Polonaise In Ab Major Op. 53

2me Polonaise brillante pour violon avec acompagnement de piano op.21 Henryk Wieniawski wrote only two polonaises. The first one, op. 4 in D minor, is one of his youthful works; the other, op. 21 in A major, is one of the last works he composed. Moreover, H. Wieniawski is the co-author of another polonaise, op. 8, for violin and piano, which he wrote with his brother Józef Wieniawski, a pianist. The latter polonaise, like the Polonaise in D minor op. 4, is also a youthful composition (1852). The polonaise as a genre, therefore, does not occupy much space in Wieniawskis heritage. Nonetheless, both polonaises, in D minor and A major, constitute an essential part of his artistic inheritance. Likewise, both polonaises had been composed in two versions: for violin and orchestra, and for violin and piano. The Polonaise in A major was completed in 1870. It is not known precisely which of the versions, the one with the piano, or the one with the orchestra first came into being. It was the version with orchestra that the composer performed for the first time on 17 March 1870, in the Grand Theatre in St. Petersburg. But merely two months later he performed the Polonaise in Warsaw, accompanied by his brother Józef at the piano. It is quite possible that Wieniawski had already performed this version of the Polonaise. It is certain, nonetheless, that both versions either appeared simultaneously, or one was composed shortly after the other. From its first public performance until the end of his concert career, Wieniawski often included this Polonaise in his concert repertoire, playing one version or another, the choice depending on the needs and circumstances. Just to mention one occasion, he played the orchestral version during a concert tour of Sweden in 1870, when he dedicated and presented a manuscript of this piece to King Charles XV of Sweden. The dedication, however, was changed in print, and both versions were eventually dedicated to François van Hal. Both versions were published simultaneously, by Schott Publishers in Mainz, with the same plate number, though the orchestral version appeared only in parts, which was a common practice in those days. The piece was most probably not published earlier than 18751. The Polonaise was praised by the critics. The reviews reported that it was a magnificent piece2, and this opinion was shared by later critical reviews, both Russian and West European. The Polonaise remained popular after the composer had died, which is evident from the number of later editions of the piece (more than ten) issued by different publishers, mostly German, and prepared by different editors. In Poland, the Polonaise was published twice after the Second World War. All the editions introduced some more or less significant changes into the text, mostly concerning performance indications, but in a sense blurring the composers intentions. All those changes were pertinent to the violin and piano version, and it was mostly in this form that the piece appeared in concert and teaching repertoires. The performances with an orchestra were much more seldom which was, among other factors, due to limited availability of the orchestral version, as it had never been published again after the first edition, until now. The Polonaise in A major was composed approximately at the same time as the Violin Concerto No. 2 in D minor3. This convergence in time had influenced a certain similarity with regard to both composition and technical means, and also to the themes. In particular, the similarity becomes quite obvious in the second theme of the Allegro in the Concerto, and in the theme of the Polonaise. The Polonaise in A major is also in a certain way similar to the first Polonaise (in D minor), the motifs of the themes in both polonaises are alike. However, both pieces differ in style. The Polonaise in D minor shows the composers fascination with technical writing. Wieniawski makes the most of double-stops, chords, and all other sophisticated virtuoso techniques. The Polonaise in A major, written 18 years later, is much more mature. Although it is a virtuosic piece as well, the techniques used are somewhat more limited and subordinated to the expression. The virtuoso character of this piece is more fragile, much closer to the brillant style. At the same time, the Polonaise is typical of Wieniawskis violin playing technique. Here the composer uses the means regarded by his contemporaries to be typical of him, e.g., long staccato fragments played with one bow. The Polonaise is a concert piece in one movement extended form with a considerably abbreviated return of the first section at the end. The middle section is contrasting in character, due to the modulation to F major, change of tempo (meno mosso) and the reduction in the number of instruments (in the orchestral version). All the sections show thematic similarity. The first section, too, consists of three subsections, including a contrasting middle subsection (in E major). Zofia Chechlińska Footnotes 1. See The Critical Commentary, p. ? and onward. 2. See V. Grigoriev, Henryk Wieniawski. Życie i twórczość. [Life and Work] Warszawa - Poznań 1986, p. 184. 3. The first version of the Concerto No. 2 in D minor was completed in 1862, but in 1870, i.e., not until the Polonaise in A major was completed, Wieniawski had been working on the Concerto and implemented quite a few changes. Publisher: PWM/Towarzystwo Muzyczne im. Henryka Wieniawskiego w Poznaniu Series: Henryk Wieniawski - Complete Works Cover: softback Nr ISMN: 979-0-2740-0753-9 Number of pages: 34+8 Format: N4 stoj. 235x305 Language version of text: pol., Eng.

