Chopin scores--original Paderewski editions?

[kevink]

Does anyone know if it is still possible to buy the old Paderewski Chopin editions?  These are the tan-colored books,  with two colors of ink on the front and a facsimile of an autograph score inside along with a reproduction of Delacroix's sketch of Chopin.  Published by "Polskie Wydawnictwo Muzyczne".... or Polish Music Publications (?).  I think, dating from 1949 (according to the copyright on my score).  They printed the complete works of Chopin in this edition, and I know that the Paderewski scores are available in Dover re-print, but, being the sucker for grandiosity I am, I really want to work out of the nice old original scores.  They are really beautiful, carefully done books.  Anyone know where I can find them?

Thanks,
kevin

[thorn]

well... i found volumes I and III here (preludes and ballades):

https://www.musicroom.com/search.aspx?publisher=Polskie%20Wydawnictwo%20Muzyczne&searchtype=advanced

so i imagine they are still available- maybe try ordering them at your local music shop?

[faulty_damper]

They are still currently in print.  I can't imagine you are not able to find them.  They are also relatively cheap.

However, these editions are also out of date: they claim to be a complete works edition but do not contain the complete works (waltzes and nocturnes, for example).  The editing is also poor and there are certain mistakes that sound terrible when played and I can't understand why they give preferences to certain original editions that are clearly wrong compared to the autograph and no corrected copy was ever written by Chopin.  It seems the editors had a brain fart.

Also, Dover does not reprint the Paderewski edition and Paderewski is not the publisher of the original scores.

But on the sunny side, I agree, the cover is attractive.


My suggestion on an alternative edition: NOT Henle Urtext (idiotic editing in some pieces will make you use your brain in ways you wouldn't think you would think).
Actually, I can't recommend any edition of Chopin's works.  Peters is currently publishing a new critical "urtext" edition and has already published the Preludes and Ballades (both of which I own).  I don't agree with the editing here because it tries to be too complete by indicating multiple alternative pedaling indications from the differing original editions when there were alternatives. This means the page ends up looking somewhat empty because of the extra space required to indicate different pedalling. (And actually, pedalling indications sometimes wouldn't work due to the differences in pianos from now and then so it is a moot point however you look at it.)

[kevink]

In the meantime...

I have found that the Paderewski editions of Chopin works were in fact out of print for many years, but recently (in the past 4 or 5 years) came back into print.  They just are not as easy to find as the Henles or the Dover scores (which are Mikuli editions), at least around where I live.  I found the complete set available from Hickey's music center, online at www.hickeys.com, if anyone's interested. 

Thanks for your thoughts on the editions, FaultyDamper.  I think the Paderewski editions are in fact complete though--the 7th volume is Nocturnes (which I ordered today) and the 9th volume contains the Waltzes.  I think they are commonly referred to as "Paderewski editions" because the chief editor was Ignace Paderewski--though they are published (or at least were published, before the went out of print and came back again) by Polish Music Publications.

I agree the pedal markings are most problematic in any Chopin edition, especially due to the importance of careful pedaling in Chopin.... questions are always raised, and I sure wish I could study all the autographs of the pieces I play.  I found out that the Instytut Frederyka Chopina in Poland (which was responsible for the compiling the Paderewski editions) is coming out with a complete (or mostly complete) set of facsimiles of Chopin manuscripts.... hope I'll have the $$$ for that! 
Until very recently the Paderewski edition was the official edition used for the Chopin Competition in Warsaw, though; I can't remember the name of the edition used in the latest competition, but it was different--some new edition with a Polish (of course) name.  I'll see if I can find out...

Thanks everyone for your helpful comments,
Kevin

Edit: FaultyDamper, you are right; Dover apparently does not reprint the Paderewski edition anymore, although I know they used to (I own a copy).  Perhaps they lost the rights when the original "deluxe" editions went back into print?

[faulty_damper]

I should have been more clear.  When I said they were not complete, I meant that they did not include all of the nocturnes (like the C minor op. post.) or all of the waltzes (also posthumous).  I think they did not include 3 of the nocturnes and two of the waltzes, if I remember correctly.  This was really disappointing because these were the only two Paderewski editions I ever bought and both were not 'complete'.   I had originally intended, like yourself, to purchase the complete set of Chopin by Paderewski.

So if you really like the missing pieces, then you have to look elsewhere for them.  I chose Peters because 1)the cover of the Preludes was laminated and looked really nice and 2)I was hoping that there would be less errors on the part of the editors.  My disappointment when I purchased the Ballades was that it was NOT laminated lilke the Preludes because Peters in lamination looks really cool.

[quantum]

I should have been more clear.  When I said they were not complete, I meant that they did not include all of the nocturnes (like the C minor op. post.) or all of the waltzes (also posthumous).  I think they did not include 3 of the nocturnes and two of the waltzes, if I remember correctly.  This was really disappointing because these were the only two Paderewski editions I ever bought and both were not 'complete'.   I had originally intended, like yourself, to purchase the complete set of Chopin by Paderewski.

So if you really like the missing pieces, then you have to look elsewhere for them.  I chose Peters because 1)the cover of the Preludes was laminated and looked really nice and 2)I was hoping that there would be less errors on the part of the editors.  My disappointment when I purchased the Ballades was that it was NOT laminated lilke the Preludes because Peters in lamination looks really cool.

Well actually those remaining posth. pieces appear in the Minor Works volume of the Paderewski. 

[thalbergmad]

I have the Paderewski, but i have to say that they fall to pieces very quickly.

I have about 10 metres of sellotape on the Waltzes.

Thal

[Barbosa-piano]

I have the Paderewski, but i have to say that they fall to pieces very quickly.

I have about 10 metres of sellotape on the Waltzes.

Thal

 It is true. I have the Paderewski (Chopin Preludes). It is a nice book, but it is all falling apart (taking in account that it is more than forty years old).
    What bothers me the most, is that some of Paderewski's fingerings on the Preludes are rather odd, and different than the fingerings normally used...