Close on the heels of Regina Back’s critical edition of Debussy’s Children’s Corner come the equally popular Deux Arabesques in the definitive Urtext performing edition.
These two jewels of the piano literature were first published in 1891 and made available at the time in a relatively small print run of 300 copies. In 1903 the French publisher Durand attempting to capitalize on Debussy’s quickly growing fame published the Arabesque No.1 in an advertisement in Le Figaro and between 1904 and the new engraving with corrections and revisions in 1912 more than 50,000 copies were sold!
Bärenreiter’s new Urtext edition while drawing on all known sources, documents the geneses of the compositions until 1912 and the new edition is based on this corrected 1912 re-engraving.
State-of-the-Art Bärenreiter quality Urtext
Performer information on Aesthetics i.e. pedalling, tempo, articulation, dynamics
Critical report ( Eng. ) and Facsimile…
 
Einführung
Historisches
Der Begriff “Arabeske”
Ästhetik und Aufführungspraxis
Zur Edition
Die Quellen
Faksimile
Critical Commentary

Seven Character Pieces op. 7 / Six Children’s Pieces op. 72
Two of Mendelssohn’s famous piano albums, with pieces of easy to medium level of difficulty
Urtext edition reflecting the latest research findings
Different versions are taken into consideration
Critical Commentary and detailed foreword (Ger/Eng)
The “ Charakterstücke op. 7” and “ Kinderstücke op. 72” are Mendelssohn’s most popular piano albums besides his “Lieder ohne Worte ” and the “Variations sérieuses op. 54”. Robert Schumann described the character pieces as an “interesting contribution to the development” of the “masterful youth”.
The compositions mostly dating from 1827, are essentially the result of his lessons with Carl Friedrich Zelter in Berlin. The teacher encouraged his pupil to immerse himself in the strict style of old music”, in particular Johann Sebastian Bach, but at the same time, as he himself said, confidently allowed Mendelssohn to dream of “dragons and goblins”.
In the 19th century, learning the piano was regarded as a highly desirable accomplishment. The demand for piano lessons for children led rapidly to the development of a repertoire suitable for this age-group. Albums for children were particularly popular around the mid-19th century and were popular presents for children’s birthdays, Christmas and other occasions.
Mendelssohn’s “ Kinderstücke op. 72” were published in London in 1847, the year of his death, under the title “Christmas Present for His Young Friends”.
The edition contains both piano cycles in the versions published in the first edition, and an extensive appendix also includes variants and early versions which survive in different autograph manuscripts
Content
​Vorwort / Preface
​Sieben Charakterstücke Opus 7 (Fassung des Erstdrucks / Version from the First Edition):
​Sanft und mit Empfindung
​Mit heftiger Bewegung
​Kräftig und feurig
​Schnell und beweglich
​Ernst und mit steigender Lebhaftigkeit
​Sehnsüchtig
​Leicht und luftig
​Sechs Kinderstücke Opus 72 (Fassung des Erstdrucks / Version from the First Edition):
​Allegro non troppo
​Andante sostenuto
​Allegretto
​Andante con moto
​Allegro assai
​Vivace
​Anhang / Appendix:
​I. Autographe Fassungen der Charakterstücke Opus 7 Nr. 1, 2 und 4 / Autograph Versions of the Charakterstücke Opus 7 nos. 1, 2 and 4:
​Andante
​Allegro vivace
​Con moto
​II. Stücke aus den Notenalben für Eduard und Lilli Benecke (1842) / Pieces from the Albums for Eduard and Lilli Benecke (1842):
​1. Aus dem Notenalbum für Eduard Benecke / From the Album for Eduard Benecke:
​Allegretto (op. 72 Nr. 3, Frühfassung / Early Version)
​Andante
​Allegro assai (op. 72 Nr. 5, Frühfassung / Early Version)
​Sostenuto [Erstausgabe / First Edition]
​2. Aus dem Notenalbum für Lilli Benecke / From the Album for Lilli Benecke:
​Allegretto (op. 72 Nr. 6, Frühfassung / Early Version)
​Andante con moto (op. 72 Nr. 4, Frühfassung / Early Version)
​Andante sostenuto (op. 72 Nr. 2, Frühfassung / Early Version)
​Con moto (op. 72 Nr. 1, Frühfassung / Early Version)
​Critical Commentary