Chopin Piano Works Complete Volume 16: Grand Polonaise (Polish National Edition)

Author: (Polish) Jan Ekier
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2006-04-01
Features: Professor Ekier visited China in 1983 and gave special lectures on Chopin at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing and the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. The Polish National Edition of the "Complete Works for Piano by Chopin," edited by him, is now published in China, allowing his research findings on Chopin to be disseminated more widely and comprehensively. It is believed to once again attract attention from the music world. Chopin's works are among the most performed in piano literature but are also the most heavily altered. Sixty years ago, we didn’t understand what an "Urtext" was, nor did we have one. We thought that as long as it was Chopin, any version was the same. Later, we realized it wasn’t that simple—the differences between various editions were significant. Some were intentionally edited by compilers who believed they could "improve" Chopin’s original works (e.g., the Karl Klindworth edition [1830-1916]), while most were based on misinformation, with people assuming it should be this way. In the mid-20th century, Poland published the Paderewski (Ignacy Jan Paderewski, 1860-1941) edition, which largely clarified previous errors and pioneered a new style of Chopin performance. This edition became popular internationally for over half a century, but it was not a strict "Urtext." It used a so-called "standardization" method to "standardize" (simplify) many subtle variations in Chopin’s manuscripts. Professor Ekier is one of the most authoritative experts on Chopin today. He is a pianist and professor with decades of experience in performance and teaching, as well as a highly knowledgeable and rigorous scholar. It is therefore most appropriate for him to oversee the editing of a new "Urtext" of Chopin. This new "Urtext" has been designated as the "National Edition" by the Polish government, underscoring its importance and authority. Professor Ekier not only based his edition on Chopin’s manuscripts and various first editions but also incorporated many revisions and corrections made during his teaching, using student scores. As a result, his edition contains many new discoveries that differ significantly from what we are accustomed to hearing. It is believed to mark yet another milestone.