Frederic Chopin
NOCTURNES
AND POLONAISES
The Paderewski Edition
Frederic Chopin did not attempt to preserve definitive versions of his compositions because he disliked the labor of writing down notes. Improvising his performances at will, he never played a piece the same way twice. As a result, there are numerous texts of any single Chopin work and the editions of these texts have more editorial "improvisation" than do the texts of most composers. The most complete and authoritative edition of Chopin's music is the Paderewski Edition, published in 20 volumes by the Chopin Institute in Warsaw from 1949 to 1961. This edition, more than any other, represents Chopin's intentions as closely as they may ever be rendered.
Now, Dover Publications offers, in one inexpensive volume, the complete sets of
Nocturnes for Piano (1951) and Polonaises for Piano (1951), Volumes VII and
VIII, respectively, of the Paderewski Edition.
Chopin's quiet and reflective nocturnes captured a mood of gentle and dreamy melancholy while retaining an essential concord of dimension, form, and musical content. The 19 nocturnes reproduced here include:
Op. 9, No.2 (1830-31) Op. 37, No.2 (1839)Deeply stirred by all things Polish, Chopin captured the special character and harmonic coloring of the polonaise, one of the chief Polish national dances. The 16 polonaises in this book include:
Op. 44 (1840-41)
Op. 53 (1842)
Op. 61(1845-6; Polonaise-fantasie)
Serious pianists will want to have these authoritative texts of more than 30 of Chopin's most popular and enduring works. Students and musicologists will especially appreciate the volume's durable paper and binding, wide margins, clear notes, and complete editorial commentary.
Dover (1983) republication containing all music and commentary from Vol. VII, Nocturnes for Piano (1951), and Vol. VIII, Polonaises for Piano (1951), of the work Fryderyk Chopin/Complete Works, Inst. Fryderyka Chopina. Illustrations omitted. New unified table of contents. viii + 256pp. 9 x 12. Paperbound.
ALSO AVAILABLE
COMPLETE PRELUDES AND ETUDES FOR SOLO PIANO, Frederic Chopin. 224pp. 9 x 12.|
Free Complete Dover Music Catalog available upon request. ISBN 0-486-24564-0 |
ISBN 0-486-24564-0 9 780486 245645 |
Revised 4/5/2011