Update 12th June
3rd and 4th bars of R – lower 2nd Cornet – change all Bs up to F (a tritone higher)
Bar 296 – 3rd Cornet – change two semiquavers from A down to F sharp, (a minor 3rd lower)
Bar 297 – 3rd Cornet – change D down to Bb, (a major 3rd lower) and high Ab down to G, (a semitone lower), and final quaver from C up to D, (a tone higher)
Bar 297 – Solo Cornets 3&4 – change high Ab up a tone to Bb and change final quaver from C up to D (a tone higher)
Bar 302 – 2nd Cornet – change semiquaver high G down to E, (a minor 3rd lower)
Bars 303 & 304 – 2nd Cornet – change semiquaver D up to E, (a tone higher). Bars 302, 303 & 304 should end up being the same.
At V – all cornets on 2nd crotchet – add a flat to written semiquaver B (becomes Bb)
Update June 19th
5th bar of B – Soprano Cornet – written A and F should be one octave higher
Bar 43 – all lower brass add staccato to 1st beat of bar
Clarification July 5th
The offstage cadenza 2 can be played anywhere, but should sound as if in the distance. Instructions to go offstage are given in the bar before N, but the five solo players can leave any time before then during their rests.
Further clarification July 9th
At GG the Adagio is marked as quaver = 60. This may be better taken slightly quicker at quaver = c. 80. Prokofiev’s printed MM is crotchet = 60, which is very quick and possibly (in my opinion) an error. The Adagio is supposed to be about the same as the preceding Adagio which I have put at quaver = 72, so this is a guide. The anomaly between quaver and crotchet pulses in the ballet printed score is a little confusing. Most orchestral recordings, however, put the quaver speed at between 80 and 100 and this gives good flow and passion to the melody, whilst maintaining clarity in the accompaniment.
July 13th
Bars 114 -115 (G) – Baritone 2 delete all notes. Have a rest instead.
Bar 142 – Glockenspiel – play this a bar earlier in bar 141
Bar 159 – Bass Drum – Add two more quavers on the first beat of this bar (marking them forte as the top of the crescendo from the preceding bar).
Bar 178 – Glockenspiel – play this a bar earlier in bar 177
Clarification
At N the bass drum continues pianissimo underneath the lower brass’ loud tremolos. This represents the fading heartbeat of Mercutio under the death spasms. This is different from the original ballet score (where the bass drum is silent) in order to create continuity into the cadenza section.