Par DOBRZYNSKI IGNACY FELIKS. Ignacy Feliks Dobrzynski wrote eight nocturnes for piano. Five of them were published in 1833–1834 in two books as Opp. 21 and 24, while the remainder appeared in various occasional collections issued much later. The Nocturne in A major was written in 1846 and belongs to the group of works composed by Dobrzynski during his tour of German cities. That tour was designed to increase the composer’s popularity and boost his finances. Besides concerts and meetings promoting Dobrzynski’s music, the ‘marketing campaign’ also included the publication of his new salon miniatures in particular cities. This Nocturne appeared in print in Berlin as Op. 52, together with a short mazurka constituting a transcription of the earlier song ‘Gdzie lubi’ (‘A fickle maid’). The form of this piece is based on an A-B-A1 scheme typical of the genre, with a quite elaborate epilogue. In section A, the composer based the melody on a one-bar motif in mazurka rhythm, which he combined with a bass led in widely spread chords, often used in nocturnes. He thus obtained a specifically idyllic mood. The sonorities, the type of melody and texture and, above all, the ornaments that appear as the work progresses bring to mind the early work of Fryderyk Chopin. The chordal section B, of lively expression, in the key of F sharp minor and a uniform triple rhythm, triggers associations with the middle section of Chopin’s Nocturne in A flat major, Op. 32 No. 2. After a short bridge, the reprise comprises a reiteration of the opening part of section A, which then passes into the epilogue, in which the composer splices motifs from both contrasting sections. It is difficult to date the second Nocturne published here and to establish the circumstances surrounding its composition. It was published posthumously (in 1868, in Warsaw), in the Album Pamiatkowe IG.F. Dobrzynskiego (‘Souvenir album of I. F. Dobrzynski’), which also contained two mazurkas, two songs and an excerpt from his incidental music for the play Konrad Wallenrod arranged for four hands. These compositions were not previously published and probably come from private collections. The Nocturne carries a dedication to Miss Wanda Miecznikowska. Determining the principal key of this work is rather problematic, since it falls into two tonally and expressively contrasting sections, divided by a lengthy caesura. An agitated, emotional episode in F minor (in A-B-A1 form, section B in A flat major), ending with a distinct conclusion, is followed, rather unexpectedly, by completely new material in the key of F major; adhering to a slower tempo and of very restrained expression, it serves as a sort of post scriptum, a lengthy and calming musical commentary to the foregoing segment. One may even gain the impression that this Nocturne is essentially a diptych consisting of two separate ‘songs without words’. Judging by its style, which is close to the lyric writing of Franz Schubert, Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy or John Field, with elements of the style brillant, this work could have been written earlier than the Nocturne in A major. One may also discern here a certain melodic-rhythmic similarity to the above-mentioned Nocturne in A flat major by Chopin. Both these Dobrzynski mazurkas could make interesting additions to the repertoire of both professional pianists and more advanced amateurs interested in nineteenth-century salon music. They may also enrich the programmes of concerts and broadcasts, particularly those devoted to Polish music, and also be included on the curricula of secondary schools of music. The present edition was based on the first editions. The proposed fingering in both works and the pedalling in the Nocturne in A major are entirely the work of the editors; other editorial performance markings are given in brackets. / Répertoire / Piano

All three parts of Kenneth Baker's best-selling tutor method for all keyboards, revised and fully updated, in one complete volume with three CDs! Everything you need to know to get the most out of your electronic keyboard. Based on popular songs and with easy-to-follow text and diagrams, it assumes no previous knowledge of the keyboard or music. Includes great songs by Bryan Adams, Abba, The Beatles, David Bowie, Coldplay, Bob Dylan, Elton John, Madonna, Sting, Travis, Westlife and Robbie Williams. / Clavier

