica Nova, Op.59 1941
U.E. 11473 Webern Das Augenlicht, Op.26 (f.s., Ger./Eng.) 1956
U.E. 11707 Schmidt Symphony No.3 in A (arr. Frotzler for pf solo) 1952
U.E. 11830 Webern Concerto, Op.24 (score) 1948
U.E. 11885 Webern Kantate II, Op.31 (vocal score, Ger./Eng.) 1951/1955?
U.E. 11902 Dallapiccola Volo di notte/Nachtflug (Italian/German full score) 1952
U.E. 11980 Dallapiccola Volo di notte/Nachtflug (Italian/German vocal score, red. by Ricc. Nielsen) 1952
U.E. 11990 Apostel, H.E. Wind Quartet, Op.14 (score) 1952
U.E. 12009/12400 Martin, Frank Concerto pour sept instruments à vent, timbales, batterie et orchestre à cordes (score) 1950
U.E. 12030 Schmidt Piano (left-hand) Concerto in E major (full score; arr. both-hands by Wührer) 1952
U.E. 12042 Webern 6 Pieces for Large Orchestra, Op.6 (revised version f.s.) 1956
U.E. 12195 Berg Violin Concerto (fs) 1936
U.E. 12197 Webern Kantate I, Op.29 (vocal score, Ger./Eng.) 1954
U.E. 12198 Webern Symphony, Op.21 (f.s.) 1929?
U.E. 12219 Schmidt Das Buch mit sieben Siegeln (min. f.s.) 1954
U.E. 12272 Webern 3 Volkstexte, Op.17 1955
U.E. 12282 Apostel, H.E. 5 Lieder, Op.22 1954
U.E. 12359 Skalkottas Andante sostenuto (f.s., ed. W. Goehr) 1954
U.E. 12370 Skalkottas 32 Piano Pieces, AK 70 (Passacaglia, ed. W. Goehr) 1955
U.E. 12398 Webern String Quartet, Op.28 (score, 1955 reprint) 1955
U.E. 12403 Dowland 3 Songs (for voice & guitar, ed. Scheit) 1955
U.E. 12417 Webern Variations, Op.30 1956
U.E. 12418 Webern 3 Lieder nach Gedichten von Hildegard Jone, Op.25 1956
U.E. 12421 Webern Kantate I, Op.29 (full score, Ger./Eng.) 1957
U.E. 12440 Webern Variations, Op.30 1956
U.E. 12450 Boulez Le marteau sans maître 1954
U.E. 12461 Webern Kantate II, Op.31 (miniature score, Ger./Eng.) 1956
U.E. 12486 Webern Kantate II, Op.31 (full score, Ger./Eng.) 1956
U.E. 12487 Webern Concerto, Op.24 1948
U.E. 12735 Skalkottas 8 Variations on a Greek Folktune for Trio (sc&pts) 1957
U.E. 12745 Apostel, H.E. String Quartet No.2 (sc) 1958
U.E. 12792 Skalkottas 15 Little Variations 1958
U.E. 12945 L Wood, H. Trio, Op.3 (sc&pts) 1963
U.E. 12958 Skalkottas 32 Piano Pieces, AK 70 1965
U.E. 13174 Apostel, H.E. Piano Concerto, Op.30 (arr. 2pf) 1960
U.E. 13490 Webern Klavierstück 1966
U.E. 13611 Skalkottas Suite No.3 (sc) 1962
U.E. 13632 Apostel, H.E. 6 Epigrams for String Quartet, Op.33 (sc) 1963
U.E. 13674 a-c Webern Quartet, Op.22 (parts) 1960
U.E. 14231 Skalkottas String Quartet No.4 (sc) 1968
U.E. 15495 Feldman Cello and Orchestra (f.s.) 1976
U.E. 15518 Birtwistle The Triumph of Time (f.s.) 1974
U.E. 15772 Tcherepnin Triple Concertino, Op.47 (red.sc.) 1974
U.E. 16326 Feldman Neither (opera, v.s.) 1977
U.E. 17832 Rihm Symphony No.1, Op.3 (f.s.) 1983
U.E. 30122 Rihm Antlitz (violin/pf, sc&pt) 1994
  • The 1925 date is most likely a case of copyfraud - _also (addendum, different ed.): this plate probably does not belong in this table, as it is probably the plate of the work's initial publisher (Eberle?), as noted on the page.- ES
Plate #Full PlateComposerWorkIMSLP #Full YearYear

Typical typefaces employed (1901-ca.1950)

Many, perhaps a majority, of Universal's output in for the first five decades or so was engraved by the firm Waldheim-Eberle in Vienna. Eberle's work has a very distinct style, easily recognized with experience, that is exemplified by scores of the "Philharmonia" series of study scores first published by the Wiener Philharmonischer Verlag.

The copyright warning was typically situated on the upper left corner under the title:

Aufführungsrecht Vorbehalten .
Droits d'exécution réservés .

Title

Szymanowski: Piano Sonata No.2, Op.21, plate U.E.3864 (1912)

U.E.3864 (1912)

Beethoven: Piano Sonatas, ed. H. Schenker (1918-1921)

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Composer

Szymanowski: Piano Sonata No.2, Op.21, plate U.E.3864 (1912)

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Tempo indication

Szymanowski: Piano Sonata No.2, Op.21, plate U.E.3864 (1912)

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Beethoven: Piano Sonatas, ed. H. Schenker (1918-1921)

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Plate number

Szymanowski: Piano Sonata No.2, Op.21, plate U.E.3864 (1912)

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Rehearsal or bar number indication

Beethoven: Piano Sonatas, ed. H. Schenker (1918-1921)

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Sources

Company website
Wikipedia article

Authority control

  • VIAF (Universal Edition (Vienna, Austria))