Alfor's Rarities

[alfor]

To Dr. H. (I am quite sure, your mind and fingers will love this work!!)

Franz Xaver NERUDA
Sonate No. 3. A dur für das Pianoforte

Neruda Sonate #3 op.19.pdf

Although pianistically more or less on a "Hausmusik" level, I do highly recommend this piece.
There is real musical substance, mainly of the amiable lyrical type. Influences range from Schubert, Schumann to Fibich, Suk to Grieg, Gade, etc. And there surely is the natural Czech resp. Bohemian "Musikantentum" (musicianship)!

[fleubis]

Nice to see what a Neruda sonata looks like, Alfred. Indeed, it is on a much simpler level pianisticly than his fugues, but there is real substance here in this piece with good structure. Alfred, I am impressed with your ability to sort out the myriad musical influences, while all can say is that I think I've played something like it before. Thanks for posting this piece.

[alfor]

Franz Xaver NERUDA
Albumblätter op. 36

Neruda Albumblätter op.36.pdf

Recommended! Similar to the Sonata but pianistically and musically a bit more advanced.
Quite interesting how N. echoes Schumann (see for example beginning of No. 9).

[fleubis]

Dear Alfred, I would say Neruda's op.36 pieces are still very much in the realm of good Hausmusik. And pretty good Hausmusik at that! Great fun to play.

If I may stray off the beaten path for a moment:
This brings to mind a criticism my composition teacher would throw at me from time to time: "derivative - sounds like XXX and YYYY' and then proceed to name chapter and verse of exactly where the ideas were seemingly derived from. This went on for some time until I did find my own musical voice and my teachers admitted some originality on my part, but didn't really blossom until I was writing instrumental music...so I do not write solo piano music any more.

Anyway, this criticism my teachers made, is one that IN GENERAL explains why a lot of Alfor's Rarities any many other pieces posted here at Pianophilia aren't heard on the concert stage, masterpieces though they may be.

But I know that I along with the other Pianophilians and our many anonymous downloaders are happily enjoying our new found musical toy's and spreading the word, and know that some will make it to the concert stage through the efforts of Alfor and the other generous posters on this great forum.

[alfor]

Dear fleubis, I agree with your observations! But there is also the interesting phenomenon of
foreshadowing. You have to have a good knowledge of the composer's timelines, in order not to
claim that Bach foreshadowed Purcell...

Splendid isolation.
Today we once again cross the English Channel to present a composer unduly neglected by pianists:

Henry PURCELL
Utwory wybrane na fortepian

Purcell Piano works.pdf

Carefully edited selection with suggestions for the execution of ornaments and fingering. Fully recommendend!!

[thalbergmad]

Well done that man. I know what I will be attempting tonight.

Thal

[fleubis]

Jolly good job on unearthing this nice Purcell collection, Alfred. The well thought out annotated ornaments are clarity itself and really help people like me who have not deeply studied ornamentation in great detail. I certainly can't read Polish, but can glean the gist out of much of the appendix. Cannot say that I've ever played Purcell before, but I'm enjoying playing through all these little dance movements tonite....it's very much like a large suite, foreshawoding Bach' suites, perhaps?

[alfor]

You are welcome, dear Thal, dear fleubis - or to speak Thal's favo(u)red "Chap-linesque": old chaps.

Back on the continent again:

Posted as an example of the piano style of a rarely known Dutch composer:

Kees VAN BAAREN
Sonatina In memoriam Willem Pijper

Van Baaren Sonatina.pdf

Composed in a slightly modernized Pijper style.


Viggo BRODERSEN
Tarantelle op. 24

Brodersen Tarantelle op.24.pdf

Foreshadowed by a certain Friedrich Chopin .

[jre58591]

Thanks so much for more rare Dutch music!

[sgambatiesque]

Today we once again cross the English Channel to present a composer unduly neglected by pianists:

Henry PURCELL
Utwory wybrane na fortepian

Purcell Piano works.pdf

Carefully edited selection with suggestions for the execution of ornaments and fingering. Fully recommendend!!

Excellent! And may I offer as a complement:

PURCELL Keyboard Works.pdf