I have been hidden under Ars Subtilior Editions for quite a long time. However, it was high time I sent out a few words to the world.
I have travelled all over Europe
(Lisbon, Coimbra, Bologna, Regensburg, Aachen, Treviso…) for more than a decade
searching for lost treasures that I considered had to be discovered and shared.
I have spent thousands of Euros out of pocket on travelling and on digital
images of original sources to make world premiere editions of music that has
not been performed for centuries. For better or worse, I have always worked freelance
and I am independent so none of my trips or purchases of digital images have
been covered by an institution or supported by anyone other than me. I could
not estimate how much money and time I have spent in these years. Also, I am
not interested in doing so as I always did it for the sake of it. But for sure,
I could have started paying off a house.
That said, the reason for this short
note is to announce that from now on, all the scores will have a minimum price
of 0,01€/$. As before, it is up to you to contribute with a more generous
amount. Establishing that minimum amount means nothing to me as I will still
have to pay Payhip and PayPal fees. However, I consider it is a necessary step
to avoid massive downloads, to make people aware of how much has Ars Subtilior
Editions cost in terms of work, time and money, and last but not least, for the music itself.
This is a first step. If nothing
changes, I am afraid I will take further measures such as closing Ars Subtilior
Editions either temporarily or permanently. I hope everyone understands.
Jorge Martín.
