The work was originally intended as part of the Suite bergamasque (HN 381) like L’Isle joyeuse (HN 386). Yet in the end Debussy chose other pieces for the Suite and published Masques and L’Isle joyeuse separately in September and October 1904 as new compositions. Both pieces were written in summer 1904 a particularly turbulent period in Debussy’s life as he had just left his first wife Lilly for Emma Bardac. The Masques appear to be much more reserved and at the same time more mysterious than the Isle joyeuse. The Catalonian virtuoso Ricardo Viñes gave the premières of both works which have remained extremely successful to this day. The work was originally intended as part of the Suite bergamasque (HN 381) like L’Isle joyeuse (HN 386). Yet in the end Debussy chose other pieces for the Suite and published Masques and L’Islejoyeuse separately in September and October 1904 as new compositions. Both pieces were written in summer 1904 a particularly turbulent period in Debussy ’s life as he had just left his first wife Lilly for Emma Bardac.The Masques appear to be much more reserved and at the same time more mysterious than the Isle joyeuse. The Catalonian virtuoso Ricardo Viñes gave the premières of both works which have remained extremelysuccessful to this day.

The composition cost him his sleep. In October 1842 when Schumann had finished his piano quintet in a short period of time he was physically and emotionally drained. The work in no way reflects this quite the contrary. “Full of strength and freshness” said Clara Schumann of the new composition as well as “extremely brilliant and effective”. Even Richard Wagner added his voice to the great wave of admiration. Thus op. 44 soon became one of Schumann’s most successful compositions which today is still a jewel in chamber music literature. If the quartet reminds one of a piano concerto with orchestra in string quartet format at times this is explained by the fact that it wasintended for Clara’s repertoire. The work was also dedicated to this brilliant pianist.? The composition cost him his sleep. In October 1842 when Schumann had finished his Piano quintet in a short period of time he was physically and emotionally drained. The work in no way reflects this quite thecontrary. “Full of strength and freshness” said Clara Schumann of the new composition as well as “extremely brilliant and effective”. Even Richard Wagner added his voice to the great wave of admiration. Thus Op.44 soon became one of Schumann ’s most successful compositions which today is still a jewel in chamber music literature. If the quartet reminds one of a Piano concerto with Orchestra in String quartet format attimes this is explained by the fact that it was intended for Clara’s repertoire. The work was also dedicated to this brilliant pianist.

Piano Pieces-Mazurkas nocturnes waltzes and polonaises constitute the core of Chopin’s expressive world. However he also moved comfortably beyond such genre cycles and pieces of this sort are brought together in this “Klavierstücke” book in which we find lesser-known works (two Variation cycles three Ecossaises) from Chopin’s earlier creative period along with rousing dance movements (Bolero and Tarantelle) and to finish the orchestrally conceived Allegro de concert. This forms the introduction to a sequence of three great individual works from Chopin’s middle and later creative periods: the Fantasie op. 49 the Berceuse op. 57 and the Barcarolle op. 60 – the finest Chopin availablein Henle paperback cloth-bound and study editions.

Beethoven personally designated these three works as “minor pieces ” thus referring to their technical demands and their light artistic weight. While the variations on “Se vuol ballare” from Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro had most likely been written in Bonn the Rondo dates from the first Viennese years at the latest. The six Deutsche Tänze (German Dances) are an occasional work from 1796 for the two Prague Baronesses Thun so that they could – as we can read on an old copy – “dance to their tunes on other people’s heads.” In view of the rather unsophisticated writing the musical abilities of the young countesses must have been fairly limited. Altogether the three pieces offeryoung violinists and pianists a welcome preparation for Beethoven’s later pieces in this scoring.

Through the amiable genre of the sonatina generations of piano pupils have slowly and cautiously approached its “big sister” the sonata. With the aid of our three-volume selection of sonatinas from two centuries intermediate piano pupils large and small can undertake an excursion through the development of piano music from the early 18th to the end of the 19th century. This second volume contains 21 sonatinas from the classical period by composers such as Clementi Diabelli Haydn Kuhlau and Pleyel. Rhythmic elegance and melodic charm on the one hand and Alberti basses and sometimes simple melodic structures on the other are typical of the sonatinas of this era. Ourcollection offers a representative selection. Simple pieces at the beginning provide a way in then the sonatinas follow in chronological order. A large body of literature for piano lessons!

