Bartok's Mikrokosmos is one of the milestones in the pedagogical piano repertoire - and yet it is also far more than a "classical" piano primer. These 153 piano pieces, organised in ascending order of difficulty, engage not only with technical aspects of piano playing, but also with the fundamentals of composition - from "Ostinato", "Free variations" and "Imitation and inversion" concerning compositional technique, to programmatic ideas as in "From the diary of a fly" or the famous "Six dances in Bulgarian rhythm" that form the passionate close of this unique work. This Henle Urtext Edition is based on the corresponding volume of the Bartok Complete Edition that is currently in preparation, and also includes specific practical comments and tips concerning Bartok's own performances. Furthermore, the six volumes of the first edition, which first appeared in 1940, are here gathered together in three practical double volumes that offer both beginners and advanced pianists a perfect introduction to this work. |
