Chopin's Nocturnes - best edition?

[haydnseeker]

Which edition of Chopin's complete Nocturnes is the best?

[naturlaut]

I prefer those edited by Jan Ekier.  Formerly UE, I believe, and now with PWM.

[eric0773]

I bought the Peters edition, but quickly regretted not having chosen the Alfred Cortot edition, which contains some advice on interpretation. Here is an article about Cortot's Chopin study scores: https://www.nytimes.com/1993/12/12/arts/classical-view-how-to-play-chopin-cortot-had-answers.html

This edition is edited by Hal Lenoard.

[slobone]

I have the Henle edition in my cart on Amazon, and I'll get it next time I order something. I love their editions, they look good on the page, and they're always urtext, which is a must for me. I don't want interpolations from an editor, only fingering, which Henle is pretty good at. They're expensive but worth it.

[49410enrique]

[eric0773]

Additional feedback: I just got back from my weekly lesson, where we looked at my attempt at Nocturne #11 for the first time. My teacher was horrified when he saw I had purchased the Peters edition, which seems to include many editors "additions" (nuances, fingerings, etc. that were not written by Chopin himself). It seems that many of these older editions (first half of XXth century) feature such liberties.

I may actually have to rebuy another edition (such as the one recommended by Enrique, which my teacher recommended).

[outin]

If you have this, would you mind posting a sample page...need to see if it's readable...I could always get another one

[49410enrique]

If you have this, would you mind posting a sample page...need to see if it's readable...I could always get another one

i do have this. let me see what i can get imaged. i saw your urtexts, i very much like your orange ones (though i have never seen the chopin nocturnes in that edition, i just generally like/prefer their stuff). its always good to have at least one or two other reference editions for works you particularly like plan to study and play.

[j_menz]

In my experience those Paderewski editions are greta. EXCEPT they are as flimsy as anything and will fall apart at the slightest provocation. I have the Scherzi in this edition and despite me having barely opened it it is in apalling condition.

[naturlaut]

Having used the Paderewski (which, by the way, was not edited by Paderewski), PWM/UE (edited by Jan Ekier), Henle, and various other cheaper ones, I would say that the most accurate text would be Jan Ekier's editions, be it the old Universal Edition (orange cover, also called Wiener Urtext) or the present Polish PWM (in original Polish or cheaper Chinese version).  There are way too many edits in Paderewski's which were not original and hence questionable, whereas Jan Ekier, the eminent Chopin scholar, picks and selects from the most reliable sources (the first French, German and English editions, in addition to manuscripts and autographs).  Also, you will get excellent notes throughout every volume of the score, including variants, which are always very interesting.

And of course, being an excellent pianist in his own right (Ekier played and recorded almost all of Chopin's piano works) casts another vote to this monumental undertaking. 

[slobone]

And btw, do people know that you can see facsimiles online of all the editions published in Chopin's lifetime? In case you want to check whether something in your copy is original or an interpolation.

https://chopin.lib.uchicago.edu/

[outin]

From what I just got (Henle, Peters and Wiener Urtet) the WU is the nicest to read for me and it stays open
If authentity is a question one can always check the manuscripts, but when just starting to learn the usability is for me more important.
The Peters I probably won't touch again. Usually their scores are very nice for me to read but this one is messy.

[naturlaut]

The Wiener Urtext (published by Universal Editions, or what we call UE in the trade, the orange one) is very good, as it was done by Jan Ekier.  Highly recommended.

It's hard going through Chopin's manuscripts and first editions because they are very very very confusing.  It's actually easier studying Beethoven's first editions than Chopin's.  So my advice for Chopin is: stick with the best, authentic edition. 

[haydnseeker]

Thanks for the various replies.

Unsurprisingly, nobody is recommending the old Schirmer edition edited by Mikuli, which I bought about 40 years ago.  I've found several disagreements with recorded performances, so I don't trust it and I've been wanting to replace it.

I've ordered the WU edition.

[slobone]

That's funny, because I'm also using the old Schirmer edition, only I've had mine for nearly 50 years. It still has the fingering written in that I used in high school (for the E minor, the only one I could handle at that point). Definitely time for a replacement.

[thesixthsensemusic]

That's funny, because I'm also using the old Schirmer edition, only I've had mine for nearly 50 years. It still has the fingering written in that I used in high school (for the E minor, the only one I could handle at that point). Definitely time for a replacement.

Which one? There's the Mikuli edition (which I have) but also one edited by Joseffy.

[slobone]

Which one? There's the Mikuli edition (which I have) but also one edited by Joseffy.

Mine is Mikuli. But I can't really see any reason to use either one now that so many good urtext editions are available.