SKU: HL.51481508

Ravel's plans for a piano concerto can be traced back to 1906, but it was only in early 1929 that the composer seriously started work on one. He later stated that he wrote it “in the spirit of the concertos by Mozart and Saint-Saëns”, the music being “cheerful and brilliant” and not “aiming for profundity or dramatic effects”. The outer movements are characterised by rhythmic drive and borrowings from jazz; while the slow movement, with its subtle shifts of accented beats, is entirely dedicated to melody. Alongside manuscripts and prints, a recording made under Ravel's supervision by the work's dedicatee, Marguerite Long, was consulted for this Henle Urtext edition. Since its successful premiere in January 1932 the concerto has been part of the repertoire of all great pianists, including Pascal Rogé, the French music expert who has provided the fingerings for the solo part.

About Henle Urtext

What I can expect from Henle Urtext editions:

• error-free, reliable musical texts based on meticulous musicological research - fingerings and bowings by famous artists and pedagogues
• preface in 3 languages with information on the genesis and history of the work 
• Critical Commentary in 1 – 3 languages with a description and evaluation of the sources and explaining all source discrepancies and editorial decisions 
• most beautiful music engraving 
• page-turns, fold-out pages, and cues where you need them 
• excellent print quality and binding 
• largest Urtext catalogue world-wide 
• longest Urtext experience (founded 1948 exclusively for Urtext editions)

SKU: HL.159734

9.0x12.0 inches.

Witaj Reksio! (Hello Reksio!) for two pianos is a collection of short music pieces for young performers. A few titles included in it refer to the themes from the well-known TV series for children, created by Lechoslaw Marszalek in the Animated Film Studi on Bielsko-Biala. The main hero is a very popular character in Poland: a nice dog Reksio who, together with his friends, has accompanied the successive generations, entertaining and educating them. The collection also comprises pieces that do not directly refer to the series. I hope the music will stir the listeners' imagination and will communicate all that the young performers want to tell them with their instruments. I wish all young friends interesting interpretation of my music. I also hope that you will create new interesting music stories that will be played and listened to with great joy. [Zenon Kowalowski].