Edited From The Sources And Provided With Fingerings And Notes On Interpretation By Christian Ubber. Par CHOPIN FREDERIC. The polonaises are regarded as one of the most important genres in the compositional oeuvre of Frédéric Chopin, some of them even as some of his most popular compositions. Their spectrum ranges from early works which can even be played by advanced beginners (e.g. Polonaise in B flat major) to demanding concert literature. The new edition of Wiener Urtext Edition is based on all relevant sources: autographs, copyist's copies, engraver's copies, first editions, as well as copies of Chopin's pupils used in their lessons. The edition's preferred main sources are each of the last published first editions which not only contain the last revisions but also provide comfortable, more transparent performance instructions. This is illustrated by the famous Polonaise in A major Op. 40/1 which is presented in the versions of the German and French first editions. Of some early polonaises second versions are included./ Répertoire / Piano

Regarded as the highlight among Chopin's polonaises, the great Polonaise in A flat major Op. 53 has also become known as 'octave polonaise' because of the distinctive octave passages in the middle section. As was customary at that time, the work was published in a German, English and French first edition each. There also exists an autograph which served as an engraver's copy for the German first edition. Some personal copies of Chopin pupils occasionally contain entries of the composer, thus providing additional information, e.g. original fingerings. Unfortunately, all three first editions contain a different, not always reliable text. The new edition of Wiener Urtext Edition is based substantially on the autograph and the - to a large extent - carefully revised German first edition, yet also takes some variants of the French first edition into account which give the impression of a last-hand version. The problems with regard to the sources and transmission are explained in detail in the preface and the critical notes. Variants containing a specific component with regard to the performance practice are commented on in the notes on interpretation. / Piano

Polonaise de Concert-In 1848 the thirteen year old Henryk Wieniawski wrote the first sketches to his Polonaise in D major. The composition was published in Germany in 1853 as Polonaise de Concert in D major op. 4 for violin with piano or orchestra accompaniment. When the work was re-published in Paris (1858) the title changed to Polonaise Brilliante. Tremendously popular already during the composer's life time this work has been on the repertory of virtually every virtuoso violinist ever since. This new Critical Urtext Edition corrects obvious misprints while keeping the format of the 1853 first edition printing the textural changes on the Paris version as foot notes.

Richard Wagner's Polonaise for Piano edited by Arthur D. Walker. Editorial note: This Polonaise and Trio in D major for Piano solo was probably written as an excercise when Wagner was studying under Theodor Weinlig in 1830. Wagner described to Edward Dannreuther much later in his life the teaching methods of Weinlig (Grove I iv 347; Musical Times January 1973 Page 26) The pencil corrections on the autograph part of which is reproduced in the above-mentioned issue of The Musical Times may be in Weinlig's hand. The Polonaise was rejected by Wagner the Trio transformed into a Piano duet and a new Polonaise for Piano duetwas composed.

Frédéric Chopin?s Polonaise-Fantaisie In Ab Major Op.61 was composed and published in 1846 and is dedicated to Mme A. Veyret.The work was initially slow to gain favour with musicians due to itsintricate form and harmonic complexity. One of the first critics to speak positively about it was Arthur Hedley who wrote in 1947 that the work 'works on the hearer's imagination with a power of suggestion equaled only bythe F minor Fantasy or the fourth Ballade'.While Chopin is said to have referred initially to the piece only as a Fantasy the Polonaise-Fantasie takes its metre much of its rhythm and someof its melodic character from the polonaise.This Henle Urtext Edition for solo Piano has been edited by Ewald Zimmermann and includes fingering by Hans-Martin Theopold.

Instrumental Play-Along-15 selections of some of J.S. Bach's most treasured compositions in accessible arrangements for budding instrumentalists with online demo and backing tracks for download or streaming with the popular Playback features allowing the player to adjust pitch change keys slow down audio and more.Pieces include Adagio Bist Du Bei Mir Bourrée in E Minor Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring Minuet in G Major Polonaise in G Minor Sheep May Safely Graze Sleepers Awake (Wachet Auf) and more.

Instrumental Play-Along-15 selections of some of J.S. Bach's most treasured compositions in accessible arrangements for budding instrumentalists with online demo and backing tracks for download or streaming with the popular Playback features allowing the player to adjust pitch change keys slow down audio and more.Pieces include Adagio Bist Du Bei Mir Bourrée in E Minor Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring Minuet in G Major Polonaise in G Minor Sheep May Safely Graze Sleepers Awake (Wachet Auf) and more.

Instrumental Play-Along-15 selections of some of J.S. Bach's most treasured compositions in accessible arrangements for budding instrumentalists with online demo and backing tracks for download or streaming with the popular Playback features allowing the player to adjust pitch change keys slow down audio and more.Pieces include Adagio Bist Du Bei Mir Bourrée in E Minor Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring Minuet in G Major Polonaise in G Minor Sheep May Safely Graze Sleepers Awake (Wachet Auf) and more.

Instrumental Play-Along-15 selections of some of J.S. Bach's most treasured compositions in accessible arrangements for budding instrumentalists with online demo and backing tracks for download or streaming with the popular Playback features allowing the player to adjust pitch change keys slow down audio and more.Pieces include Adagio Bist Du Bei Mir Bourrée in E Minor Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring Minuet in G Major Polonaise in G Minor Sheep May Safely Graze Sleepers Awake (Wachet Auf) and more.