SKU: CF.PL1056
ISBN 9781491153390. UPC: 680160910892. Transcribed by Franz Liszt.
Introduction It is true that Schubert himself is somewhat to blame for the very unsatisfactory manner in which his admirable piano pieces are treated. He was too immoderately productive, wrote incessantly, mixing insignificant with important things, grand things with mediocre work, paid no heed to criticism, and always soared on his wings. Like a bird in the air, he lived in music and sang in angelic fashion. --Franz Liszt, letter to Dr. S. Lebert (1868) Of those compositions that greatly interest me, there are only Chopin's and yours. --Franz Liszt, letter to Robert Schumann (1838) She [Clara Schumann] was astounded at hearing me. Her compositions are really very remarkable, especially for a woman. There is a hundred times more creativity and real feeling in them than in all the past and present fantasias by Thalberg. --Franz Liszt, letter to Marie d'Agoult (1838) Chretien Urhan (1790-1845) was a Belgian-born violinist, organist and composer who flourished in the musical life of Paris in the early nineteenth century. According to various accounts, he was deeply religious, harshly ascetic and wildly eccentric, though revered by many important and influential members of the Parisian musical community. Regrettably, history has forgotten Urhan's many musical achievements, the most important of which was arguably his pioneering work in promoting the music of Franz Schubert. He devoted much of his energies to championing Schubert's music, which at the time was unknown outside of Vienna. Undoubtedly, Urhan was responsible for stimulating this enthusiasm in Franz Liszt; Liszt regularly heard Urhan's organ playing in the St.-Vincent-de-Paul church in Paris, and the two became personal acquaintances. At eighteen years of age, Liszt was on the verge of establishing himself as the foremost pianist in Europe, and this awakening to Schubert's music would prove to be a profound experience. Liszt's first travels outside of his native provincial Hungary were to Vienna in 1821-1823, where his father enrolled him in studies with Carl Czerny (piano) and Antonio Salieri (music theory). Both men had important involvements with Schubert; Czerny (like Urhan) as performer and advocate of Schubert's music and Salieri as his theory and composition teacher from 1813-1817. Curiously, Liszt and Schubert never met personally, despite their geographical proximity in Vienna during these years. Inevitably, legends later arose that the two had been personal acquaintances, although Liszt would dismiss these as fallacious: I never knew Schubert personally, he was once quoted as saying. Liszt's initial exposure to Schubert's music was the Lieder, what Urhan prized most of all. He accompanied the tenor Benedict Randhartinger in numerous performances of Schubert's Lieder and then, perhaps realizing that he could benefit the composer more on his own terms, transcribed a number of the Lieder for piano solo. Many of these transcriptions he would perform himself on concert tour during the so-called Glanzzeit, or time of splendor from 1839-1847. This publicity did much to promote reception of Schubert's music throughout Europe. Once Liszt retired from the concert stage and settled in Weimar as a conductor in the 1840s, he continued to perform Schubert's orchestral music, his Symphony No. 9 being a particular favorite, and is credited with giving the world premiere performance of Schubert's opera Alfonso und Estrella in 1854. At this time, he contemplated writing a biography of the composer, which regrettably remained uncompleted. Liszt's devotion to Schubert would never waver. Liszt's relationship with Robert and Clara Schumann was far different and far more complicated; by contrast, they were all personal acquaintances. What began as a relationship of mutual respect and admiration soon deteriorated into one of jealousy and hostility, particularly on the Schumann's part. Liszt's initial contact with Robert's music happened long before they had met personally, when Liszt published an analysis of Schumann's piano music for the Gazette musicale in 1837, a gesture that earned Robert's deep appreciation. In the following year Clara met Liszt during a concert tour in Vienna and presented him with more of Schumann's piano music. Clara and her father Friedrich Wieck, who accompanied Clara on her concert tours, were quite taken by Liszt: We have heard Liszt. He can be compared to no other player...he arouses fright and astonishment. His appearance at the piano is indescribable. He is an original...he is absorbed by the piano. Liszt, too, was impressed with Clara--at first the energy, intelligence and accuracy of her piano playing and later her compositions--to the extent that he dedicated to her the 1838 version of his Etudes d'execution transcendante d'apres Paganini. Liszt had a closer personal relationship with Clara than with Robert until the two men finally met in 1840. Schumann was astounded by Liszt's piano playing. He wrote to Clara that Liszt had played like a god and had inspired indescribable furor of applause. His review of Liszt even included a heroic personification with Napoleon. In Leipzig, Schumann was deeply impressed with Liszt's interpretations of his Noveletten, Op. 21 and Fantasy in C Major, Op. 17 (dedicated to Liszt), enthusiastically observing that, I feel as if I had known you twenty years. Yet a variety of events followed that diminished Liszt's glory in the eyes of the Schumanns. They became critical of the cult-like atmosphere that arose around his recitals, or Lisztomania as it came to be called; conceivably, this could be attributed to professional jealousy. Clara, in particular, came to loathe Liszt, noting in a letter to Joseph Joachim, I despise Liszt from the depths of my soul. She recorded a stunning diary entry a day after Liszt's death, in which she noted, He was an eminent keyboard virtuoso, but a dangerous example for the young...As a composer he was terrible. By contrast, Liszt did not share in these negative sentiments; no evidence suggests that he had any ill-regard for the Schumanns. In Weimar, he did much to promote Schumann's music, conducting performances of his Scenes from Faust and Manfred, during a time in which few orchestras expressed interest, and premiered his opera Genoveva. He later arranged a benefit concert for Clara following Robert's death, featuring Clara as soloist in Robert's Piano Concerto, an event that must have been exhilarating to witness. Regardless, her opinion of him would never change, despite his repeated gestures of courtesy and respect. Liszt's relationship with Schubert was a spiritual one, with music being the one and only link between the two men. That with the Schumanns was personal, with music influenced by a hero worship that would aggravate the relationship over time. Nonetheless, Liszt would remain devoted to and enthusiastic for the music and achievements of these composers. He would be a vital force in disseminating their music to a wider audience, as he would be with many other composers throughout his career. His primary means for accomplishing this was the piano transcription. Liszt and the Transcription Transcription versus Paraphrase Transcription and paraphrase were popular terms in nineteenth-century music, although certainly not unique to this period. Musicians understood that there were clear distinctions between these two terms, but as is