The Pirates of Penzance: or The Slave of Duty Vocal Score

(And if you need a Full Score, the Dover full score is also a very good deal).


Different editions   February 28, 2002
Steven Jong (Westford, MA United States)
11 out of 12 found this review helpful

We're staging a production of "Pirates" in April 2002, and we have two editions of this score by G. Schirmer. The cheaper one is for the chorus, and has just the choral passages. The more expensive one (listed here) has the complete vocal music and dialogue.

I have seen both, and would rate them at five stars except that the original page plates are a little dirty, introducing some confusing dots and spots.


Good version   December 7, 2001
C. A Baker (Santa Rosa CA United States)
10 out of 12 found this review helpful

I'm not sure what an earlier reviewer is saying about this score not having the solo stuff. This book has the complete score and dialoge. I've used it for two productions of POP and it is missing nothing.
Unless this is a different edition than the one I have..but it has the exact same cover and credits so I doubt it.


Pray Observe the Magnanimity...   July 15, 2006
Tony Kelly (Rome, GA USA)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful

I used this score in a production of Pirates at my university, and from the standpoint of a cast member it was excellent. It outlined each part and was easy to read. At any point where scores between production years differ, this handy volume recounts them all with notes as to which part belongs with which year. My only complaints are that it is not ring-bound (regular paperback binding, harder to hold on to/use) and some harmony parts are difficult to pick out because they divide on the page turn and appear at different parts of the page. Other than that, it is a wonderful score and I would recommend it to anyone interested in producing this enchanting operetta.


The very model of a modern libretto?   February 28, 2009
Donald Shirer (Westbrook, CT.)
The standard version of G&S's "Pirates". Most production companies will use this edition, but I've always thought that it could be improved by including a description of some of the classic stage business that has become attached to it, if only as a benchmark to improve on.