Piano sheet music

Piano is a musical instrument like no other. No one has doubted its importance and unlikely ever will: piano is ageless, and that says it all; it’s hard to imagine what qualities instrument should possess to supplant piano. Expressive and versatile, it may sound vociferous or whispering, strident or restrained, depending on a performer’s mood and choice of composition. There is an incredible amount of piano sheet music to suit taste of everyone now: exercises for beginners, complicated etudes, and heartfelt compositions. You can browse the most popular scores and discover new names here: piano sheet music.

Nocturne in A Major by Alexander Mackenzie

Today we’re going to talk about Alexander Mackenzie, but before that I want to write a few words about Ignacy Jan Paderewski. What’s interesting about him? He was a composer and the second Prime Minister of Poland. What he has to do with Mackenzie? Well, Mackenzie was a composer and the second Prime Minister (only of Canada), too. Some people however disagree, thinking he wasn't a composer but Prime Minister only. Third parties claim that he was born in Scotland in 1847, composed oratorios, pieces, and folk music, and never visited Canada, not talking about any political activity which was alien to him.

Ambiguous as it is, everybody’s right. Alexander Mackenzie really was a Prime Minister of Canada, but there was another Alexander Mackenzie – Romantic composer, conductor, and character of our story. Thanks third parties, we know main facts of his biography. The only mismatch is a statement about him never crossing the border of Canada: Alexander Mackenzie visited several cities in 1903.

Mackenzie’s works inspired Canadians to found 11 choral societies and created incentives for musical renaissance in 19th century Britain. For all his merit he was knighted, even though he wasn’t a second Prime Minister of Canada (who was offered the same title but refused it thrice).

Sheet music of Nocturne in A Major, his classical piece, is available here:
Nocturne in A Major, Op.15 No.2.

A Night in Spring by Leopold Godowsky

People who don’t have much time to read biographies of composers think that case of Mozart who started composing when he was five years old is unique. But many wunderkinds were born since then – take Leopold Godowsky. By the age of five he had written several pieces and was accomplished violinist and pianist – mostly self-taught, by the way.

Godowsky is mainly known for his transcriptions of Chopin’s etudes; he attempted to make them more difficult and had success in that. He was one of the most respected pianists – his skill was admired both by listeners and colleagues. Busoni, for example, thought that no one but Godowsky contributed to piano technique and writing to such an extent after Liszt. For all that he did Godowsky deserves a greater recognition than he already has.

A Night in Spring, one of his classical pieces, is available for download here: A Night in Spring, Op.15 No.2

Polka for Piano by Mily Balakirev

Mily Balakirev was a virtuoso pianist, composer, and leader of The Five – a circle of composers united by intention of playing music which doesn’t borrow elements of European music and refers to traditional Russian motifs. Balakirev’s creativity was appreciated among the most talented of his colleagues: his Islamey was one of Franz Liszt’s favorites due to its challenging difficulty. Balakirev defined Russian orchestral music and used innovative techniques of composition. His pieces are melodically rich, subtle and beautiful.

Polka for Piano is an excellent introduction to Balakirev's legacy – score of this marvelous composition is available here: Polka for Piano.

Quatuor concertant No.2 by Jean-Baptiste Davaux

Unlike all today’s Earth population, Jean-Baptiste Davaux knew about the Bastille being assaulted firsthand rather than century later. Revolutionary-minded violinist, he spent 28 years composing his 13 symphonies concertantes (1772-1800) and was perhaps very happy when the riot eventually led to a prison wreck just a year before his baker’s dozen of symphonies was completed. All in all, Davaux’s heritage is quite rangy: after constructing a device forerunning modern metronome he proved himself not only as a composer but inventor, as well. Still, music was on the first place for him and, I guess, for us, too.

Davaux's score is available here: Quatuor concertant No.2