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Huneker, James, 1860-1921

"Chopin : the Man and His Music"

His edition is a work of genius and was called by Von
Bulow "the only model edition." In a few sections others, such as
Kullak, Dr. Hugo Riemann and Hans von Bulow, may have outstripped
him, but as a whole his editing is amazing for its exactitude,
scholarship, fertility in novel fingerings and sympathetic
insight in phrasing. This edition appeared at Moscow from 1873 to
1876.
The twenty-seven studies of Chopin have been separately edited by
Riemann and Von Bulow.
Let us narrow our investigations and critical comparisons to
Klindworth, Von Bulow, Kullak and Riemann. Carl Reinecke's
edition of the studies in Breitkopf & Hartel's collection offers
nothing new, neither do Mertke, Scholtz and Mikuli. The latter
one should keep at hand because of the possible freedom from
impurities in his text, but of phrasing or fingering he
contributes little. It must be remembered that with the studies,
while they completely exhibit the entire range of Chopin's
genius, the play's the thing after all. The poetry, the passion
of the Ballades and Scherzi wind throughout these technical
problems like a flaming skein.


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