Description

The 20th Century series presents music by some of the greatest composers of the modern era, composers who wrote a full range of music for orchestra, voices, piano and chamber ensembles, in the great and large forms. But they also valued music education, and composed interesting music to foster a stdent pianist’s progress. The pieces by these composerslead a student not only to technical proficiency, but also to become a more fully formed, imaginative musician. When a great talent turns attention to writing a short piece of limited difficulty level for students, it is approached with the same aesthetics, temperament, tastes and creative invention applied when composing a symphony, opera or concerto. These exquisite miniatures are complete works of timeless art. Through them a master musician of the past indirectly teaches a progressing musician of the present and the future.

Contents: Antheil: Little Shimmy • Barber: Petite Berceuse • To My Steinway •Bartók: Bagatelle No. 6 from 14 Bagatelles • selections from For Children: Jeering Song, Round Dance • Creston: selections from Five Little Dances, Op. 24: Festive Dance, Rustic Dance • Hovhaness: Mountain Lullaby from Mountain Idylls, Op. 119 • Kabalevsky: selections from 30 Pieces for Children, Op. 27: Clowning, A Little Prank, Lyric Piece, The Chase, Novelette • Slow Waltz from 24 Pieces for Children, Op. 39 • Rondo-Toccata from Four Rondos, Op. 60; Prelude and Fugue in G Major from Six Preludes and Fugues, Op. 61 • Khachaturian: Ivan Sings from Adventures of Ivan • Muczynski: Fable No. 9 from Fables, Op. 21 • Pinto: Playing Marbles from Children’s Festival • Prokofiev: selections from Music for Children, Op. 65: Morning, Promenade, Regrets • Ravel: Prélude • Shostakovich: Birthday from Children’s Notebook for Piano, Op. 69.

Schirmer Performance Editions feature composer biographies, historical notes, and practice and performance tips.