Scores and libretti
Availability
Many vocal scores are no longer in print, and the most significant publishers UME are frustratingly disorganised under their Anglo-American ownership. Even where vocal scores appear in the current UME catalogue, distribution and availability are uncertain. The same applies to their patchwork reissue of sheetmusic. The situation is healthier for full scores, with the ICCMU range proving an invaluable (and reliably obtainable) source of materials. The following links to websites, email and offline addresses should help track material down.[ The
button indicates the most likely sources ]
Glendower Jones's Classical Vocal Reprints in New York reliably stocks the 4 Zarzuela! songbooks. These have 12 classic romanzas per volume - one each devoted to soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor and baritone - together with full texts, English notes and translations.
[ Telephone/fax details here ]
About sixty full and vocal scores are currently available, or in preparation, in ICCMU's Musica Hispaña series, including major works by Barbieri, Chapí, Serrano, Rodrigo, Arrieta, Bretón, Chueca and many other composers. All these are published with high quality editorial apparatus and introductions (Spanish and English) together with full libretti, in durable softback editions, and may be ordered through booksellers in the normal way. Their site is a useful guide, but you still can't order from them directly onlineLibreria La Avispa
This famous Madrid bookshop stocks a range of ICCMU scores, together with a wealth of libretti, Teatro de la Zarzuela Programme Books - which contain complete texts - and guides to individual works. Also some second-hand rarities. Enquiries and orders by telephone, fax and e-mail only at present, but credit cards are acceptedsheetmusicplus.com
Sell some zarzuela sheetmusic itemsSociedad Española de Ediciones Musicales, S.A.
Sell in-print vocal scores and songbooks. They can be emailed at seemsa@accessnet.es
If you're prepared to pay direct debit bank transfer charges, then the SGAE in Madrid - the national musical and literary archive - will photocopy out of print libretti and scores in the UME series for a very reasonable amount.
There is also a New York branch. The address is:
Delgado de la Sociedad General de Autores Espanoles, , 30 Cooper Square, 4th Floor, New York, NY 0003, USA
UME (Union Musical Ediciones S.L.) theoretically publish many of the major zarzuela works and composers, under Anglo-American owners and distributors Music Sales Ltd.
They do have a site for online music sales, musicroom.com, which is not comprehensive as far as their zarzuela publications are concerned, and the UME Spanish Music Catalogue is unfortunately not available online. A better option may be to mail the company direct for score availability, including the new Zarzuela! Songbooks