best edition of ballades, etudes

[walking_encyclopedia]

I am looking for an excellent edition of the ballades, and of the etudes of Chopin. Which do you all recommend? I'd like one with editorial notes and fingerings.

Thanks

Dan

[imbetter]

dover.

[el nino]

schott

[franzliszt2]

Paderewski

[Kassaa]

Henle. Paderewski are worse quality books, and Paderewski has taken some interpretational liberties I believe.

[rach n bach]

Bwhahahaha!!!!

Pianists can't agree on anything.  =P

I would stick with Henle.

[kriskicksass]

PWM, Ed. Ekier

[prongated]

Paderewski has taken some interpretational liberties I believe.

...where have I heard this kind of line before...

Oh that's right - the preface to the Henle edition!

[imbetter]

henle is overrated

[quantum]

PWM, Ed. Ekier

Agreed. 


I use Paderewski, which I also recommend.

Henle tends to favour the German first editions.  I find their editorial notes are too sparse and there are things being decided upon that the reader hasn't been informed, in addition to differences between sources. 

[Kassaa]

...where have I heard this kind of line before...

Oh that's right - the preface to the Henle edition!

Lol, might be, but there are quite some differences between the Henle and the Paderewski, and for some reason I tend to trust Henle more since they have probably done more research, and well, Paderewski wasn't really the most exact pianist ever.

[pita bread]

Cortot

[arensky]

Lol, might be, but there are quite some differences between the Henle and the Paderewski, and for some reason I tend to trust Henle more since they have probably done more research, and well, Paderewski wasn't really the most exact pianist ever.

True about Paderewski but he only sponsored the project, the editorial work was done by several Polish musicologists. I believe it was started in the 30's and interrupted by WWII. The edition represents a summary of all existing manuscripts and original editions for the works, so the picture it paints is not nessacarily authentic but rather a combination of all those sources, decided by commitee. When there is no indication or Chopin's intention in a piece is unclear the editors' opinion is in parentheses. I use both editions (both are superb) but prefer Henle because the typeset is clearer for me to read. The editions by Carl Mikuli, a Chopin pupil are used as a source for many subsequent editions and he used his lessons with Chopin as a basis for many of his decsions. No way to prove that (I think) but they're still worth looking at.

[pianowolfi]

Since I worked with a polish teacher for two years and she reacted allergic when I showed up with Henle I have changed to Paderewski. I actually don't know what is better. This teacher actually excoriated Henle and since she is a Chopin specialist I took her advice.

[franzliszt2]

I've never met a teacher who says henle is any good. They all go noooooo!!

[prongated]

Since I worked with a polish teacher for two years and she reacted allergic when I showed up with Henle I have changed to Paderewski. I actually don't know what is better. This teacher actually excoriated Henle and since she is a Chopin specialist I took her advice.

...Prof. Elza Kolodin?

[jlh]

True about Paderewski but he only sponsored the project, the editorial work was done by several Polish musicologists. I believe it was started in the 30's and interrupted by WWII. The edition represents a summary of all existing manuscripts and original editions for the works, so the picture it paints is not nessacarily authentic but rather a combination of all those sources, decided by commitee. When there is no indication or Chopin's intention in a piece is unclear the editors' opinion is in parentheses. I use both editions (both are superb) but prefer Henle because the typeset is clearer for me to read. The editions by Carl Mikuli, a Chopin pupil are used as a source for many subsequent editions and he used his lessons with Chopin as a basis for many of his decsions. No way to prove that (I think) but they're still worth looking at.

Excellent response!

I like reading from the Dover edition for this reason.  The editorial notes outlining the decisions of the editors are clear and when there are discrepancies, it tells you what the various source manuscripts contain, and then you can make a decision on which you wish to follow.