often the case these distinctions could be blurred. Transcription, literally writing over, entails reworking or adapting a piece of music for a performance medium different from that of its original; arrangement is a possible synonym. Adapting is a key part of this process, for the success of a transcription relies on the transcriber's ability to adapt the piece to the different medium. As a result, the pre-existing material is generally kept intact, recognizable and intelligible; it is strict, literal, objective. Contextual meaning is maintained in the process, as are elements of style and form. Paraphrase, by contrast, implies restating something in a different manner, as in a rewording of a document for reasons of clarity. In nineteenth-century music, paraphrasing indicated elaborating a piece for purposes of expressive virtuosity, often as a vehicle for showmanship. Variation is an important element, for the source material may be varied as much as the paraphraser's imagination will allow; its purpose is metamorphosis. Transcription is adapting and arranging; paraphrasing is transforming and reworking. Transcription preserves the style of the original; paraphrase absorbs the original into a different style. Transcription highlights the original composer; paraphrase highlights the paraphraser. Approximately half of Liszt's compositional output falls under the category of transcription and paraphrase; it is noteworthy that he never used the term arrangement. Much of his early compositional activities were transcriptions and paraphrases of works of other composers, such as the symphonies of Beethoven and Berlioz, vocal music by Schubert, and operas by Donizetti and Bellini. It is conceivable that he focused so intently on work of this nature early in his career as a means to perfect his compositional technique, although transcription and paraphrase continued well after the technique had been mastered; this might explain why he drastically revised and rewrote many of his original compositions from the 1830s (such as the Transcendental Etudes and Paganini Etudes) in the 1850s. Charles Rosen, a sympathetic interpreter of Liszt's piano works, observes, The new revisions of the Transcendental Etudes are not revisions but concert paraphrases of the old, and their art lies in the technique of transformation. The Paganini etudes are piano transcriptions of violin etudes, and the Transcendental Etudes are piano transcriptions of piano etudes. The principles are the same. He concludes by noting, Paraphrase has shaded off into composition...Composition and paraphrase were not identical for him, but they were so closely interwoven that separation is impossible. The significance of transcription and paraphrase for Liszt the composer cannot be overstated, and the mutual influence of each needs to be better understood. Undoubtedly, Liszt the composer as we know him today would be far different had he not devoted so much of his career to transcribing and paraphrasing the music of others. He was perhaps one of the first composers to contend that transcription and paraphrase could be genuine art forms on equal par with original pieces; he even claimed to be the first to use these two terms to describe these classes of arrangements. Despite the success that Liszt achieved with this type of work, others viewed it with circumspection and criticism. Robert Schumann, although deeply impressed with Liszt's keyboard virtuosity, was harsh in his criticisms of the transcriptions. Schumann interpreted them as indicators that Liszt's virtuosity had hindered his compositional development and suggested that Liszt transcribed the music of others to compensate for his own compositional deficiencies. Nonetheless, Liszt's piano transcriptions, what he sometimes called partitions de piano (or piano scores), were instrumental in promoting composers whose music was unknown at the time or inaccessible in areas outside of major European capitals, areas that Liszt willingly toured during his Glanzzeit. To this end, the transcriptions had to be literal arrangements for the piano; a Beethoven symphony could not be introduced to an unknowing audience if its music had been subjected to imaginative elaborations and variations. The same would be true of the 1833 transcription of Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique (composed only three years earlier), the astonishingly novel content of which would necessitate a literal and intelligible rendering. Opera, usually more popular and accessible for the general public, was a different matter, and in this realm Liszt could paraphrase the original and manipulate it as his imagination would allow without jeopardizing its reception; hence, the paraphrases on the operas of Bellini, Donizetti, Mozart, Meyerbeer and Verdi. Reminiscence was another term coined by Liszt for the opera paraphrases, as if the composer were reminiscing at the keyboard following a memorable evening at the opera. Illustration (reserved on two occasions for Meyerbeer) and fantasy were additional terms. The operas of Wagner were exceptions. His music was less suited to paraphrase due to its general lack of familiarity at the time. Transcription of Wagner's music was thus obligatory, as it was of Beethoven's and Berlioz's music; perhaps the composer himself insisted on this approach. Liszt's Lieder Transcriptions Liszt's initial encounters with Schubert's music, as mentioned previously, were with the Lieder. His first transcription of a Schubert Lied was Die Rose in 1833, followed by Lob der Tranen in 1837. Thirty-nine additional transcriptions appeared at a rapid pace over the following three years, and in 1846, the Schubert Lieder transcriptions would conclude, by which point he had completed fifty-eight, the most of any composer. Critical response to these transcriptions was highly favorable--aside from the view held by Schumann--particularly when Liszt himself played these pieces in concert. Some were published immediately by Anton Diabelli, famous for the theme that inspired Beethoven's variations. Others were published by the Viennese publisher Tobias Haslinger (one of Beethoven's and Schubert's publishers in the 1820s), who sold his reserves so quickly that he would repeatedly plead for more. However, Liszt's enthusiasm for work of this nature soon became exhausted, as he noted in a letter of 1839 to the publisher Breitkopf und Hartel: That good Haslinger overwhelms me with Schubert. I have just sent him twenty-four new songs (Schwanengesang and Winterreise), and for the moment I am rather tired of this work. Haslinger was justified in his demands, for the Schubert transcriptions were received with great enthusiasm. One Gottfried Wilhelm Fink, then editor of the Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung, observed of these transcriptions: Nothing in recent memory has caused such sensation and enjoyment in both pianists and audiences as these arrangements...The demand for them has in no way been satisfied; and it will not be until these arrangements are seen on pianos everywhere. They have indeed made quite a splash. Eduard Hanslick, never a sympathetic critic of Liszt's music, acknowledged thirty years after the fact that, Liszt's transcriptions of Schubert Lieder were epoch-making. There was hardly a concert in which Liszt did not have to play one or two of them--even when they were not listed on the program. These transcriptions quickly became some of his most