A rehearsal letter usually breaks a multimeasure rest in a part (except in cases where a given instrument does not play at all in a given movement of the work). Because rehearsal letters are sometimes independent of edition and in some cases even version, they are also useful for telling applicants for positions in the orchestra what passages they need to play at the audition. They are also useful for easy reference in scholarly essays about orchestral works. However, rehearsal letters are altogether absent from some editions of some pieces that have them in other editions, such as the older editions of Richard Wagner's "Meistersinger" prelude.