In 2023 Bärenreiter is celebrating its 100th birthday. The company, which published its first song sheets in Augsburg in 1923 and was officially founded by Karl Vötterle in 1924, is one of the largest music publishers worldwide today. Musicians, musicologists and music lovers value its music editions and music books. With scholarly-critical complete editions of the works of Bach, Handel, Mozart, Schubert and many other great composers from the Baroque, Classical and Romantic periods, the publisher has made an international name for itself since the 1950s. The “Bärenreiter Urtext” editions are the basis for study and performances on all continents. In addition to the music editions, which are at the centre of the publishing programme, the now 100-year-old publisher also issues an ambitious programme of music books, music educational textbooks and works by contemporary composers.
Jubilee Editions at Jubilee Prices!
For the duration of their anniversary year they are releasing 19 jubilee editions. These include bestsellers from their catalogue which we are offering at greatly reduced prices as well as new titles with much-loved pieces from collections or movements from more extensive works that belong to the key repertoire of classical music.
Bärenreiter Urtext: on the trail of the composer
“Urtext” is a term which is frequently misunderstood. So, what does it actually mean? It entails far more than simply taking a copy of the autograph – the composer’s handwritten score – and transferring it into modern notation. The devil is truly in the detail and meticulous research into all available sources directly connected with the composer (for example, sketches, manuscript copies, proofs, first editions, letters,) is necessary to create a musical text that comes as close as possible to the composer’s intentions.
A brief history of the company logo
The bear and the star were always part of Bärenreiter. In the early years, a little boy stood on the back of a shaggy bear reaching for the star. Today’s more stylised and timeless logo has been in use for almost forty years. The article describes its development into one of the most distinctive publishing house logos that needs no updating.
The family-owned company is managed by the daughter of the founder, Barbara Scheuch-Vötterle, her husband Leonhard Scheuch, and their son Clemens Scheuch. It is rare to find a family business, that after one hundred years is still in the hands of the second and third generations.
See the full range of Bärenreiter music on the Ackerman Music website here: Sheet Music at Ackerman Music
