Heller Selected Studies, Opus 45 and Opus 46 (w/CD).

[website] Heller Selected Studies, Opus 45 and Opus 46 (w/CD), edited by William Westney. Hal Leonard Corp., (7777 W. Bluemound Rd., P.O. Box 13819, Milwaukee, WI 53213), 2005, 62 pp. $12.95.

This new collection, one of Hal Leonard's attractively produced Schirmer Performance Editions, includes 16 pieces, eight each from Melodius Etudes, Op. 45 and Progressive Etudes, Op. 46, both of which were written in 1844, when Stephen Heller had secured his place in Parisian society. As editor William Westney points out in his excellent performance notes, these pieces not only develop various aspects of piano technique and interpretation, serving as "stepping stones" to the great literature of Chopin, Mendelssohn and others but offer well-crafted, interesting recital fare for the advancing student. The etudes range in difficulty from early-intermediate--"The Avalanche," Op. 45, No. 2 is included here--to the elaborate D-flat Major Novelette, Op. 46, No. 29, which has right-hand figurations that evoke Chopin's more mature works. Many of the works provide excellent opportunities for developing voicing: "Celestial Voices," with a tune that sounds like Mozart's "Voi che sapete," has the melody in the rich middle register of the piano, with arpeggiated figurations above--a sort of reverse of Chopin's "Aeolian Harp Etude." "Il Penseroso" and "Sailor's Song" present the melody in the left hand, and "Song of the Gondolier" shares the melody between the thumbs of the right and left hand. "Warrior's Song" can be used to develop playing with natural power from the shoulders, while "Carefree" and "The Wind" work on rotational technique fast scalar passages in both hands. A particularly appealing recital piece would be "Shimmering Waters," Op. 46, No. 12, which sparkles with a variety of chromatic and arpeggiated figures.

Westney made all editorial decision to keep the descriptive titles that were not originally assigned by Heller but appeared in historical editions; these add an interpretive tool for students, and are a lot more fun for recital programs than their numerical counterparts. Westney also includes in his notes a suggested sequence of study for the etudes, and provides very effective and musical fingerings. As an additional guide for students, Westney performs with lots of color, flair and clarity, the etudes on the accompanying CD. My one quibble is that occasionally Westney accents an upbeat gesture--"Carefree" is one example and in "Il Penseroso," his accented eighth note on an offbeat creates a hemiola effect that I do not think was intended by the composer. This aside, Westney has done a wonderful service for piano pedagogy with this volume. Teachers and students can look forward to rediscovering these little gems. Reviewed by Nanette Kaplan Solomon, NCTM, New Castle, Pennsylvania.

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