Complete Ballades, Impromptus and Sonatas [Paperback] Review

This is a great book. I have used it on numerous occasions and can give no more than an absolute satisfactory report. Often, publishers write incorrect fingering and/or dynamics, and this book appears to have notsubdued to that level. The publishers obviously knew what Chopin wanted anddelivered just that instead of placing marks they thought were appropriate.

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Product Description:
Edited by Chopin's student and teaching assistant Carl Mikuli, this edition includes highly authoritative versions of these favorite pieces: Ballades-No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 23; No. 2 in F Major, Op. 38; No. 3 in A-flat Major, Op. 47; No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 52 Impromptus-No. 1 in A-flat Major, Op. 29; No. 2 in F-sharp Major, Op. 36; No. 3 in G-flat Major, Op. 51; No. 4 in C-sharp Minor, Op. 66 (Fantaisie-Impromptu) Sonatas-No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 4; No. 2 in B-flat Minor, Op. 35; No. 3 in B Minor, Op. 58 New compilation of scores originally published by G. Schirmer, New York, 1894-1895.


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Mozart 21 of His Most Popular Pieces: Alfred Masterwork Edition [Paperback] Review

The Alfred Masterworks Editions are my favorite piano music books. I've been playing the piano for about 20 years, and these are the best series of books I've used. They have very good, clear notations, the arrangements are really well presented and put together, the fingering recommendations are the best I've seen (with the little numbers by the notes), and the biographical information and performance recommendations are a nice touch.

I only wish they had more books in the series.

This Mozart book is a good starter for someone who hasn't played Mozart before, and is looking to get better acquainted with his music.

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Product Description:
Some of Mozart's most popular works are contained in this volume, including the "Fantasia in D Minor," the "Sonata in C Major" (first movement) and the "Turkish March" from the Sonata in A Major. Other selections include intermediate-level transcriptions from operas and orchestral works. Arranged in the order of difficulty, each piece is prefaced by a short description. A biographical sketch of the composer is also provided.

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Etudes, Children's Corner, Images Book II, and Other Works f [Paperback] Review

For years, due to copywrite issues, "The Children's Corner" suite was only available in a French edition. Now it's here, in an affordale Dover edition, along with some rarer piano solos.
"Children's Corner" ranges from playable ("Dr. Gradus ad Parnassum" and "The Little Shepherd" and "Doll's Lullaby" to the evilly tricky "Snow is Dancing" made famous by Tomita in an electronic version. The suite was written for Debussy's daughter and is utterly charming and really fun to play. The etude's from Book II are incomplete here, but have some of the nices works, along with a beautiful berceuse.
If you play piano and love the Impressionist composers, this is a must-have.

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Product Description:
Many of the most admired of Debussy's piano works, reprinted from authoritative French editions, among them the Etudes (1915), a late work that richly displays the full range and depth of Debussy's genius for the piano, and the magical Children's Corner (1906-8). Also included: Nocturne (1892), Piece pour piano (1903-4), Images, Book II (1907), Hommage a Haydn (1910), The Little Nigar (1909), La plus que lente (1910), Berceuse heroique (1914), Six epigraphes antiques (1914) and Elegie (1915).


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Fantasy in F Minor, Barcarolle, Berceuse and Other Works for Solo Piano [Paperback] Review

Chopin's music is usually published by category--i.e. Mazurkas, Polonaises, Walzes, Etudes, etc. There are a number of works that don't fit into any of these categories such as the glorious and technically horrific Berceuse and the surprisingly easy to read but showy Tarentelle--not only gorgeous but a good exercise for technical proficiency.
This book is worth having just for the Berceuse and Tarantella, and also for the Barcarolle, another brilliant and showy work that is all too rarely played. This is a great addition to any piano music library, especially if you adore Chopin. Easy to read edition, clear print.

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Product Description:
Features 15 works, including one of the greatest of the Romantic period, the Fantasy in F Minor, Op. 49, reprinted from the authoritative German edition prepared by Chopin's student, Carl Mikuli.

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Tchaikovsky -- Album for the Young, Op. 39 (Alfred Masterwork Editions) [Paperback] Review

A few of the tests of a good composer are:

--to break free of the tyranny of square phrases.#12 is based on a 6-measure phrase.The phrases in #24 are uneven.#7 is in three 16-measure melodic units.

--to compose in a variety of styles.The album includes an accordion imitation, a couple of church hymn imitations, a few dance numbers, a couple of marches, and a variety of folk song styles.#4 is probably a spoof on Schumann.

--to devise original harmonic textures.This he exemplifies in several of the pieces, notably #6.#9 is in 3/8, with left-hand chords on the first and second beats and rests on the third beats.#16 and #23 make use of a tonic pedal.

--to write in a contrapuntal texture.#11 consists of a statement in chordal harmony, followed by a contrapuntal variation.

--to write in a variety of forms.Most of the pieces are in binary or ternary form, but #13 is a set of variations.#3 and #8 each have three subjects which are not arranged according to any conventional plan.

--to combine short motifs.This he does quite well in #2.

