Ernst Eulenburg (musical editions)

In 1891, Eulenburg acquired the company of Payne who had recently started to publish miniature scores of chamber works, thus effectively establishing the basis for the famous miniature scores which are what Eulenburg is famous for today. The catalogue was further expanded in 1908 by the acquisition of the catalogue of Donajowski, who published miniature scores of orchestral works in England.

In 1905, Ernst's son Kurt began to work in the firm, a connection maintained until his retirement at age 90 in 1968. After Ernst died in 1926, Kurt took over and began to introduce important revisions of scores by leading musicologists such as Alfred Einstein (who edited, for example, Don Giovanni) and Friedrich Blume (who edited the Mozart piano concertos). At the same time, Eulenburg began to publish the work of contemporary composers such as Paul Graener and the "classical" compositions of the film composer Miklós Rózsa.

Kurt Eulenburg and his family were expelled from Germany in 1939 just before the outbreak of the second world war, and settled in Zurich. The firm Ernst Eulenburg Ltd, London was set up after negotiations with Eulenburg's London agents, Goodwin & Tabb; while the Leipzig concern was expropriated and continued under the name of Horst Sander KG.

After the war ended in 1945, Eulenburg moved to London to take over control of the firm there, and began slowly to expand the catalogue again. Towards the end of the 1950s, Eulenburg were acquired by Schott & Co. who produce the Edition Eulenburg today. Today, over 1200 titles are produced under the name of Edition Eulenburg, scores that are instantly recognisable by their small size and bright yellow covers.

• Schönzeler, H-H. 1979. Kurt Eulenburg at 100. Recollections of a Century in Music Publishing. Musical Times, 120, 127-128.

• www.schott-music.com