sough-after pieces, despite their extreme technical demands. Leading pianists of the day, such as Clara Wieck and Sigismond Thalberg, incorporated them into their concert programs immediately upon publication. Moreover, the transcriptions would serve as inspirations for other composers, such as Stephen Heller, Cesar Franck and later Leopold Godowsky, all of whom produced their own transcriptions of Schubert's Lieder. Liszt would transcribe the Lieder of other composers as well, including those by Mendelssohn, Chopin, Anton Rubinstein and even himself. Robert Schumann, of course, would not be ignored. The first transcription of a Schumann Lied was the celebrated Widmung from Myrten in 1848, the only Schumann transcription that Liszt completed during the composer's lifetime. (Regrettably, there is no evidence of Schumann's regard of this transcription, or even if he was aware of it.) From the years 1848-1881, Liszt transcribed twelve of Robert Schumann's Lieder (including one orchestral Lied) and three of Clara (one from each of her three published Lieder cycles); he would transcribe no other works of these two composers. The Schumann Lieder transcriptions, contrary to those of Schubert, are literal arrangements, posing, in general, far fewer demands on the pianist's technique. They are comparatively less imaginative in their treatment of the original material. Additionally, they seem to have been less valued in their day than the Schubert transcriptions, and it is noteworthy that none of the Schumann transcriptions bear dedications, as most of the Schubert transcriptions do. The greatest challenge posed by Lieder transcriptions, regardless of the composer or the nature of the transcription, was to combine the vocal and piano parts of the original such that the character of each would be preserved, a challenge unique to this form of transcription. Each part had to be intact and aurally recognizable, the vocal line in particular. Complications could be manifold in a Lied that featured dissimilar parts, such as Schubert's Auf dem Wasser zu singen, whose piano accompaniment depicts the rocking of the boat on the shimmering waves while the vocal line reflects on the passing of time. Similar complications would be encountered in Gretchen am Spinnrade, in which the ubiquitous sixteenth-note pattern in the piano's right hand epitomizes the ever-turning spinning wheel over which the soprano voice expresses feelings of longing and heartache. The resulting transcriptions for solo piano would place exceptional demands on the pianist. The complications would be far less imposing in instances in which voice and piano were less differentiated, as in many of Schumann's Lieder that Liszt transcribed. The piano parts in these Lieder are true accompaniments for the voice, providing harmonic foundation and rhythmic support by doubling the vocal line throughout. The transcriptions, thus, are strict and literal, with far fewer demands on both pianist and transcriber. In all of Liszt's Lieder transcriptions, regardless of the way in which the two parts are combined, the melody (i.e. the vocal line) is invariably the focal point; the melody should sing on the piano, as if it were the voice. The piano part, although integral to contributing to the character of the music, is designed to function as accompaniment. A singing melody was a crucial objective in nineteenth-century piano performance, which in part might explain the zeal in transcribing and paraphrasing vocal music for the piano. Friedrich Wieck, father and teacher of Clara Schumann, stressed this point repeatedly in his 1853 treatise Clavier und Gesang (Piano and Song): When I speak in general of singing, I refer to that species of singing which is a form of beauty, and which is a foundation for the most refined and most perfect interpretation of music; and, above all things, I consider the culture of beautiful tones the basis for the finest possible touch on the piano. In many respects, the piano and singing should explain and supplement each other. They should mutually assist in expressing the sublime and the noble, in forms of unclouded beauty. Much of Liszt's piano music should be interpreted with this concept in mind, the Lieder transcriptions and opera paraphrases, in particular. To this end, Liszt provided numerous written instructions to the performer to emphasize the vocal line in performance, with Italian directives such as un poco marcato il canto, accentuato assai il canto and ben pronunziato il canto. Repeated indications of cantando,singend and espressivo il canto stress the significance of the singing tone. As an additional means of achieving this and providing the performer with access to the poetry, Liszt insisted, at what must have been a publishing novelty at the time, on printing the words of the Lied in the music itself. Haslinger, seemingly oblivious to Liszt's intent, initially printed the poems of the early Schubert transcriptions separately inside the front covers. Liszt argued that the transcriptions must be reprinted with the words underlying the notes, exactly as Schubert had done, a request that was honored by printing the words above the right-hand staff. Liszt also incorporated a visual scheme for distinguishing voice and accompaniment, influenced perhaps by Chopin, by notating the accompaniment in cue size. His transcription of Robert Schumann's Fruhlings Ankunft features the vocal line in normal size, the piano accompaniment in reduced size, an unmistakable guide in a busy texture as to which part should be emphasized: Example 1. Schumann-Liszt Fruhlings Ankunft, mm. 1-2. The same practice may be found in the transcription of Schumann's An die Turen will ich schleichen. In this piece, the performer must read three staves, in which the baritone line in the central staff is to be shared between the two hands based on the stem direction of the notes: Example 2. Schumann-Liszt An die Turen will ich schleichen, mm. 1-5. This notational practice is extremely beneficial in this instance, given the challenge of reading three staves and the manner in which the vocal line is performed by the two hands. Curiously, Liszt did not use this practice in other transcriptions. Approaches in Lieder Transcription Liszt adopted a variety of approaches in his Lieder transcriptions, based on the nature of the source material, the ways in which the vocal and piano parts could be combined and the ways in which the vocal part could sing. One approach, common with strophic Lieder, in which the vocal line would be identical in each verse, was to vary the register of the vocal part. The transcription of Lob der Tranen, for example, incorporates three of the four verses of the original Lied, with the register of the vocal line ascending one octave with each verse (from low to high), as if three different voices were participating. By the conclusion, the music encompasses the entire range of Liszt's keyboard to produce a stunning climactic effect, and the variety of register of the vocal line provides a welcome textural variety in the absence of the words. The three verses of the transcription of Auf dem Wasser zu singen follow the same approach, in which the vocal line ascends from the tenor, to the alto and to the soprano registers with each verse. Fruhlingsglaube adopts the opposite approach, in which the vocal line descends from soprano in verse 1 to tenor in verse 2, with the second part of verse 2 again resuming the