Keyboard instruments > Piano solo
Ferruccio Busoni
Chaconne from Partita no. 2 d minor (Johann Sebastian Bach)
Editor: Norbert Müllemann
Fingering: Marc-André Hamelin
Commentary: Francis Bowdery
17.95 $
Urtext Edition, Arrangement for Piano, paperbound
Pages: 43 (VIII, 35), Size 23,5 x 31,0 cm
Order no. HN 557 · ISMN 979-0-2018-0557-3
Level of difficulty (Piano): difficult (Level 8)
Who isn’t familiar with Johann Sebastian Bach’s Chaconne, the final movement in his Partita in d minor for Violin solo? Time and again composers have been inspired to make this exceptional piece accessible for other instruments. Perhaps the best-known arrangement is by Ferruccio Busoni. Without distancing himself too greatly from Bach’s original, he endeavours to transpose the virtuosity of the string writing onto the piano. Thus Busoni wrote for the piano in a way that congenially makes the most of the capabilities of the modern piano. Our Urtext edition not only takes into account the traditional sources but also meticulously analyses a piano roll in great depth on which Busoni himself can be heard. The fingerings were provided by none other than Marc-André Hamelin.
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Reviews
Henle's 19-page edition is based upon this last authorised version. Busoni's fingering is marked in italics, while Marc-André Hamelin's unobtrusive suggestions are also included. An interesting, two-page preface outlining the history of the work, a critical commentary and comments on the piano roll of Busoni's performance of the piece complete an excellent package.
[Pianist, 2016]
(...) this urtext is his final (1916) word on the piece.
[Music teacher Magazine, 2015]
Seine Chaconne hat Busoni mehrmals umgearbeitet und auch auf einer Klavierrolle eingespielt. Alle daraus resultierenden Einsichten hat der G. Henle Verlag nun in einer mustergültigen Neuausgabe vereint, zusammen mit kongenialen Fingersätzen des kanadischen Virtuosen Marc-André Hamelin.
[Schweizer Musikzeitung, 2015]
Of hieruit een ware Urtext voortkomt zal discutabel blijven, maar absoluut duidelijk is dat deze uitgave van Busoni's bewerking thans met afstand de grondigst onderzochte is.
[Pianowereld, 2014]
The levels of difficulty of the
piano music published by G. Henle Publishers
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| easy | medium | difficult | ||||||
The levels of difficulty of the piano music published by G. Henle Publishers
| Level | Grade | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | easy | Bach, Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach, nos. 4 and 5 |
| 2 | Bach, Well-Tempered Clavier I, no. 1 Prelude C major | |
| 3 | Beethoven, Piano Sonatas op. 49,1 and 2 | |
| 4 | medium | Grieg, Lyric Pieces op. 12, no. 4 |
| 5 | Schumann, Fantasy Pieces op. 12, no. 1 | |
| 6 | Chopin, Nocturnes op. 27, nos. 1 and 2 | |
| 7 | difficult | Beethoven, Piano Sonata op. 10, no. 3 |
| 8 | Beethoven, Piano Sonata op. 81a | |
| 9 | Schumann, Toccata op. 7 |
Guide to the levels of difficulty
"I don't know what 'difficult' means. Either you can play or you can't" – this was the rather terse comment by the great violinist Nathan Milstein, on being asked about the unbelievable difficulty of Niccolo Paganini's Caprice no. 1.
The relativity of the evaluation of difficulty in music immediately becomes clear. Yet I gladly take up this great challenge, presented to me by G. Henle Publishers. For I am aware of how useful a guide like this can be, both from my own experience as well as that of many colleagues. In particular so as to be able to identify "appropriate" works. For example for music teachers, who teach at very different levels, from beginners to those preparing for music conservatories, but also for all those interested amateurs for whom this guide is intended.
After careful deliberation I have settled on nine levels of difficulty, which I have divided into three groups: 1–3 (easy), 4–6 (medium), 7–9 (difficult). A number of parameters have been considered when assessing the level of difficulty. I have not just looked at the number of fast or slow notes to be played, or the chord sequences; of central importance are also the complexity of the piece's composition, its rhythmic complexities, the difficulty of reading the text for the first time, and last but not least, how easy or difficult it is to understand its musical structure. I have defined "piece" as being the musical unit of a sonata, or a single piece in a cycle, which is why Bach's "Well-Tempered Clavier" Part I comprises a total of 48 levels of difficulty (each prelude and fugue is considered separately), Schumann's Sonata in f sharp minor op.11 only has a single number. My assessment is measured by the ability to prepare a piece for performance.
While assessing the pieces, it became clear that the medium level of difficulty (4–6) is the trickiest. Now and again this means that a piece is judged as a "3/4", even if it only deserved a "3" as far as piano technique is concerned. An example of such a "borderline" case (easy/medium) is Schumann's "Scenes from Childhood" op. 15 Von fremden Ländern und Menschen or at the other end "6/7" part of Bach's "English Suites". And of course within a main category there are also "from-to" evaluations (e.g. 7/8).
Any evaluation of art or music will always be subjective, even if the aim was to be objective. Despite the fact that I have endeavoured to be as careful as possible, I am all too aware that the results of my work can be called into question, and am therefore grateful for any suggestions you might have.
Prof. Rolf Koenen © 2010