AB II-02

Description

Max Prick van Wely / Albert Brussee

PIANORAMA – A PIANISTIC PANORAMA OF EUROPE
Twelve folk music arrangements for four-handed piano

Pianorama – a pianistic panorama of Europe consists of twelve folk music arrangements from different countries in Europe. The sequence of the parts was determined by the mutual differences in character and nature of the music of the countries concerned. The cycle can therefore best be performed in its totality. However, there is no motivic relationship between the parts, so that these also can be considered as stand-alone compositions.

Style: diverse, adapted to the folk music material.
Difficulty: Trap IV-VI (on a scale of XII steps).

–  Jiddisch kinderliedje (Yiddish Childsren’s song)
–  O Nederland, let op uw zaak (O Netherlands, watch your case)
–  Engelse matrozendans (English sailer’s dance)
–  Hongaarse volksmelodie (Hungarian folk melody)
–  Spaanse bruiloftsdans (Spanish wedding dance)
–  Au clair de la lune 
–  Ah, vous dirai-je, Maman 
–  Armeense treurzang (Armenian mourning song) 
–  A Scottish melody (A Scottish melody)
–  Volksmelodie uit Roemenië (Folk melody from Romania)
–  Mazurka
–  Avondstemming – een volkslied uit Bohemen  (Evening Mood – a folk song from Bohemia)

REVIEWS
“The chosen order brings a lot of variety and creates nice contrasts between the several compositions, which resemble parts of a cycle. The folk melodies from the different music traditions (…) are characteristic of these countries because of the tempo, the accents and pitch at which the words and syllables are spoken in the language in question. The introduction to these folk music arrangements is therefore at the same time an introduction to the musical identity of all those countries. The arrangers always strike the right tone and atmosphere, making the keyboard pieces sound like short stories: from a carefree Yiddish children’s song to a solemn O Netherlands, watch your case, or from a cheerful English sailor’s dance to a high-spirited Spanish wedding dance. The authors succeeded in creating a real musical panorama and not a collection of individual pieces. ”
Olga de Kort, Piano Bulletin 2012-1.

“(…) The chosen melodies offer a wide variety of character. The Yiddish children’s song is a ‘naive’ song, where the accompaniment is kept in simple parallels. Nice in itself, but I do miss a bit the characteristic Yiddish ‘gypsy harmony’. The typically Dutch O Netherlands, watch your case (how up-to-date …), on the other hand, in its stately grandeur, hit the right tone and character. The Hungarian and Romanian folk melodies are reminiscent of the arranging style of Kodály and Bartók, respectively. From the well-known Ah, vous dirai-je, Maman the arrangers made a cute music box piece, while the Armenian mourning song and the Bohemian Evening Mood have to be played quasi improvisando. In short, a bundle full of four-handed playing fun. Bart van Sambeek set the music profesionally and broadly, with logical turning points. ”
Maarten Boonstra, Pianowereld 2012-2.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
© 2010, AB Music Productions & Editions, The Hague
42 pages; with a Preface in Dutch and English.
Available through the usual music channels (distribution by Hal Leonard in Holland and Belgium) or direct from AB Music Productions & Editions.