Welcome to the edition Prima Vista website!
edition Prima Vista offers Urtext editions, creative Arrangements, and also Custom Edit services.
I started edition Prima Vista in 2013, a music-editing venture focused mostly, but not exclusively, on Renaissance and Baroque music, and mostly, but no exclusively, on music written (or arranged) for the Recorder.
I see music-editing as a combination of art and craftsmanship, of tasteful creativity and very meticulous work. Certain decisions must be made, based on a deep understanding of the style, instrument(s), musical theory, and personal taste.
All musicians are familiar with the term “playing prima vista”; it means “sight reading”, or playing music seen for the first time. For me, though, Prima Vista received a deeper meaning, as continue to explore wonderful music that had rarely (if at all) been edited or played in modern times.
This sense of exploration, discovery, and joy in music-making, is at the essence of edition Prima Vista.
Musical URTEXT Editions
Urtext editions are true-to-source editions in modern notation, backed by extensive research, experience, in-depth familiarity with the composer, the style and the instruments involved, and… a lot of proof-reading.
Using modern notation conventions, I try to change as little as possible in the original musical text. I strive to make the music as accessible and user-friendly as possible to modern musicians of all levels, both professionals and amateurs.
The original sources of the music we play are often preserved as manuscripts or early prints, in libraries, museums, and other collections. Many of these sources are now available online as well.
However, reading from these historical sources is not always easy. Professional musicians specializing in this field are generally expected to be able to perform from original sources, but even they can find it quite challenging. There are many practical reasons why even experts often rely on modern editions; while amateur musicians often tend to avoid them altogether.
Every one of my editions includes background information about the composer and the piece/s or collection edited, and is supplemented by Editorial Remarks (general editorial choices), and detailed Editorial Commentary (where every change made in the musical text is explained).
The music I edit is chosen according to personal taste and my sheer love for the music. I try to choose collections that have not yet been published in modern times, or the available modern editions do not do justice with the music.
Creative ARRANGEMENTS
edition Prima Vista offers creative and imaginative arrangements made for the recorder, of pieces originally composed for other instruments, thus aiming to expand the recorder’s repertoire in different styles and exciting new directions (e.g. my two different arrangements of J. S. Bach’s viola da gamba sonatas, and of Bela Bartok’s Romanian Dances).
CUSTOM EDIT and Editions by Request
Another service offered by edition Prima Vista is the Custom Edit service, or Editions by Request. You send me a score (preferably in PDF format), and I edit, transpose, prepare a score, prepare part-books etc. – according to your wishes.
Contact me by e-mail or on Facebook, and let me know what you need!
I wish to wholeheartedly recommend Uri Alexander Dror’s Prima Vista editions.
He is a perfectionist, and his editions are scholarly impeccable, well-presented and user friendly. It is a privilege to work with him, and we at Ensemble PHOENIX have been rewarded with wonderful material prepared by Uri. A pleasure to work with such materials.
Myrna Herzog
Conductor, musical director Ensemble PHOENIX
Uri A. Dror
grew up in Rehovot, Israel, and started playing the recorder at the local conservatory. I then continued my lessons with Gershon Prenski, who introduced me to the fascinating world of baroque music, and especially chamber music, which has remained my passion ever since.
After my military service I studied Geology at the Hebrew University (Jerusalem). I then worked in hi-tech for three more years; all the while taking lessons with Gershon, participating in masterclasses, and preforming in concerts.
I have had masterclasses with Marion Verbruggen, Heiko ter Schegget, Sébastien Marq, and Michael Schneider in Jerusalem, and Peter Holtslag in Tomar and Porto (Portugal).
Eventually I decided to follow my passion for music to the next level. Between 2001-2005 I completed my first degree at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, The Netherlands, under Peter van Heyghen and Daniel Brüggen. In 2005-2007 I continued for a second degree at the same establishment, under Daniel Brüggen and Sébastien Marq.
Since my return to Israel (2007), I have been focusing on teaching recorder on all levels, music editing, and performing in different venues. In Israel I have performed with members of the Jerusalem Baroque Orchestra and members of the Barrocada ensemble. I have played in Slovenia and The Netherlands with my own group, La Novella, and in Mexico as part of the LaSol – FaReMi recorder duo (with Abraham Elias).
I now live in Harish, Israel, with my two adorable cats, Lucy & Archie, and in recent years I have developed photography as a hobby – another way to express my curiosity and creativity.
In Memory of
Gershon Prenski (1929-2014)
Nina Lazar-Sobelman (1942-2025)
You shall always be missed
For five years I came to him once a week for intensive lessons. Without speaking much, he drilled me on my 16th notes, and guided me through my pieces, accompanying me on his viola. He showed me, with his playing, how to listen, what to look for, and how to express what I had found. I was humbled, but at the same time felt I was at the beginning of a wonderful journey, on which he was my guide. Every lesson felt like I was taking another step forward along the way.
At 14, Gershon sent me to my first masterclasses at the Early Music Workshops in Jerusalem. My mind was blown away. I cannot even begin to describe the importance of these workshops to me, as a young musician. At 15, he introduced me to a group of amateur musicians who met once a month to play chamber music, at the house of Prof. Uri Karshon – nuclear physicist and enthusiastic harpsichord player – with whom I collaborated for a long time many years later. My passion for chamber music stems from those meetings. Gershon also introduced me to harpsichordist Nina Sobelman (R.I.P.), who helped him coach me. With time she became my friend and colleague, and would help me coach my own students in later years.
La Folia / Arcangelo Corelli
(F. Brüggen – recorder, A. Bylsma – cello, G. Leonhardt – harpsichord)
I continued to come to Gershon also when I was in the army, and later, in university. He was always insightful, interesting, and inspiring. My lessons with him were always marked by his enthusiasm and his wisdom, as well as his deep insight into music and people, and into the psyche of soul-searching youth; i.e., me…
Every now and again he would throw in one of his witty one-liners at me, which would leave me laughing, amazed, or both. As we were working once on a piece that was… less than inspiring, he said: “Nu, well… if this piece hadn’t been written, there wouldn’t be a star lacking in the sky…” And now that he is gone, the sky is definitely lacking one of its brightest stars. Gershon left a light in the hearts and minds of everyone who knew him, and I try, as best as I can, to share this light with my own students. I hope he would be pleased with the results…
Gershon passed away in 2014, after battling a long illness.
Rest in peace, dear Gershon.
Forever in our hearts; forever in our memory;
I shall always consider myself your student.
“הילדה עם הצמות” – מילים ולחן, גרשון פרנסקי; ביצוע, אחינועם ניני וגילי דור
“HaYalda im HaTsamot” – “The Girl with the Braids” – a song written by Gershon:
(Achinoam Nini & Gili Dor)