Among Joseph Haydn’s extensive oeuvre is an almost inexhaustible stock of piano sonatas. With altogether over 50 works they form a significant segment of his overall output. One of this composer’s great achievements is that in these sonatas – as in many other genres such as the symphonies and string quartets – Haydn bridges discrepant stylistic eras and lays the founding stone for the classical piano sonata. Next to 25 complete sonatas in the Appendix Volume I also contains five single pieces (that had perhaps once been planned as sonatas) and the beginnings of seven lost sonatas. A first group of nine sonatas which was no doubt intended for the more proficientstudent was likely written in the 1750s when Haydn was still eking out a living as “chamber servant” to the composer Nicola Porpora or as a freelance artist. Several of these pieces cannot be entirely authenticated without the shadow of a doubt. A second group also consisting of nine works albeit considerably easier “little” sonatas leads us into the 1760s. The last group of sonatas in the book comprises seven sonatas which Haydn composed between 1765 and 1772 thus already during his time of employment as Prince Esterházy’s Kapellmeister. They are finest Haydn full of surprise effects and pianistic refinements. The first volume of Haydn's complete Piano sonatas presented as an accurate and authoritative Henle Urtext edition. Clothbound.

Debussy’s piano cycles and more substantial single pieces are listed as single editions in our catalogue. A further twelve mostly shorter pieces have been collected in this little volume. The pieces in this edition cover the whole of the composer’s creative life – from the Danse bohémienne by the 18-year-old youth and the demanding dense D’un cahier d’esquisses (From a sketchbook) to the Élégie that was published in 1916. The volume provides players with an introduction to Debussy’s piano works that is not too difficult but it also includes pieces for more advanced players. Thus it is warmly recommended for piano teachers.This Henle Urtext Edition volume contains a selection of Debussy's Klavierstucke or Piano pieces and covers the whole of his creative life.

In 1735 Johann Sebastian Bach published his French Overture BWV 831 together with the famous Italian Concerto as the second part of his “Clavier-Übung”. The designation Ouvertüre (Overture) can be somewhat misleading since this work consists not just of an opening movement but also of a full-fledged partita with 11 movements: Ouvertüre Courante Gavotte I & II Passepied I & II Sarabande Bourrée I & II Gigue and Echo. In terms of melodic richness and rhythmic play it is on a par with its sister-pieces from Part 1 of the “Clavier Übung“ the 6 Partitas BWV 825-830. J. S. Bach 's French Overture In B Minor BWV 831 was published along with the Italian Concerto as the second half of the Clavier-Übung II in 1735. This suite in B minor was originally scored fortwo-manual Harpsichord and is the longest Keyboard suite ever composed by Bach with eleven movements. An earlier version of this work exists in the key of C minor (BWV 831a); the work was transposed into B minorto complete the cycle of tonalities in Parts One and Two of the Clavier-Übung. The term overture refers to the fact that this suite starts with an overture movement replacing the allemande found in Bach 's otherKeyboard suites. There are optional dance movements both before and after the Sarabande and another unusual aspect of this work is the inclusion of an extra movement after the Gigue. This is an 'echo' a piece meant to exploit theterraced loud and soft dynamics of the two-manual Harpsichord. Other movements also have dynamic indications (piano and forte) which are not often found in Keyboard suites of the Baroque period. This Henle Urtext Editiondoes not include fingering.

Arrangement for Piano Fourhands-In the 19th century arrangements for piano four-hands were usually versions which people played at home if the works could not be heard in concert. In cases such as these Brahms did not however just make functional versions but creatively transcribed his works for the piano. As the composer he allowed himself greater freedom than arrangers for publishers did. In this form his arrangements greatly contributed to the success of his works in musical life in the 19th century. It is on account of their creativity that Brahms’ arrangements have attracted new interest in musical circles over the last few decades. Our Urtext edition of the Symphonies nos. 1 and 2 for piano four handsoffers a scholarly musical text following the recently published volume in the Brahms Complete Edition.? In the 19th century arrangements for Piano four-hands were usually versions which people played at home if the works could not be heard in concert. In cases such as these Brahms did not however just make functional versions butcreatively transcribed his works for the piano. As the composer he allowed himself greater freedom than arrangers for publishers did. In this form his arrangements greatly contributed to the success of his works in musical life inthe 19th century. It is on account of their creativity that Brahms’ arrangements have attracted new interest in musical circles over the last few decades. This Urtext edition of the Symphonies nos. 1 and 2 for piano four handsoffers a scholarly musical text following the recently published volume in the Brahms Complete Edition.