soprano register; this is also the case in Das Wandern from Mullerlieder. Gretchen am Spinnrade posed a unique problem. Since the poem's narrator is female, and the poem represents an expression of her longing for her lover Faust, variation of the vocal line's register, strictly speaking, would have been impractical. For this reason, the vocal line remains in its original register throughout, relentlessly colliding with the sixteenth-note pattern of the accompaniment. One exception may be found in the fifth and final verse in mm. 93-112, at which point the vocal line is notated in a higher register and doubled in octaves. This sudden textural change, one that is readily audible, was a strategic means to underscore Gretchen's mounting anxiety (My bosom urges itself toward him. Ah, might I grasp and hold him! And kiss him as I would wish, at his kisses I should die!). The transcription, thus, becomes a vehicle for maximizing the emotional content of the poem, an exceptional undertaking with the general intent of a transcription. Registral variation of the vocal part also plays a crucial role in the transcription of Erlkonig. Goethe's poem depicts the death of a child who is apprehended by a supernatural Erlking, and Schubert, recognizing the dramatic nature of the poem, carefully depicted the characters (father, son and Erlking) through unique vocal writing and accompaniment patterns: the Lied is a dramatic entity. Liszt, in turn, followed Schubert's characterization in this literal transcription, yet took it an additional step by placing the register of the father's vocal line in the baritone range, that of the son in the soprano range and that of the Erlking in the highest register, options that would not have been available in the version for voice and piano. Additionally, Liszt labeled each appearance of each character in the score, a means for guiding the performer in interpreting the dramatic qualities of the Lied. As a result, the drama and energy of the poem are enhanced in this transcription; as with Gretchen am Spinnrade, the transcriber has maximized the content of the original. Elaboration may be found in certain Lieder transcriptions that expand the performance to a level of virtuosity not found in the original; in such cases, the transcription approximates the paraphrase. Schubert's Du bist die Ruh, a paradigm of musical simplicity, features an uncomplicated piano accompaniment that is virtually identical in each verse. In Liszt's transcription, the material is subjected to a highly virtuosic treatment that far exceeds the original, including a demanding passage for the left hand alone in the opening measures and unique textural writing in each verse. The piece is a transcription in virtuosity; its art, as Rosen noted, lies in the technique of transformation. Elaboration may entail an expansion of the musical form, as in the extensive introduction to Die Forelle and a virtuosic middle section (mm. 63-85), both of which are not in the original. Also unique to this transcription are two cadenzas that Liszt composed in response to the poetic content. The first, in m. 93 on the words und eh ich es gedacht (and before I could guess it), features a twisted chromatic passage that prolongs and thereby heightens the listener's suspense as to the fate of the trout (which is ultimately caught). The second, in m. 108 on the words Betrogne an (and my blood boiled as I saw the betrayed one), features a rush of diminished-seventh arpeggios in both hands, epitomizing the poet's rage at the fisherman for catching the trout. Less frequent are instances in which the length of the original Lied was shortened in the transcription, a tendency that may be found with certain strophic Lieder (e.g., Der Leiermann, Wasserflut and Das Wandern). Another transcription that demonstrates Liszt's readiness to modify the original in the interests of the poetic content is Standchen, the seventh transcription from Schubert's Schwanengesang. Adapted from Act II of Shakespeare's Cymbeline, the poem represents the repeated beckoning of a man to his lover. Liszt transformed the Lied into a miniature drama by transcribing the vocal line of the first verse in the soprano register, that of the second verse in the baritone register, in effect, creating a dialogue between the two lovers. In mm. 71-102, the dialogue becomes a canon, with one voice trailing the other like an echo (as labeled in the score) at the distance of a beat. As in other instances, the transcription resembles the paraphrase, and it is perhaps for this reason that Liszt provided an ossia version that is more in the nature of a literal transcription. The ossia version, six measures shorter than Schubert's original, is less demanding technically than the original transcription, thus representing an ossia of transcription and an ossia of piano technique. The Schumann Lieder transcriptions, in general, display a less imaginative treatment of the source material. Elaborations are less frequently encountered, and virtuosity is more restricted, as if the passage of time had somewhat tamed the composer's approach to transcriptions; alternatively, Liszt was eager to distance himself from the fierce virtuosity of his early years. In most instances, these transcriptions are literal arrangements of the source material, with the vocal line in its original form combined with the accompaniment, which often doubles the vocal line in the original Lied. Widmung, the first of the Schumann transcriptions, is one exception in the way it recalls the virtuosity of the Schubert transcriptions of the 1830s. Particularly striking is the closing section (mm. 58-73), in which material of the opening verse (right hand) is combined with the triplet quarter notes (left hand) from the second section of the Lied (mm. 32-43), as if the transcriber were attempting to reconcile the different material of these two sections. Fruhlingsnacht resembles a paraphrase by presenting each of the two verses in differing registers (alto for verse 1, mm. 3-19, and soprano for verse 2, mm. 20-31) and by concluding with a virtuosic section that considerably extends the length of the original Lied. The original tonalities of the Lieder were generally retained in the transcriptions, showing that the tonality was an important part of the transcription process. The infrequent instances of transposition were done for specific reasons. In 1861, Liszt transcribed two of Schumann's Lieder, one from Op. 36 (An den Sonnenschein), another from Op. 27 (Dem roten Roslein), and merged these two pieces in the collection 2 Lieder; they share only the common tonality of A major. His choice for combining these two Lieder remains unknown, but he clearly recognized that some tonal variety would be needed, for which reason Dem roten Roslein was transposed to C>= major. The collection features An den Sonnenschein in A major (with a transition to the new tonality), followed by Dem roten Roslein in C>= major (without a change of key signature), and concluding with a reprise of An den Sonnenschein in A major. A three-part form was thus established with tonal variety provided by keys in third relations (A-C>=-A); in effect, two of Schumann's Lieder were transcribed into an archetypal song without words. In other instances, Liszt treated tonality and tonal organization as important structural ingredients, particularly in the transcriptions of Schubert's Lieder cycles, i.e. Schwanengesang, Winterreise a...