Par ZELENSKI WLADYSLAW. Wladyslaw Zelenski had the Six Character Pieces for piano, op. 17 ready around 1871, although it is quite possible that he composed them earlier, even in 1864. Such is indicated by the opus number. At that time he was giving opus numbers to works in chronological order of composition. This set is dedicated to Auguste Auspitz-Kolár, a pianist whom Zelenski could have met on one of his trips to Vienna. The composer published these works in 1872, with Gotthard of Vienna, in two books under the common title Sechs Charakterstücke. The present edition is based on Ludwig Doblinger?s Viennese edition (cat. no. 1221 comprises the Praeludium, Promenade and Tanz, cat. no. 1222 the Canon, Scherzo and Abschied). The compositions collected in Zelenski?s opus 17 have been unjustly forgotten. Their undeniable qualities include advanced harmonies and expressive melodic writing, as well as a wide range of textural means and composition techniques. Quite ?densely? written, these miniatures may prove challenging, but the right fingering eliminates many difficulties of performance. The first book of the Six Character Pieces opens with a Prelude. Here the voices are often led in thirds, sixths and octaves. This work is ideally suited to practising parallel intervals, but with its expressive qualities it can also be successfully played in a recital by a mature pianist. The second piece, entitled Promenade, displays a distinct ABA form. The composer gradually builds up to a climax, beginning with an initially innocent motif and an intricate right-hand part. The Dance is the most complex of all the three pieces. Here the composer juxtaposes two different characters: a waltz in A flat major in the outer sections with a playful scherzando in the middle, led in E major. The virtuosic triplet progressions in a Chopinesque brillant style lend this miniature a light feel. The closing coda recapitulates the principal motifs. In the first book of Six Character Pieces, besides the Chopinesque subtleties, one also notes inspirations from the German Romantic tradition, while Zelenski himself comes across as an extremely interesting figure in Polish neoromanticism and a composer who elaborated his own original, distinctive style. Anna Miernik/ Répertoire / Piano

Evergreens. Par CORNICK MIKE. Play with style using Mike Cornick's Style Collection. Thirteen old favourites - all with everlasting appeal and in a variety of styles, have been arranged for the middle-grade pianist to play and enjoy. Includes Summertime, Give my Regards to Broadway, Maple Leaf Rag, Plaisir D'Amour. The CD provides the option of playing along as part of an ensemble which is both confidence-building and fun, while the demonstration tracks for listening are not only inspiring but hugely entertaining. • Old favourites that have stood the test of time arranged for the intermediate-level pianist • An enjoyable and rewarding way to become acquainted with a variety of styles and extend your pianistic skills • Play along in your own ensemble using the CD minus-one tracks - a pleasure on your own and when entertaining others / Evergreen / Etude / Piano

Regarded as the highlight among Chopin's polonaises, the great Polonaise in A flat major Op. 53 has also become known as 'octave polonaise' because of the distinctive octave passages in the middle section. As was customary at that time, the work was published in a German, English and French first edition each. There also exists an autograph which served as an engraver's copy for the German first edition. Some personal copies of Chopin pupils occasionally contain entries of the composer, thus providing additional information, e.g. original fingerings. Unfortunately, all three first editions contain a different, not always reliable text. The new edition of Wiener Urtext Edition is based substantially on the autograph and the - to a large extent - carefully revised German first edition, yet also takes some variants of the French first edition into account which give the impression of a last-hand version. The problems with regard to the sources and transmission are explained in detail in the preface and the critical notes. Variants containing a specific component with regard to the performance practice are commented on in the notes on interpretation. / Piano

Par BEETHOVEN LUDWIG VAN. The variation genre occupied Beethoven his whole artistic life. Collected in the second volume of G. Henle Publishers’ complete edition of Piano variations are compositions from his middle and later Vienna years written between 1799 and 1823. Among them are groundbreaking works such as the two sets of variations on original themes opp. 34 and 35, the Variations in C minor WoO 80, and, as the final crown jewel, the Diabelli Variations op. 120. The revised musical text of the Urtext edition, with an extensive foreword and commentary, was prepared on the basis of the subsequent Critical Apparatus of the Beethoven Complete Edition. The fingering suggestions stem fromthe competent hand of Ian Fountain. / Loy, Felix / Répertoire / Piano

Par ROTA NINO. This “Fantasia in G” was only recently discovered among the last manuscripts to be examined in the Nino Rota archive in Venice. Together with the “15 Preludes” (ED 9386), it is one of the few works by this Italian composer for piano solo. It was composed in the oppressive atmosphere of the last years of the war. The first and closing sections conjure up a feeling of late Romanticism from the distant past, while the middle section is characterised by melancholy melodies typical of Rota./ Répertoire / Piano

Par LINJAMA JYRKI. Jyrki Linjama composed Sonata da chiesa I for piano as a commission from the Carinthischer Sommer festival in Austria and premiered by Juho Pohjonen at Ossiach Abbey in summer 2010. The title alludes to the sonata tradition of the Baroque at its weightiest and most solemn. The polyphonic church sonata with its strict adherence to form for a long time occupied an important role in the liturgy (as distinct from the sonata da camera). Linjama's modern application of this tradition articulates features of the liturgy: breathing, bells, shades of darkness and light. The closed Miserere of the opening movement opens out in the middle movements to let in light, which the angelic song of the last movement once again encloses in translucent twilight. Each of the four movements uses a medieval melody as its material. Have a look inside by clicking 'sample'. Duration: c. 14' / Date parution : 2022-05-31/ Répertoire / Piano

