Mikhail Akimovich Slonov, master of the Russian romance

Mikhail Akimovich Slonov, recognized singer and composer, good friend of S. Rachmaninoff and F. Chaliapin, was famous for his excellent taste in music. He composed a huge number of compositions in different genres including a lot of choral music and theatre pieces, children songs and more than 30 romances and popular songs. Rare sheet music of one of his most popular romances “Ah, Thou, Red Sun!” you can find here Ah, Thou, Red Sun!. The romance was written special for the genius of the Russian opera scene F. Chaliapin, who enjoyed the piece particularly and performed it therefore constantly at his concerts and even recorded it on his first gramophone record.

Rare sheet music auctioned off

Rare sheet music were sold at the auction house «Sotheby's» in London. A recently found piano duo by Gabriel Fauré composed supposedly in 1870 cost 20.000 £.
The price of Beethoven’s manuscripts containing some themes and concepts of new compositions, including Octet for wind instruments, op. 103 rose to 163250 £.
The letter written by Farinelli, one of the most famous Italian contralto and soprano castrato singers of the 18th century, was bought for 10625 £. It was his first letter sold by auction.

“Pieta, Signore!” Alessandro Stradella

At the beginning of the piece “Pieta, Signore!” by Alessandro Stradella, meditative tranquility overtakes slightly people’s hearts. But in a moment dramatic tension starts to rise constantly and it won't stop till the very end of the composition. The beauty of its melody, so woeful like a desperate supplication, affects every listener exciting in him the bowels of mercy and humility of mind. While you are listening to the piece you understand that the best thing you can do now is to curb all the unnecessary vanities in your life and try to make it more conscious and pure.
Sheet music of this remarkable composition by Alessandro Stradella is available for download here:
Pieta, Signore!

Frédéric Chopin, two forgotten Waltzes

I think nobody will deny that Frédéric Chopin is one of the most remarkable and prominent composers of the Romantic period whose ballades, sonatas, mazurkas, waltzes and works in other genres belong to the greatest and priceless musical heritage of mankind.
Some musicologists consider waltzes to be right the most intimate, so to say, “autobiographical” compositions by this genius of piano music. So, I would like to draw your attention to his two waltzes, "Waltz in E Flat Major" and "Waltz in A Minor", not only as they are to my mind masterpieces of astonishing beauty, but also as the history of their creation could be rather interesting for you.
Both manuscripts are stored at the Paris Conservatoire nowadays, but their ways to this location differ from each other. The manuscript of "Waltz in E Flat Major" was granted to the conservatory by Joseph Gaillard, whose father banker Emill Gaillard was Frédéric Chopin’s disciple and close friend. Though it has no dedication on it, we can suggest that the composer gave it to E. Gaillard as he wrote this composition especially for him.
The manuscript of "Waltz in A Minor" was granted by a member of the family Rothschild in 1901. It could be one of the manuscripts given by F. Chopin to Paris Rothschilds, who had had friendly relationships with him since 1832. Baroness Nathaniel de Rothschild was taught by the composer and received as a gift some manuscripts from him. The manuscript is marked with no dedication, date or signature. But some specialists admit the possibility that the waltz could be written during his Polish period. This opinion is backed up with the polish title of the rewritten manuscript – “Walec” or “Walse”. In spite of the fact that Paris Rothschilds possessed the manuscript, musicologists do not eliminate the possibility that it belongs to Chopin’s subsequent works.
Sheet music of these two excellent waltzes are available for download here:
Waltz in E Flat Major
Waltz in A Minor

Carnival Jest from Vienna by Robert Schumann

This lovely piece amazes the listeners with astonishing energy as well as with the high difficulty of its performing. Its playful and joyous character amuses and awakes in my soul children's innocence and wishes to jest and laugh like a kid, forgetting about all my troubles.
Sheet music is available for download here: Carnival Jest from Vienna, op. 26