SKU: BT.MUSTH978746
English.
This work owes its inception to Delius' friend Percy Granger, who approached Delius for 'some piece for not too big Orchestra...and not too wildly difficult'. This work is the result of this request, and is scored here for PianoSolo.
SKU: YM.GTP01097982
ISBN 9784636979824.
This is the matched scorebook of the same name of Yukie Nishimura's CD album, and all works are newly composed for the album. I want as many people as possible to turn on their musical switch to enjoy the piano sound, she created the album with this wish in mind. She speaks gently to the piano and plays melodies that touch the heart, making the listeners' hearts flutter. This scorebook will bring you even more love towards piano as well as a connection to the wonderful musical world. There are two bonus arrangements included in the scorebook. The Quartet on the Keys is arranged for beginners. She has made the Merry-Go-Round - Dedicated to Piazzolla into a slightly gentler arrangement, yet still perfect for performing at recitals and competitions.
SKU: ST.C463
ISBN 9790570814633.
This volume contains contrasting works by Federico Ruiz spanning quite a large and rich period of his compositional output that goes from his early Micro-Suite (1971), to lilting, sweet and rhythmic Venezuelan waltzes passing by the mysterious, intimate, and intense Nocturno (1994) plus pieces originally composed for film, and theatre. Real eclecticism in styles, moods and atmospheres that show Ruizâ??s talents and scope.The Nocturno is a deep, intriguing, substantial piece presenting a satisfying length which moves from different paths of the mind and the heart written in an abstract, chromatic idiom, that does not dissociate itself from the Venezuelan waltz and the joropo. One could perhaps say that there is a deconstruction of the latter. For the interpretation, the composer has suggested to me that it is allowed to have some flexibility in the tempo. Ruiz kindly dedicated it to me, and I have had the pleasure of performing it in many concerts.Although all highly expressive, the Three Venezuelan Waltzes present in this collection as well as the piece titled Aliseo, are works that are close to the colourful Venezuelan folk tradition. Federico Ruiz had given me two of them when we first met: â??Tu Presenciaâ?? (1981) and â??EloÃsaâ?? (1989) and then I attended a performance of the play â??Office Number Oneâ?? by Miguel Otero Silva with a fantastic actor, Elba Escobar in the role of Carmen Rosa and, I just fell in love and was very moved by the incidental music that I later discovered, by reading the programme, had been written by Federico Ruiz. Later that evening, I called him and asked to please make a piano score of the composition, so I could have the desired piece in my hands. That is how â??Carmen Rosaâ? waltz (1987) came to exist in a piano version.â??Eloisaâ?? is another Venezuelan waltz with more jazzy harmonies where precision in the rhythm and elegant playing is also essential, as it is in most of his pieces.â??Tu Presenciaâ?? was dedicated to his mother, Margarita. It is written with the structure of the Venezuelan waltz, which consists of a nostalgic subject that leads to a faster, happier middle section where the typical graceful rhythm is given by the left-hand accompaniment figure of a dotted crotchet followed by a quaver and a crotchet.The craft and magic found in the five movements of the Micro-Suite is based on a dodecaphonic row by Ernst Krenek. They remind us of the idiom of the Second Viennese School. These real miniatures seem to tell short stories. The â??Preludioâ?? is full of humour. I imagine dancing figures given by the jumps all over the keyboard and extreme dynamics; the phrases give the impression of a conversation with many questions and answers. The â??Invenciónâ?? is a kaleidoscopic piece where the hands mirror each other. The â??Passacagliaâ?? is the longest movement, at just over a minute where the prime motif is repeated three times on the bass line. For its construction Federico Ruiz uses as well the retrograde and the retrograde inversion of the twelve-tone series. It must be played expressively with dynamic contrasts between pianissimo and louder events. The â??Scherzoâ?? has repetitive motifs of a minor third in both hands and the â??Finalâ?? displays virtuosic passages for the pianist.Aliseo was originally written for the film â??Aire libreâ? (1995), by Luis Armando Roche. It contains elements of diverse types of Venezuelan joropo. In the film, the character of Aliseo Carvallo is played by the composer himself who performs this piece on a harpsichord to welcome scientists Alexander von Humboldt and Aimé Bonpland one day at the turn of the 1800â??s, as a sample of the new music from the South American land. It presents the refinement of the late European classical era in fusion with Venezuelan folk music.
SKU: SP.TS302
ISBN 9781585604029. UPC: 649571003029.
