Johann Forstik

Photo.

Johann Forstik.

  • Profession: Copyist.
  • Relation to Mahler: Mahlers main copyist in Vienna since 1905. In 1908 chief copyist.
  • Correspondence with Mahler: 
  • Born: 00-00-0000 
  • Died: 00-00-0000 
  • Buried: 00-00-0000 

1910 in Vienna.

Copied compositions

Symphony No. 4 – Printed orchestral parts used by Mahler

A-Wn L17.IGMG.12
Select bibliography: SWIVb = M

This set of parts is contained in a large black portfolio. In the upper right hand corner of the front cover there is a label pasted on – [type written:] Mappe X. / [hand written:] […] Material. In the centre of the cover is another label, handwritten by Mahler: [black ink:] 4. Symphonie / Mahler [blue crayon:] 10.

The set is complete and the make up of the string parts is:

Vn I: 8 parts (+ 1 unnumbered part with no rehearsal letters and only annotations by Johann Forstik)
Vn II: 6 parts* (+ 3 unnumbered parts with no rehearsal letters and only annotations by Forstik)
Vla: 4 parts (+ 4 unnumbered parts with no rehearsal letters and only annotations by Forstik)
Vcl: 5 parts (+2 unnumbered parts with no rehearsal letters and only annotations by Forstik)
Db: 4 parts (+ 2 unnumbered parts with no rehearsal letters and only annotations by Forstik)

*It is not clear that the vn II, 6th desk part has been used.

The annotated parts have revisions and corrections by Mahler (red and black ink and blue crayon), Johann Forstik (Vienna copyist), Henry G. Boewig (New York copyist) and unidentified players (some at least from New York). Although the printed edition is supplied with rehearsal numbers, this set has been provided with additional rehearsal letters, the placing of which do not correspond to the numbers. The intention may have been to provide the performers with additional reference points within the score, to facilitate thorough rehearsal.

This set seems to have been used for Mahler’s final performances of the work, in New York in January 1911. The vn II fifth desk and viola first and third desk parts have annotations providing an overall timing of 55 minutes; the hn 3 part has timings for individual movements
I: 17 mins II: 9 min; III: 20 min IV: 8 min

The first desk string parts and all the wind and percussion parts were used by Erwin Ratz in preparing the IGMG edition, and are identified by the pencil ‘R’ in the upper right hand corner of the the first page of the part concerned.

[A rectangle of paper has been removed from the upper edge of p. 7/8 in hn I, and the bottom edge of timp p.3/4!]

Das Lied von der Erde, Lied 6: Der Abschied

Engraving Template

A handwritten engraver’s copy for the score print was made by the copyist Johann Forstik on the basis of the full-scale score in 1910, in which Mahler wrote some notes (mainly on tempo and performance designations), especially in the outer movements. Mahler himself was no longer able to supervise the printing (as well as the first performances) of the work; the engraver’s copy was prepared for printing after Mahler’s death by Josef Venantius von Wöss and Bruno Walter (1876-1962).

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