Chopin Piano Works Complete 10: Sonatas (Polish National Edition)

Author: Jan Ekier (Poland)
Publisher:
Publish Date: April 1, 2006
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. Now, the Polish National Edition of the Complete Works for Piano by Chopin, compiled by him, is published in China, allowing his research findings on Chopin to be disseminated more widely and comprehensively. It is believed that this will once again attract attention from the music world.
Chopin's works are among the most frequently performed in all piano literature but have also been the most heavily altered. Sixty years ago, we did not understand what an "Urtext" was, nor did such editions exist. We believed that as long as it was Chopin, any version was acceptable. Later, we realized that this was not the case, as there were significant differences between various editions. Some were intentionally modified by editors, who thought they could "improve" Chopin's original compositions (e.g., the Karl Klindworth edition [1830-1916]). Most were based on misinformation, with the assumption that they 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. However, it was not a strict "Urtext" in the true sense, as it used a so-called "standardization" method to "standardize" (simplify) many subtle variations in Chopin's manuscripts.
Professor Ekier is today's most authoritative expert on Chopin. He is not only a pianist and professor with decades of experience in performance and teaching but also a highly knowledgeable and rigorous scholar. It is most appropriate for him to oversee the compilation of a new "Urtext" edition of Chopin. This new "Urtext" has been designated as the "National Edition" by the Polish government, underscoring its importance and authority.
Professor Ekier has not only based his edition on Chopin's manuscripts and various first editions but has also mastered many revisions and corrections made by Chopin during his teaching, as recorded in student scores. As a result, his edition contains many new discoveries that differ significantly from what we are accustomed to hearing. It is believed that this will become yet another milestone.