--to write in chromatic harmony.Music theory buffs might enjoy hunting for the German sixths (#2, 7, 19, 20), French sixths (#10, 21, 22), Italian sixths (#10), half-diminished sevenths (#16, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24)
and Phrygian cadences (#1, 6).The diminished sevenths are too numerous to list.

When Tschaikovsky abstains from chromatic harmony, it is to convey a programmic effect.In order to imitate an accordion in #12, there are no accidentals.In order to create a folk song effect, only the basic chords are used in #15, #17, and #18.

Tschaikovsky may be over-rated by the concert-going public, but he is certainly under-rated in circles of musical snobbery.

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Product Description:
A wonderful collection of miniature pieces reminiscent of childhood, similar to Schumann's Album For The Young. Each selection is delightful and entertaining for students and audiences of all ages.

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Complete Hungarian Rhapsodies for Solo Piano [Paperback] Review

Franz Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsodies are challenging, demanding pieces. Ideal for those of you who are advanced/experienced professional pianists. Not suitable for beginner/intermediate pianists because you won't be able to play any piece. I use this book for both teaching and playing. Good layout, good fingerings. The book stays flat on the piano thus you don't need a clip to make it stay still.

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Product Description:
All 19 Rhapsodies reproduced directly from an authoritative Russian edition. All headings, footnotes translated to English. Bestone-volume edition available.


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The Piano Concertos in Full Score [Paperback] Review

The I. Paderewski edition of Chopin's Piano Concerto's No. 1 and 2 is the best edition I've looked at.The orchestral part is intricately transcribed for the second piano.Like all Dover products, this book andits binding are virtually indestructible...a major plus for the monumentaltask of mastering the greatest concertos of them all (Concerto No.2 in Fminor). A good buy!

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Product Description:
The authoritative Breitkopf & Härtel full-score edition in one volume of Piano Concertos No. l in E Minor and No.2 in F Minor.


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The Complete Preludes & Etudes: For Solo Piano [Paperback] Review

Speaking of correcting misinformation, this is definitely *not* the Paderewski edition. The Mikuli and Paderewski editions are certainly not the same, although if you look in the commentary in the back of any Paderewski Chopin score, you will find that the Mikuli is one of the many sources that were consulted for the Paderewski.

Dover used to publish a reproduction of the Paderewski edition years ago, and it was wonderful. Unfortunately, they no longer seem to do so.

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Product Description:
Chopin's piano works are of such uniformly high quality that they are all absolutely essential in the repertoire of any aspiring pianist. The Preludes and Etudes are exquisitely beautiful examples of his genius. Numbering 52 pieces in all, they are reproduced here from the authoritative Mikuli edition and are available for the first time in a low-priced, one-volume publication. The opus listings are: 25 Preludes-Op. 28, Nos. 1-24; Prelude in C-sharp Minor, Op. 45. 27 Etudes-Op. 10, Nos. 1-12; Op. 25, Nos. 1-12; and Trois Nouvelles Etudes Unabridged (1998) republication of works from an authoritative early edition. New unified table of contents.


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Complete Songs for Voice and Piano [Unabridged] [Paperback] Review

This is a wonderful collection for all admirers of Rachmaninov. While the 14 or so songs without opus numbers are not included in this edition, the majority of Rachmaninov songs are and they form a strong part of his creative output (spanning nearly 20 years).
An affordable and easily obtainable book, it is good not only for general study and performance, but also for comparison and study of pianist Earl Wild's brilliant transcriptions of thirteen of the songs (and Arcadi Volodos' two song transcriptions).

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Product Description:
Rich collection of 71 compositions, including some of the most hauntingly beautiful passages in vocal literature. Exciting treasury of glorious songs-Opp. 4, 14, 21, 26, 34, and 38-have been reproduced from authoritative sources in a convenient, one-volume edition;most lyrics in Russian (Cyrillic) with English translations. A superb collection to be prized by pianists, vocalists, and countless lovers of fine music everywhere.


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Library of Piano Classics: Piano Solo (Library of Series) [Plastic Comb] Review

For sheer value for money you can't go past this thick volume. It contains around 50 pieces of varying styles by over 40 composers, including several duet arrangements of pieces (also included as solos). Many of the pieces are commonly included in collections (Traumerei, Fur Elise, Fantasy-Impromptu) but others are more unusual. A few of the composers include: Albeniz, Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Brahms, Debussy, Faure, Scott Joplin ... it's a long list.
The book itself features: Handy ring-binding, without which it would never stay open;clear printing (not one of those publications that looks like it's gone through a fax); and good editing.
I would particularly recommomend this book to people trying to increase the size of their music library (done instantly) or people who want to get a taste of numerous musical styles and composers. The variety in levels of the music can keep you dipping into this book from low-intermediate through to the higher grades.

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Product Description:
A compendium of the world's most loved music. True to the spirit of the great composers, this volume fills the needs of students and teachers. Over 100 works including SchubertÂ's Moment Musicale, ChopinÂ's Minute Waltz, and BeethovenÂ's Rondo a Cappriccio.

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