Everyone at Santorella Publications is extremely sensitive to the costly demands placed on piano teachers and their tenacious students. With this in mind, we decided to publish a series of Christmas sheets for easy piano with only those specific titles that you and/or your student(s) have decided to perform for their holiday concert, recital or maybe just for family and friends. Rather than purchase a large costly collection of songs that you may or may not have the opportunity to perform this year, we have provided an inexpensive alternative. For just $4.95, you can buy just that one, two or three songs that you truly want to learn this holiday season. That's three songs for the price of one! Each arrangement derives from our best-selling Christmas songbook, The Best Of Christmas For Easy Piano by Craig Stevens which is also available with or without a performance CD. If cost is not an issue and you'd like to buy this fantastic collection, be our guest, but if a big songbook is not in the budget this year, that's quite alright. Why not choose only those titles you've settled on for your Christmas performance? Here's your chance to learn O Come All Ye Faithful, Deck The Halls and The Snow Lay On The Ground published by Santorella Publications. Be sure to review our entire list of songs available for easy piano and yes, every one includes lyrics to sing along. Merry Christmas! Look at all the great Christmas sheets to choose from: (TS301 - TS313) O Come All Ye Faithful, Deck the Halls, The Snow Lay on the Ground - I Saw Three Ships, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Angels We Have Heard on High - We Wish You a Merry Christmas, Angels From the Realms of Glory, We Three Kings - Jingle Bells, Silver and Gold, Away in The Manger - Jingle, Jingle, Jingle, Joy To The World, Bringing the Season's Cheer - O Christmas Tree, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, The Coventry Carol - Holly and the Ivy, Good King Wenceslas, Away in a Manger - The Most Wonderful Day of the Year, Up On the Housetop, I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day - Holly Jolly Christmas, Silent Night, O Little Town of Bethlehem - Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Jolly Old St. Nicholas, What Child Is This? (Greensleeves) - Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree, Carol of the Bells - O Holy Night, The First Noel - 12 Days of Christmas.
SKU: SP.TS305
ISBN 9781585604050. UPC: 649571003050.
SKU: BT.NEVE9789463882910
ISBN 9789463882910. Dutch.
This book is for more expert level pianists. If you can play the last score of my book Two, I am convinced that you can start here. I needed to study these scores as well and to stay focused when playing them. Can I give you some advice? If you struggle with a hard part, repeat it, over and over again. You canâ??t expect to improve your piano level by playing only the easy parts of a song. Make sure you study efficiently. The book includes a lot of compositions. We recorded every song in the studio so you can hear me play, the way I like it to be played. However, as a pianist, I believe it is essential to give it your touch, so I am looking forward to hearing your version too. On top of that, there is a tutorial video of every single song, where I talk you through the hardest parts and share some tips and tricks with you.Deze drie prachtig geproduceerde boeken - START, 2 en PLAY - bieden een collectie van 42 composities, bedoeld voor beginners tot en met meer gevorderde pianospelers. De stukken zijn in een étudestijl en hebben audio- en tutorial video-ondersteuning van de componist.Jef Neve is een internationaal gerenommeerde Jazz- en Klassieke pianist en componist uit België. Hal Leonard is er trots op de exclusieve distributeur van zijn composities te zijn. Deze boeken bieden interessant en boeiend repertoire voor pianisten van alle niveaus.
SKU: BT.NEVE9789464008197
ISBN 9789464008197. English.
This book is for more expert level pianists. If you can play the last score of my book Two, I am convinced that you can start here. I needed to study these scores as well and to stay focused when playing them. Can I give you some advice? If you struggle with a hard part, repeat it, over and over again. You can’t expect to improve your piano level by playing only the easy parts of a song. Make sure you study efficiently. The book includes a lot of compositions. We recorded every song in the studio so you can hear me play, the way I like it to be played. However, as a pianist, I believe it is essential to give it your touch, so I am looking forward to hearing your version too. On top of that, there is a tutorial video of every single song, where I talk you through the hardest parts and share some tips and tricks with you.
SKU: SP.ME1033
ISBN 9781585607457.
The Masterpiece Edition series, published exclusively by Santorella Publications, is a collection of original piano works, as well as challenging arrangements and transcriptions designed for the experienced to advanced pianist. The series is meticulously engraved and printed on heavy cover stock and quality paper to last for generations. With original works from the great masters, Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, and alike, as well as arrangements and transcriptions from some of the greatest works of all time, these Masterpiece Editions are sure to be popular favorites while enhancing the repertoire of most any serious pianist. In this case, we are extremely proud to release the original, unedited, Masterpiece Edition of Joplin's Solace, Entertainer and Maple Leaf Rag as a 3 in 1 sheet in its purest form. Our ultimate goal is to emphasize the necessity of exceptional quality in printed sheet music. Time has heard the strains of a myriad of musical styles. Some styles liven with age while others fade. The same is true of the composers themselves; some are regarded as brilliant masters from the beginning of their lives while others are praised only posthumously. Endurance is the ultimate test. Scott Joplin endured great injustices and criticism, yet he remains the King of Ragtime. We remember the genius of Scott Joplin by publishing Solace, The Entertainer, and Maple Leaf Rag in a remarkable 3 in 1 original edition. Joplin's most popular rag, The Entertainer reached high acclaim in 1973 as a recognizable theme from the film classic, The Sting. This Academy Award-Winning film was solely responsible for the resurgence of ragtime in general, but more specifically brought renewed interest in the works of Scott Joplin. Solace was frequently heard in the background of many scenes in which the character was deep in thought. Subtitled, A Mexican Serenade, Solace has a serene Latin feel, unlike no other samba written and is the favorite of many Joplin enthusiasts. While the Maple Leaf Rag, actually became quite popular during Joplin's lifetime, so much so that it was the first printed sheet of music to sell over one million copies. We are pleased to combine these three original rags in one sheet as a special part of our Masterpiece Ragtime Selections. These newly engraved editions are clean, sharp, distinct, and accurate. An absolute pleasure to read as each crisp note seems to pop off the page.