14 imaginative, easy to middle-grade pieces for the piano. Par PODGORNOV NICOLAI. In this edition Nicolai Podgornov takes children and teenagers as well as adults who are returning to the piano on a wonderful visit to the circus. It perfectly complements any piano school while including 14 imaginative pieces for piano full of funny clowns, mysterious magicians, dancing horses, flying princes and princesses and colourful carousels. Once more, Russian author Podgornov proves that he knows how to compose simple yet beautiful piano music that also meets the highest pedagogical standards. Piano players of all ages will not await entering the circus tent: “Curtains up and clear the ring! The show is about to start!”/ Recueil / Piano

To provide greater availability for a work of such importance, the original publishers secured from Gershwin a solo piano version wherein the orchestral parts are fused together with the solo piano part (PS0047). Due to concerns that the composer's arrangement presented too many technical demands to pianists not possessing the requisite technique, a modified arrangement was delicately solicited from pianists of the time. (Gershwin's untimely death precluded any modification from the composer himself.) Many attempts at technical modifications were rejected on ethical grounds until Herman Wasserman--who taught Gershwin to play the piano--submitted a manuscript which became this edition. Several prominent pianists who reviewed the score all attested to the amazing reduction in technical demands while retaining the clarity, sonority, and brilliance of the original. This edition is designed for Early Advanced pianists, although some sections, including the well-known Moderato middle section, are accessible to those performing at less-advanced levels.

Par BEETHOVEN LUDWIG VAN. It was not until 1814, five years after the Sonata op. 81 ; Les Adieux, that Beethoven, then at the height of his popularity during the Congress of Vienna, returned to the piano sonata. The highly lyrical Sonata in E minor, the last piano sonata from his middle period, consists of two movements with solely German tempo marks and is dedicated to his piano-playing friend and patron, Moritz Count von Lichnowsky. In terms of technical difficulty regarding Beethoven's later piano sonatas, this sonata is one of the more accessible for advanced students. - Well-suited for advanced student lessons - Scholarly-critical Urtext edition at the forefront ofmusical scholarship - All known sources taken into account - Elegant musical engraving with optimal page turns - Valuable notes on period performance practice (Eng/Ger)/ Répertoire / Piano

The 'Eroica Variations'---so-called because they were later re-worked for the finale of Beethoven's third ('Eroica') Symphony, Op. 55---occupy a prominent place in piano literature. Its structural grandeur and the originality and beauty of its piano writing set this work apart. The technical demands are considerable, on par with many other works from Beethoven's middle period. A brilliant finger technique is called for, and often the demands for speed and volume coincide. This edition, edited by Charles Timbrell, is based on the autograph, which served as the source-score for the first edition. / Piano

Par GLORIEUX FRANCOIS. François Glorieux was born in Belgium in 1932, and acclaimed throughout Europe, the USA, Latin America, Canada, Japan, China, the Middle East and Africa. He is one of the most widely accomplished and versatile musicians traveling the international circuit today: pianist composer conductor, commentator, entertainer, honorary professor of chamber music at the Royal Music Conservatory of Ghent and guest professor at Yale University (USA). His particular art was the rare one of improvisation presented in five languages. Glorieux practices all musical styles and has been highly considered by great artists such as André Cluytens, Arthur Rubinstein, Yves Nat, Hiroyuki Iwaki, Enrique Jorda, Raphael Frühbeck de Burgos, but also Michael Jackson, Stan Kenton, Stéphane Grappelli, Paul McCartney, Toots Thielemans, Jacky Collins, Annie Girardot, Dionne Warwick, A.C. Jobim, and so on. / Date parution : 2022-11-29/ Répertoire / Piano

Par GLORIEUX FRANCOIS. François Glorieux was born in Belgium in 1932, and acclaimed throughout Europe, the USA, Latin America, Canada, Japan, China, the Middle East and Africa. He is one of the most widely accomplished and versatile musicians traveling the international circuit today: pianist composer conductor, commentator, entertainer, honorary professor of chamber music at the Royal Music Conservatory of Ghent and guest professor at Yale University (USA). His particular art was the rare one of improvisation presented in five languages. Glorieux practices all musical styles and has been highly considered by great artists such as André Cluytens, Arthur Rubinstein, Yves Nat, Hiroyuki Iwaki, Enrique Jorda, Raphael Frühbeck de Burgos, but also Michael Jackson, Stan Kenton, Stéphane Grappelli, Paul McCartney, Toots Thielemans, Jacky Collins, Annie Girardot, Dionne Warwick, A.C. Jobim, and so on. / Date parution : 2022-11-29/ Répertoire / Piano