to the concerto for piano and orchestra in G Major Hob. XVIII:4. Par HAYDN FRANZ JOSEF. Improvised and also composed solo cadenzas, normally occuring towards the end of a bravura aria or an instrumental concerto movement, have existed since the late 16th century. They provide the performer with an opportunity for self-presentation in the form of a free style of playing or singing, based on themes and motifs from previous sections of the movement. Solo cadenzas are for the most part introduced by a six-four chord held by the orchestra; the soloist begins a protracting interpolation in free stlye, subsequently culminating on the dominant chord, usually with a trill. Whereas originally composers left solo cadenzas to be freely improvised, from the middle of the 19th century onwards they were frequently specifically written out. The increasing abuse of cadenzas as a mere display of free virtuosity, ignoring the style and impetus of the composition, played a substantial factor in this development. Thus Beethoven gives the soloist no opportunity whatsoever for free improvisation in his 5th piano concerto in which the cadenza becomes an integral, obligatory component of the complete work. In this unique series Schott Music presents cadenzas created for well-known instrumental concertos from the Classical and Romantic periods by major composers and soloists of our time. Nino Rota dedicated the 'Kadenzen zum Klavierkonzert Nr. 4 in G-Dur (Cadenzas of the Concerto No. 4 for Piano and Orchestra in G major) Hob. XVIII:4' by Joseph Haydn to Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (1920-1995), who recorded them for the label EMI./ Répertoire / Piano

This volume presents easy pieces for piano by great virtuosos. It unites the two greatest, and perhaps best-known, pianists of the 19th century, Frédéric Chopin and Franz Liszt. The technical requirements of these works are very moderate without muting the stylistic characteristics of these two composers. The ability to play an original composition by Liszt in the first years of lessons can be very motivating for the piano student. Also featured in this collection are works by the virtuoso Ferdinand Hiller, to whom Robert Schumann dedicated his Piano Concerto. As in many of the works by Liszt and Chopin, Hiller's works are frequently reminiscent of folk music. His Irländisches Lied and Fandango, included in the collection, are fine examples of 19th-century 'world music'. / Piano

Carl Maria von Weber's fame rests mainly on ?Der Freischütz'. The unprecedented success of this opera overshadowed all his other works and contributed to their increasing fall into oblivion. Certain works such as ?Preciosa', ?Oberon', and ?Euryanthe', the overtures, solo concertos and piano sonatas, the lieder and chamber works enjoyed great popularity and were widely known in Germany and abroad as late as the second half of the 19th century. However, any chance of a revival of Weber's influential and substantial oeuvre was wasted in the 1920s, when a complete edition - begun by Hans Joachim Moser and with potential contributors including Wilhelm Kempff, Hans Pfitzner, Max von Schillings, Fritz Stein and Richard Strauss - failed after the third volume.Ever since there have been numerous attempts to restart a complete edition of Weber's works, but as this kind of project would have required the co-operation of scholars from both sides of the inter-German border, the political situation after 1945 was not conducive to any such enterprise. Careful negotiations led to the first tangible steps in the 1980s. The intention, right from the beginning, was to place Weber's work in context, and not to separate his musical output from his influential work as a writer, critic and organiser in the musical field, but to publish his compositions together with his letters, diaries and other literary output as the best way to document the cross-fertilisation between his musical, literary and practical activities.Since the German re-unification both working-parties concerned - at the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, and at the Musikwissenschaftliches Seminar, Detmold/Paderborn - have co-operated on the complete edition of the musical works (c. 45 volumes in 10 series: sacred music - cantatas, odes and other occasional works - stage works - lieder and vocal works - orchestral works - chamber music - music for piano - piano reductions - miscellanea, arrangements and orchestrations - works of doubtful attribution). The diaries (6-8 vols.) are edited in Berlin and the letters (8-10 vols.) and other writings (2 vols.) in Detmold. This complete edition aims to be a reliable basis of scholarly debate as well as for the authentic performance practice of Carl Maria von Weber's music. Conforming to the standards of recent historico-critical editions, the textual material will be based on all available authentic sources, accompanied by a detailed documentation of the genesis and a list of variants for each work. The musicological importance of the works will be evaluated by placing them in their historical context, the presentation of their genesis, history and Critical Commentaries. The letters, writings and diaries will be treated as inter-related and relevant to each other in the commentaries, therefore readers should benefit from a wealth of concise information and cross-references. / Piano