SKU: YM.GTP01100211
ISBN 9784636101478. 8.5 x 12 inches.
14 arrangements for 11 songs from Castle in the Sky with color picture pages.
SKU: PR.110418400
UPC: 680160685783.
SKU: HL.48186472
Following on the success of her two operatic works for children and teens ? Douce et Barbe Bleue, Les Fables Enchantees, Little Thummie and Cendrillon (based on Perrault), as well as the adaptation of Maupassant?s short story The Dumpling (2014) ? Isabelle Aboulker once again hits the bull?s eye with Myla and the Boat-Tree, a commission from the Villecroze Music Academy. In 2015, this musical tale for narrator, children?s choir and instrumental accompaniment, was awarded the ?Music for Young Performers Prize? by the French Music Publishers Association. Both in the French version and Marci Meth?s excellent English translation, it provides the material for an enthralling educational adventure in which children between the ages of five and eight are invited into their first experience of opera and choir singing. With her trademark finesse and sensitivity, the composer tells the story of a little girl dealing with the death of a person she?d cherished above all: her grandfather. Written for choir in unison, this tale wafts shimmering melodies over an instrumental accompaniment suffused in turn with gentle melancholy and light humour. An art that speaks from an open heart. The work was written in three versions:? for narrator, children?s choir and piano (AL 30 732)? for narrator, children?s choir and trio (clarinet in B b, cello and piano: AL 30 733)? for narrator, children?s choir and instrumental ensemble (flute, oboe, clarinet in B b, bassoon, horn, trumpet in C, trombone, percussion, 2 violins, alto, cello, bass: AL 30 734) Choral score: AL 30 743 .
SKU: LM.27280
ISBN 9790230972802.
TRADITIONNEL : Down by the Riverside - BACH : Prelude en fa majeur BWV 927 - BAROUH / LAI : Un Homme et une femme - BEETHOVEN : Pathetique (theme de la Sonate n. 8, Op.13) - BORODINE : Danse Polovtsienne - BREL : Ne me quitte pas - CABREL : Je l'aime a mourir - CARMEN : All by Myself - EBB / KANDER : New York, New York - FRANCK : Les Plaintes d'une poupee - FREED / BROWN : Singin' in the Rain - GAINSBOURG : Elisa - GRIEG : La Chanson de Solveig - HAENDEL : L'Harmonieux forgeron - HANDY : St. Louis Blues - HEUMANN : Piano Dreams - Walking Blues Shoes - JARRE : Chanson de Lara (Docteur Jivago) - JENNINGS / HORNER : My heart will go on (Titanic) - LENNON : Imagine - MANCINI : The Pink Panther Theme (La Panthere Rose) - MASSENET : Aragonaise - MOZART : Cavatine de Figaro - PACHELBEL : Canon - PLANTE / AZNAVOUR : La Boheme - VIVALDI : Le Printemps.
SKU: HL.14041307
ISBN 9788759819333. 10.25x14.5x0.052 inches.
Waterways (Vandveje) - Three Pieces for Piano by Per Nørgård (2008-09).
Written for Anne Marie Fjord Abildskov.
Preface / Programme NoteThe three small piano pieces collectively called WATERWAYS was composed in 2008-2009 for Anne Marie Fjord Abildskov and they are dedicated to her.You will hear traces of earlier piano works of mine – GROOVING from 1968 and ACHILLEUS AND THE TORTOISE from 1983 – in these new pieces.
The first movement is characterized by echo-like sounds, which also appear in GROOVING. Semitones are overlayered and soundsimultaniously, and then they are muted one by one to give a reminiscence of the initial sound. In this new movement an extra echo is added, like an extra skim of the stoneacross the water surface – three skims, actually.
In the second movement you may hear traces of ACHILLEUS AND THE TORTOISE. The left and right hand both play arpeggio-like scale patterns. The music is shimmering, like a moiré on a water surface, with constantly changing, very short durations.In the third movement the pattern of irregular durations is maintained and expanded, but only in fragments – and you may catch a glimpse of a new melody emerging.
Per Nørgård
SKU: SP.ME1032
ISBN 9781585607440.
The Masterpiece Edition series, published exclusively by Santorella Publications, is a collection of original piano works, as well as challenging arrangements and transcriptions designed for the experienced to advanced pianist. The series is meticulously engraved and printed on heavy cover stock and quality paper to last for generations. With original works from the great masters, Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, and alike, as well as arrangements and transcriptions from some of the greatest works of all time, these Masterpiece Editions are sure to be popular favorites while enhancing the repertoire of most any serious pianist. In this case, we are extremely proud to release the original, unedited, Masterpiece Edition of Joplin's Entertainer and Maple Leaf Rag as a 2 in 1 sheet in its purest form. Our ultimate goal is to emphasize the necessity of exceptional quality in printed sheet music. Time has heard the strains of a myriad of musical styles. Some styles liven with age while others fade. The same is true of the composers themselves; some are regarded as brilliant masters from the beginning of their lives while others are praised only posthumously. Endurance is the ultimate test. Scott Joplin endured great injustices and criticism, yet he remains the King of Ragtime. We remember the genius of Scott Joplin by publishing The Entertainer and Maple Leaf Rag in this 2 in 1 original edition. Joplin's most popular rag, The Entertainer reached high acclaim in 1973 as a recognizable theme from the film classic, The Sting. This Academy Award-Winning film was solely responsible for the resurgence of ragtime in general, but more specifically brought renewed interest in the works of Scott Joplin. The Maple Leaf Rag, unlike so many others, became quite popular during Joplin's lifetime, so much so that it was the first sheet of music to sell over one million copies. We are pleased to combine these two rags in one as a special part of our Masterpiece Ragtime Selections. This newly engraved edition is clean, sharp, distinct, and accurate. An absolute pleasure to read as each crisp note seems to pop off the page.
