The seven recital pieces in volume 3 of the 'Viola Recital Album? augment the repertoire in volumes 2 and 3 of the Sassmannshaus tutor 'Early Start on the Viola.? But other viola tutors will also benefit from these pieces, all of which are in first position.The editors have chosen a short series of delightful little pieces by such unknown composers as Septimus Winner ('The Last Rose of Summer?) or Martin Greenwald ('Arminta Waltz?).Each piece is accompanied by duo version in which the teacher or an advanced learner can play the second part. There is also a piano part that can be played by the teacher or parents.- New recital pieces for the proven viola tutor- Well-known traditionals- Every piece in first position- Second viola part for duo performance- Piano accompanimentAll the pieces in the four 'Viola Recital Albums? represent welcome additions to the already varied repertoire of Egon Sassmannhaus's viola tutor 'Early Start on the Viola?.Kurt Sassmannshaus is the editor of many string editions in the Bärenreiter catalogue. He continues in the tradition of 'Early Start on String Instruments? founded by his father, Egon Sassmannshaus. The new editions mentioned here were developed by Kurt Sassmannshaus in conjunction with his wife Melissa Lusk and his son Christoph Sassmannshaus. / Alto Et Piano (Ou 2 Altos)

Instrumental Play-Along. Par PUCCINI GIACOMO. Who needs a singer? With Play Puccini, instrumentalists can bathe themselves in luxurious Italian melody! These ten opera arias are among the composer's most famous and distinctive achievements, here transcribed forintermediate level solo instrument and piano. The book includes a biography of Puccini, notes about the plot of each opera, and the dramatic context of the selected aria. The companion CD features excellent performances, as wellas piano accompaniments for practice. Includes arias from: La Bohème, La Fanciulla Del West, Gianni Schicchi, Madama Butterfly, Manon Lescaut, Suor Angelica, Tosca and Turandot . / Classique / Répertoire / Alto et Piano

Brahms had already announced his ?retirement' from composition when in the spring of 1894 he played chamber music with the cellist Robert Hausmann and the clarinettist Richard Mühlfeld. This encounter apparently renewed his enthusiasm for Mühlfeld's much admired playing and inspired him to write two clarinet sonatas in the summer of the same year. It remains unclear when exactly Brahms drafted viola parts to his two sonatas. In any case the viola and clarinet versions of the works were first published by Simrock at the same time in 1895. Today there is no doubt about Brahms' authorship of the viola parts. They include important differences from the clarinet original in order to do justice to this string instrument.An important part of this edition is the extensive preface. Firstly it informs about the sonatas' origins, their compositional process, pre-publication performances, their publication history as well as early reception. Truly remarkable is the unique Performance Practice Commentary. Here the editors start from the premise that already a few decades after Brahms' death, a widening gulf developed between the composer's expectations and the performance practices of the early 20th century. On the basis of manifold sources which include memoirs by pupils and chamber music partners, treatises and essays, early instructive editions and historical recordings, the editors deal with key issues in understanding Brahms' notation. By a section-by-section analysis of rhythm and timing, dynamics and accentuation, dots and strokes, slurring and non legato, piano pedalling and overholding, piano arpeggiation and dislocation, string instrument fingering, string instrument harmonics and vibrato, the editors provide an indispensable assistance for a historically informed interpretation of the works.At the same time, the edition offers an exciting and often surprising insight into musical interpretation of the German Romantic Era in general.- A pioneering Urtext edition- With an unmarked Urtext part- With a second part including fingering and bowing based on the practices of contemporaries of Brahms- With an extensive Performance Practice Commentary- For further information on Romantic performance practice we recommend the text booklet: 'Performance Practices in Johannes Brahms' Chamber Music?, BA 9600 / Alto Et Piano

The pieces in volume 4 of the 'Viola Recital Album? begin at the level of those in volumes 2 and 3 of the viola tutor and raise it to create little challenges in lessons. They can also be played to good effect in recitals.This delightful selection adds many fresh colours to the learner's repertoire, including an almost exotic flair in 'Danse Espagnole? (Bénoni Lagye), 'Capriccio Polka? (Salvador Leonardi) or 'The Temple Bells? (Amy Woodforde-Finden).Each piece is accompanied by duo version in which the teacher or an advanced learner can play the second part. There is also a piano part that can be played by the teacher or parents.- New recital pieces for the proven viola tutor- Well-known traditionals- Every piece in first position- Second viola part for duo performance- Piano accompanimentAll the pieces in the four 'Viola Recital Albums? represent welcome additions to the already varied repertoire of Egon Sassmannhaus's viola tutor 'Early Start on the Viola?.Kurt Sassmannshaus is the editor of many string editions in the Bärenreiter catalogue. He continues in the tradition of 'Early Start on String Instruments? founded by his father, Egon Sassmannshaus. The new editions mentioned here were developed by Kurt Sassmannshaus in conjunction with his wife Melissa Lusk and his son Christoph Sassmannshaus. / Alto Et Piano (Ou 2 Altos)

Par WIENIAWSKI / KAMASA. In addition to the numerous violin pieces in H. Wieniawski's compositional output there is only one piee for viola and piano, ''Reverie'', which is without opus number. The ''Dream'' ost probably comes from that period when Wieniawski stayed in London (1858-1859) and, apart from his regular concert activities, took part in chamber concerts, which were very popular at that time. During one of the Beethoven-Quartett-Society concerts a quartet of four outstanding virtuosos (Ernst, Joachim, Wieniawski and Piatti, the cellist) performed together. Wieniawski, who played the viola on that occasion, presumably concluded that there were too few original compositions for thisbeautiful instrument and decided to write a short viola piece himself. He endowed it with a lyrical character and the stamp of fervour, characteristic of his other compositions. (S. Kamasa) / Répertoire d'Examen / Répertoire / Alto et Piano

Ursula Mamlok was born in Berlin in 1923, but was forced to emigrate via Ecuador to New York in 1939 because of her Jewish descent. In 2006 she returned to the city where she was born.Above Clouds for viola and piano, created in 2013/14, is one of Mamlok's most recent compositions and is no longer than about three minutes. In this period, however, many a thing happens, even if, as is often the case with Mamlok, the dramatization of the piece rather not follows traditional principles. This is why the end of the piece comes a surprise, when you least expect it. / Alto Et Piano