A treasure chest (not only) for pianists

Solo pieces for piano are as rare in classical literature as they are in jazz, but they are quite a rarity in folk music. Hans Frey (1913-1973) from Lachen was once celebrated as an undisputed master in this genre by niche enthusiasts and was also fêted by Radio Beromünster. Without any musical training or knowledge of music himself, but equipped with plenty of talent and an absolute ear, the piano tuner from Ausserschwyz left behind 43 dances for solo piano. To mark the centenary of his birth and fortieth anniversary of his death, Wollerau music dealer Mathias Knobel has now published these polkas, ländler, mazurkas, marches and schottisches, some of them virtuoso, as a complete collection of sheet music.

As is well known, country music has only given the piano a secondary role as a rhythmic and harmonic accompanying instrument, and in some places it is even frowned upon completely. Frey, who obviously also heard ragtime and stride pianists, was not content with such a sideman function. Even in his youth, he occasionally invited fellow pupils to "Concert & Syrup" in the Bären, where he was also allowed to practise due to the lack of his own piano. At his first and only piano lesson, the exasperated teacher is said to have sent him away immediately because he played everything straight away. Soon the village notables took him out of the schoolroom to show off the child prodigy to their guests.

Fredy Reichmuth, Knobel's long-time collaborator on accordion and piano, has meticulously transcribed the notes from Frey's own recordings in the original keys. His penchant for the black keys is already reflected in the first two numbers in D flat major. Whilst the left hand can play quarter notes between octave basses and three-part chords, the right hand can indulge in quaver runs in thirds or sixths. So this is not exactly literature for beginners, especially not when Frey allows himself a septuplet to accommodate a chromatic passage between two bar lines.

This beautiful volume of sheet music, which also contains a compact biography with photos, is probably technically out of reach for amateur ländler pianists. It is therefore all the more suitable for curious outsiders who want to check their possible prejudices about "simple" country music. The 43 dances should appeal primarily to pianists looking for a native, down-to-earth complement to Chopin waltzes or Fats Waller. As the majority of the Ländler repertoire is only available in simplified notation (melody, possibly second part and chord ciphers), the detailed Frey sheet music could also be of interest as study objects for analysis and stylistic arrangement. In addition, Frey's recordings are available on two CDs - with regard to phrasing, dynamics and ornamentation practice: Memories of Hans Frey, Vol. 1 + 2

Volume of sheet music: Hans Frey (1913-1973), pianist and composer of Swiss folk music, transcription: Fredy Reichmuth, editor: Mathias Knobel, all 43 compositions in original version, A4 format, 136 pages, paperback cover, Fr. 56.00, Knobel music store, Wollerau 2013