A classic of the repertoire
A new edition of Niels Gade's "Fantasy Pieces" with a clear and tidy musical text.
The Fantasy pieces op. 43 by Niels Wilhelm Gade, a classic of the clarinet repertoire, has been newly published in the Henle Urtext series. Nicolai Pfeffer has produced the beautiful critical edition in the usual Henle quality. The first edition published by Kistner in Leipzig in 1864 was used as the main source for this edition, with the composer's autograph from 1864 and a new edition from 1878 published by Wilhelm Hansen, Copenhagen, as additional sources. Between the surviving autograph and the first edition, the composer made changes to the tempo of the first movement (from Larghetto to Larghetto con moto to Andantino con moto) and to the time signature of the second movement (4/4 instead of Alla breve). Otherwise, the changes mainly concern a few minor differences in articulation, phrasing and dynamics. The score of this new edition is clear and tidy. There are almost no editor's notes in the musical text itself, but there is a detailed critical commentary in the appendix.
In contrast to earlier editions, the Henle version does not include a solo part for violin. This was probably only included with the first edition due to the publishing practice of the time, and its authorship is unclear.
Niels Wilhelm Gade: Fantasiestücke op. 43 for clarinet and piano, Urtext edited by Nicolai Pfeffer, HN 1353, € 14.00, G. Henle, Munich 2017