The Bavarian State Library in Munich made a quite sensational discovery in 2007: a previously unknown Lied for Voice (soprano) and Piano by Franz Liszt was found which he had written down himself. The work shows Liszt at his best- it was composed in 1843 and dedicated to Count Franz von Pocci from Munich. This was a good enough reason for Henle Publishers to publish the manuscript in the form of a high-quality facsimile which also contains the music in modern music print and extensive information concerning the fascinating circumstances of its genesis. A true delight for all connoisseurs and lovers of Franz Liszt.The Bavarian State Library in Munich made a quite sensational discovery in 2007: a previously unknown Lied for Voice (soprano) and Piano by Franz Liszt was found which he had written down himself. The work shows Liszt at hisbest; it was composed in 1843 and dedicated to Count Franz von Pocci from Munich. This was a good enough reason for Henle Publishers to publish the manuscript in the form of a high-quality facsimile which also contains the musicin modern music print and extensive information concerning the fascinating circumstances of its genesis. A true delight for all connoisseurs and lovers of Franz Liszt.

Johann Sebastian Bach’s three great cycles of suites belong to the fundamental canon of piano literature: the Partitas and the so-called English and French Suites. It is the French Suites that have long been by far the most popular – and this was also the case at the time that they were written. However this also creates problems for an editor preparing an Urtext edition because a vast number of copies of them were made by Bach’s circle of pupils and these contain many presumably authentic variants. In this revised Henle Urtext edition Ullrich Scheideler explains the complicated source situation with exemplary clarity. He lists the more minor source variants in footnotes;where there are major differences both versions of individual movements are printed in full. Our opulent volume is rounded off with an appendix offering alternative and additional pieces. This Henle Urtext edition has been completely revised and also offers new fingerings. It enables pianists and Bach enthusiasts alike to re-discover Bach’s universe for themselves!

The basis for the musical text of this study score was Henle’s revised edition of Part I published in 1997 and Yo Tomita’s brand new revision of Part II (spring 2007). A detailed commentary rounds off the editions. Both parts of the Well-Tempered Clavier are also available as Henle Urtext editions with and without fingerings (HN 14 and HN 1014).?

Band II-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.

Op. 82- Edward Elgar spent the summer of 1918 in the countryside. In August he received reports of the approaching end of the First World War and this good news so inspired him that he was able to finish an initial draft of his great Violin Sonata in barely four weeks. Writing about it in his diary he notated laconically: “Wrote some music”. His wife Alice was more enthusiastic: “E. writing wonderful new music different from anything else of his”. This magnificent music is now available in a Henle Urtext edition by the British violinist and Elgar expert Rupert Marshall-Luck. He has examined and evaluated the many sources according to all the rules of Urtext editing –the sketches drafts autograph fair copies proofs and first edition.

These six dances form the final culmination of Bartók ’s “Mikrokosmos” (HN 1408-1410) that work of the century comprising over 150 pieces. He dedicated this grouping collected under its own title to the famous English pianist Harriet Cohen. Inspired this specialist for contemporary music found in them “a whole world of music” and championed the pieces. Bartók himself added the dances to his concert repertory early on though initially in a reduced form that omitted the fifth dance which was not composed until the end of 1939 as one of the last works of the collection. Our practical standalone Urtext edition of these six dances also featuresan early version of the concluding piece and supplies interesting background details about Bartók ’s own recital practice. This edition’s musical text is based on that of the Bartók Complete Edition.

Wissenschaftliche Gesamtausgabe

With Critical Report

Complete Songs for Voice and Piano Volume III

with critical report

Concerto for Piano (Harpsichord) and Orchestra