Clara Schumann’s Soirées musicales (1836) form a richly varied cycle that reveals the full breadth of her imagination at the age of seventeen. The set opens with a dazzling Toccatina and closes with a commanding Polonaise, framing a sequence of contrasting moods and forms. Among them are two Mazurkas, a lyrical Notturno, and a darkly expressive Ballade—arguably her most ambitious work to date, blending drama and polyphonic complexity with Romantic pathos.
Praised by Robert Schumann for its “wealth of unconventional ideas,” this six-piece cycle invites comparisons with the fantasy works of Chopin and Mendelssohn, yet remains unmistakably personal. Clara’s refined textures, harmonic freedom, and instinct for narrative cohesion make this more than a salon suite: Soirées musicales is a portrait of the young composer at her most inventive and emotionally articulate.
An Urtext edition presents the music as faithfully as possible to the composer’s intentions. It is based on all available primary sources—first editions, autograph manuscripts, and reliable contemporary copies—and reproduces the musical text without arbitrary additions or editorial rewriting. At Felix Editions, editorial intervention is limited to the correction of obvious errors and is documented in the critical notes, ensuring historical accuracy together with practical clarity for performers.
For lesser-known composers, surviving sources are often exceptionally rare—sometimes only a single print or manuscript. Preparing an Urtext under such conditions requires careful reconstruction and cross-verification of fragmentary evidence. Our editions therefore combine scholarly rigour with curatorial work, making otherwise inaccessible music available in its most authentic form.
Each publication is produced to high standards of clarity, durability, and aesthetic refinement. Scores are printed on archival-grade, acid-free paper, chosen for its pleasant texture, natural colour, and stability over time.
Depending on page count, albums appear in two formats:
– Saddle-stitched for shorter works;
– Black wire binding for larger volumes, allowing pages to turn easily and remain open on the stand.
Every title is beautifully typeset to enhance both appearance and usability. Proportion and spacing are carefully balanced for legibility; page turns are planned so that, wherever possible, they avoid technically demanding passages. The result is a publication that is as pleasing to the eye as it is to play or read.
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