Johannes Brahms : Four Ballades, Opus 10

With opuses 1 2 4 5 and 10 this volume contains virtually all of Johannes Brahms??? early piano oeuvre with which the budding composer and pianist introduced himself to the public. The Scherzo op. 4 from 1851 stands alongside the sonatas composed between 1851???53 as a substantial single movement that particularly delighted Robert Schumann leading him to direct the public???s special attention to his young colleague in his famous article ???New Paths??? in 1853. Written the following year the Four Ballades op. 10 complete the volume. Already they strike a new more Romantic note that Brahms described to Clara Schumann thus: ???They are not very difficult and even less difficult tounderstand???. This Urtext edition offers a revision of the musical text based on the new Brahms Complete Edition with an extensive preface by editor Katrin Eich. With opuses 1 2 4 5 and 10 this volume contains virtually all of Johannes Brahms??? early piano oeuvre with which the budding composer and pianist introduced himself to the public. The Scherzo op. 4 from 1851 stands alongside the sonatas composed between 1851???53 as a substantial single movement that particularly delighted Robert Schumann leading him to direct the public???s special attention to his young colleague in his famous article ???New Paths??? in 1853. Written the following year the Four Ballades op. 10 complete the volume. Already they strike a new more Romantic note that Brahms described to Clara Schumann thus: ???They are not very difficult and even less difficult tounderstand???. This Urtext edition offers a revision of the musical text based on the new Brahms Complete Edition with an extensive preface by editor Katrin Eich.

The instrumental ballad was a popular musical form in the 19th century and these four pieces for piano are Brahms’s only contribution to the genre. The composer wrote the ballades during the time of his close friendship with Clara Schumann and they exude an intimacy more typical of a vocal ballad. The pieces which Schumann enthusiastically praised were described by Brahms as being “not too difficult to play and even less difficult to understand.Brahms’s Ballades op. 10 form an integral part of the advanced piano literature. This publication represents a valuable addition to the repertoire of Brahms’s piano works in BärenreiterUrtext editions. The fingering by Brahms specialist Christian Köhn the clear notation and optimum page turns fulfil the requirements of a practical performing edition. A detailed foreword with information on performance practice the compositional process sources and the significance of the work completes the edition. Urtext edition based on all known sources and current research Well-presented musical layout with optimum page turns With fingering and suggestions for performance practice (Eng/Ger) With fold-out page for an easy page turn With an informative foreword (Eng/Ger) and critical commentary (Eng)

Description The entire corpus of Brahms' short piano pieces is contained in this volume. The music is reproduced directly from the definitive Vienna Gesellschaft der Musikfreude edition. Songlist [Unknown] Agitato B Minor Andante Con Moto C Sharp Minor Andante Con Moto, B Major Andante D Major Andante Moderato E Flat Major Andante Non Troppo B Flat Minor Ballade G Minor Ballades Op.10 Capriccio B Minor Capriccio C Major Capriccio C Sharp Minor Capriccio D Minor Capriccio F Sharp Minor Capriccio G Minor Edward D Minor Eight Piano Pieces Op.76 Fantasies Op.116 Four Piano Pieces Op.119 Intermezzo A Flat Major Intermezzo A Major Intermezzo A Minor Intermezzo B Flat Major Intermezzo B Minor Intermezzo C Major Intermezzo E Flat Minor Intermezzo E Major Intermezzo E Minor Intermezzo F Minor Intermezzo, Allegro, B Minor Molto Passionato G Minor Rhapsody E Flat Major Romance F Major Scherzo E Flat Minor Op.4 Six Piano Pieces Op.118 Three Intermezzi Op.117 Two Rhapsodies Op.79 Waltzes Op.39