SKU: EC.1.3427
ISBN 600313134272. UPC: 600313134272.
One dictionary definition of illusion takes a psychological perspective in saying that an illusion represents something in a way that may differ from reality. I wrote these little pieces with that concept in mind, that each one might express a single thought or emotion, but that the performer or the listener might hear them in their own individual ways. While some might say that an illusion is a misrepresentation of reality I think of the familiar adage, Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If that is true, then each person’s perception of each piece possesses its own reality. -John Carter.
SKU: PR.110418140
ISBN 9781491129432. UPC: 680160640379.
Matheson’s five-movement work is a setting of stained glass windows created by Marc Chagall and Henri Matisse for a rustic country church adjoining the Rockefeller estate near Sleepy Hollow on the Hudson River. Matheson’s suite draws from four Chagall windows: 1. Jeremiah, 2. Isaiah, 3. Crucifixion, 4. The Good Samaritan, and culminates with Matisse’s 5. The Rose.In 1954, the Rockefeller family asked Henri Matisse to create a stained glass Rose Window for the Union Church of Pocantico Hills, New York as a memorial to Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, the great art patroness and a founder of the Museum of Modern Art. It was to be the artist’s last work. A few years later, Mrs. Rockefeller’s youngest son, David, acting on behalf of the family, commissioned Marc Chagall to create an entire series of stained glass windows to fill the rest of the small church resulting in the large, majestic “Good Samaritan†window and eight sublime smaller windows, each depicting a biblical figure or scene. In 2015, Premiere Commission commissioned James Matheson to compose WINDOWS to celebrate the centennial of the Union Church of Pocantico Hills and the 100th birthday of David Rockefeller. This deeply touching, epic cycle distills into music the intimate, often heart-rending, visions of Chagall as well as the powerful simplicity of Matisse’s modern design which utilizes the striking collage forms he employed in his final years. Matheson’s work also reflects the influence of Olivier Messiaen’s own theologically-inspired music. Like the French master, Matheson utilizes large-scale blocks of harmonies with organ-like sonorities to support and shift the music’s kaleidoscopic planes of color and set into relief the work’s piercing motifs and intricate patterns. The universal themes of love and sacrifice (“Jeremiah†and “Isaiahâ€), loss and altruism (“Crucifixion†and “The Good Samaritanâ€) and the jubilant celebration of life and nature (“The Roseâ€) are memorably portrayed in this poignant tribute to the human spirit.—Bruce Levingston.
SKU: AP.36-M145491
UPC: 660355182525. English.
Originally written as the 1st movement from SIX PIECES for solo harp, this piece is gorgeous to hear. Translating to "Morning on the Water," the work evokes peace and relaxation.
These products are currently being prepared by a new publisher. While many items are ready and will ship on time, some others may see delays of several months.
SKU: YM.GTP01102000
ISBN 9784636116595. 12 x 9 inches.
Brand New Compilation of Japanese hit songs for the first half of 2024 !! The BEST HIT RANKING features piano arrangements of theme songs and inserted music written for dramas, anime, and movies that are very popular on social media platforms like TikTok. These songs are selected based on various rankings, including Yamaha's digital sheet music service, Print-Gakufu; e.g. Creepy Nuts' Bling-Bang-Bang-Born (the opening theme for the second season of the TV anime Mashle: Magic and Muscles). You must find many other anime songs that are performed by J-POP artists and have received attention from all over the world in the following song lists! [Easy Level] Presenting an easy-to-play collection of hit songs, arranged 1st verse only (some pieces are arranged in full length), transposition to easier keys, simpler arrangements for beginners to enjoy! Number of Songs: 25.
SKU: YM.GTP01101999
ISBN 9784636116588. 12 x 9 inches.
Brand New Compilation of Japanese hit songs for the first half of 2024 !! The BEST HIT RANKING features piano arrangements of theme songs and inserted music written for dramas, anime, and movies that are very popular on social media platforms like TikTok. These songs are selected based on various rankings, including Yamaha's digital sheet music service, Print-Gakufu; e.g. Creepy Nuts' Bling-Bang-Bang-Born (the opening theme for the second season of the TV anime Mashle: Magic and Muscles). You must find many other anime songs that are performed by J-POP artists and have received attention from all over the world in the following song lists! [Intermediate Level] Introducing a collection of hit songs for intermediate players, arranged complete verses in full length, original keys, authentic arrangements. Number of Songs: 25.
SKU: BO.B.3688
This book proposes a way to start the girls and boys from five yeras old to study the piano. Through the characters of the short stories, that head each piece on the form of a little poem, we work in a fun way, exploring the various possibilities of sound, timbre and register of the instrument. From the first contact, the piano is displayed with all its full expression.At first, these scores have been designed to provide memory reference points on order to focus all the attention on what happens on the keyboard. Thus, the identification of groups and patterns of notes -often illustrated with cartoons and a short analysis of the formal structure, sometimes referred to in the opening poem- may be one of the first approaches the student has to the complexity of musical abstraction. Therefore, the use of the score is also an invitation to discover musical language intuitively.The organization of material is also designed so that its contents can be played, in part or in full, in auditions and concerts. Students can recite the poems before playing the pieces and even perform dressed up. Thus, from the elegant leap of a dolphin to the small steps of a mouse, we imagine the rapid jump of a flea trapeze artist or the rhythmic sound of a train. From the sounds we hear in a haunted house, we will add a touch of the magic wand and learn to accurately enter pinches of ingredients for a potion….