Ries, Ferdinand (1784-1838)

The present edition is based jointly on the autograph score - Seventh Concerto for the Pianoforte with a full Orchestra Composed by Ferd: Ries London / 1823 / op. 132 - preserved in the Staatsbibliothek Berlin under the shelfmark mus.ms. autogr., F. Ries, 82N, and the first edition of the work which was issued by Peters in 1824. The title page reads: Abschieds= / CONCERT / von England / Fr das Piano-Forte / MIT ORCHESTER / Componirt und seinem Freunde / P.J. EILENDER / gewidmet / von / FERD. RIES / 7s Concert / 132s Werk.../LEIPZIG / im Bureau de Musique von Peters

The work's title, which may have originated with Ries, was clearly an afterthought and was not used by the composer in England. The two sources agree in most details although the printed edition is generally more scrupulous in the placement of dynamics and articulation marking and, as always, includes refinements to the solo writing. Nonetheless, there are numerous minor inconsistencies which benefit from careful editorial intervention. These are indicated by the use of brackets and dotted slurs. Obvious wrong notes have been corrected without comment. Ries's pedal markings have been left as they appear in the original. Allan Badley