Description

Robert Schumann’s “Scenes of Childhood” op. 15 (1838), “Album for the Young” op. 68 (1848) and “Forest Scenes” op. 82 (1848/1849) play a major role when learning how to play the piano, as they occupy an important place in the transition from piano methods to the great piano literature. At the same time, they provide a wonderful introduction to the world of Romanticism.

When Schumann composed the “Scenes of Childhood”, he was not yet married to Clara and was fighting her father’s disapproval. When he wrote the “Album for the Young”, whose starting point was a small collection of his own pieces and arrangements of pieces by other composers for his eldest daughter’s 7th birthday, Clara had already given birth to five children and lost one again. While in the “Scenes of Childhood” a reflection on childhood takes place, the “Album for the Young” actually consists of pieces for early piano lessons. Finally, the “Forest Scenes,” written almost in parallel, go down in history as prime examples of Romantic character pieces in their idealization of nature as well as an expression of escapism against the backdrop of the revolutionary events of 1848/49.

This collection of eleven pieces from all three work cycles is published as part of a series of popular works from the Bärenreiter catalogue for the 100th anniversary of the publishing house. The pieces are taken from the following Bärenreiter Urtext editions: “Scenes of Childhood” op. 15 (BA09639), “Album for the Young” op. 68 (BA09641), “Forest Scenes” op. 82 (BA09640). In the “Album for the Young”, in addition to the famous “Advice to Young Musicians” (German, English and in Liszt’s French translation), the appendix contains further pieces from the compositional environment of the Album that were unpublished during Schumann’s lifetime. In all three editions, Clara Schumann’s original pedal markings are included for the first time. The fingerings by Ragna Schirmer take into account historical performance practice – Clara Schumann’s fingerings served as an essential starting point – as well as playing on the modern concert grand piano.

Description

This collection appears as part of a series of popular works from the Bärenreiter catalogue celebrating the 100th anniversary of the publishing house. It presents two popular pieces from the “Moments Musicaux” op. 94 as well as the much played Allegretto in C major and the Hungarian Melody in B minor. The four pieces are taken from the Bärenreiter Urtext editions of the “Moments Musicaux” op. 94 (BA09647) and the “Late Piano Works” (BA09634. Both publications contain notes on performance practice and historically-informed fingerings by Mario Aschauer.

All but one of the works are from the last two years of Schubert’s life. They reveal the composer’s full mastery: melodic inventiveness, dance-like verve, harmonic colourfulness, and the melancholy typical of Schubert immediately captivate listeners and performers alike. The Urtext edition reproduces the text of the “New Schubert Edition” and impresses with its clear, uncluttered layout.

Description

Bärenreiter is closely connected with Mozart. The complete works of the ingenious composer have been published in the benchmark “New Mozart Edition” issued by Bärenreiter. Moreover, the vast majority of compositions are available in performing Urtext editions based on the musical text of the “New Mozart Edition”. There is hardly a musical area in which Mozart did not excel during his short life, and this is also true of piano music. His concertos, sonatas, four-hand works, as well as many individual pieces are part of the standard repertoire.

This collection turns to the young composer with three small pieces taken from “The Music Books of Mozart and His Sister” (BA09177). The Fantasy in D minor K. 397 (probably completed by August Eberhard Müller) and the Gigue in G major K. 574 from the volume “Miscellaneous Works for Piano” (BA05745) showcase the mature composer. The edition appears as part of a series of popular works from the Bärenreiter catalogue for the 100th anniversary of the publishing house.

Description

It is not surprising that Johannes Brahms, an exponent of Romanticism, bestowed his special interest on piano music, since the piano enjoyed great popularity among the rising bourgeoisie of the 19th century. And here it is precisely the smaller forms with which he created outstanding music. A great compositional variety with a broad spectrum of expression is revealed in his character pieces, the intermezzos, ballads, capriccios, rhapsodies, fantasies and waltzes, which Bärenreiter has presented in Urtext editions, edited and provided with fingerings as well as notes on performance practice by Christian Köhn.

This selection of seven lyrical piano pieces, including the famous “Edward” Ballad op. 10 No. 1, two waltzes from op. 39 and four of the best-known intermezzos, appears as part of a series of popular works from the Bärenreiter catalogue for the 100th anniversary of the publishing house.