CLASSICA JAPAN TV 'Yuko Kawai talks about Chopin National Edition' Vol.1a - "The Birth of the National Edition" (excerpt)

What is the National Edition? How did it come into being?

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Chopin National Edition - historic, long-term editorial (URTEXT) work by prof.Jan Ekier and prof.Paweł Kamiński.

"We owe Chopin a debt…
His music allowed us to survive the worst moments, and in the periods of hope extols Polish culture all over the world. We owe it to the author to publish his work in the form he intended. This is the goal of the National Edition: to pay off a Nation`s debt to Chopin."
- Professor Jan Ekier

"Mamy dług wobec Chopina...
Jego muzyka pozwalała nam przetrwać najgorsze chwile, a w okresach nadziei rozsławia kulturę polską w świecie. Jesteśmy winni twórcy to, by przedstawić jego dzieło w zamierzonej przez niego postaci. To właśnie jest celem Wydania Narodowego: spłacić dług Narodu wobec Chopina."
- Profesor Jan Ekier

Special thanks: really special, great and hugely talented CLASSICA JAPAN team - Ishikawa-san, Miki-san, Takahashi-san, Haraguchi-san and others.

This TV programme won prestigious JSBA (Japan Satellite Broadcasting Association) Original Programming Awards.

CLASSICA JAPAN TV 'Yuko Kawai talks about Chopin National Edition' Vol.1b - "Prof.Ekier and prof.Kamiński's attitude toward National Edition - urtext work" (excerpt)

Yuko on TV: 'Urtext doesn't hold pianists in restraint. Chopin National Edition - really good urtext gives us/pianists/users optimum potential/possibilities. Prof.Ekier and prof.Kamiński know that and believe deeply next/future generation's potential. The most important thing is to know Chopin's facts. Then we/pianists can decide finally how to play. We can choose our own way - our "freedom" '.

This TV programme won prestigious JSBA (Japan Satellite Broadcasting Association) Original Programming Awards.

Special thanks: really special, great and hugely talented CLASSICA JAPAN team - Ishikawa-san, Miki-san, Takahashi-san, Haraguchi-san and others.

Yuko playing/showing Chopin Impromptu in C-sharp minor WN46 [people used to call: Fantaisie-Impromptu Op.66] (fragment),
Impromptu in A-flat major Op.29 (beginning),
Impromptu in F-sharp major Op.36 (beginning),
Impromptu in G-flat major Op.51 (beginning),
Rondo in C-minor Op.1 (beginning),
Cello Sonata in G minor Op.65 (beginning)

CLASSICA JAPAN TV 'Yuko Kawai talks about Chopin National Edition' Vol.2a - "The Opus numbers and Chopin's dying wish" (Excerpt)

This TV programme won prestigious JSBA (Japan Satellite Broadcasting Association) Original Programming Awards.

Special thanks: really special, great and hugely talented CLASSICA JAPAN team - Ishikawa-san, Miki-san, Takahashi-san, Haraguchi-san and others.

Played/showed in this video:
Waltz in E minor WN29A (beginning),
Waltz in A-flat major WN48 (beginning)

from Yuko's CDs:
Prelude in B major Op.28 No.11 (Chopinissimo VI - Imagine)
Funeral March in C minor WN11 (Various Compositions - BeArTon)

This programme won prestigious JSBA (Japan Satellite Broadcasting Association) Original Programming Awards.

Special thanks: really special, great and hugely talented CLASSICA JAPAN team - Ishikawa-san, Miki-san, Takahashi-san, Haraguchi-san and others.

Yuko plays/shows:
Polonaise No.6 in A-flat major Op.53 (fragment),
Etude in E major Op.10 No.3 (fragment)

This TV programme won prestigious JSBA (Japan Satellite Broadcasting Association) Original Programming Awards.

Special thanks: really special, great and hugely talented CLASSICA JAPAN team - Ishikawa-san, Miki-san, Takahashi-san, Haraguchi-san and others.

Yuko plays/shows Chopin Etude in E major Op.10 No.3 (fragment)

Authentic versions:
(0:47-)
The original version of AI (Autograph rough copy of a not final version of the Etude, with the date "Paris 25 August [18]32" (The Piemont Morgan Library, New York)), later supplemented by Chopin

(1:40-)
The final version of AI (Autograph rough copy of a not final version the Etude, with the date "Paris 25 August [18]32" (The Piemont Morgan Library, New York)) → FE1 (The First Edition, M.Schleginger, Paris June 1833) → EE2 (Second impression of [EE1](First English Edition))

Version of uncertain authenticity:
(2:38-)
FE2 (Second impression of the First French Edition)

(3:26-)
FED (copy from a collection belonging to Chopin's pupil Camille Dubois (Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris)

Unauthentic versions:
(4:28-)
GE (German edition) and EE3 (later impression of [EE1] (First English Edition), after 1856)

(5:20-)
version of most later collected editions, carried out in the 1870s; it appears the earliest in editions prepared by Klindworth and Mikuli.

(4:58-) Yuko says: "Chopin NEVER put/wrote Dis (D-sharp) in the bar 34."

We can see/read such valuable information in the National Edition source commentary (abridged) page.

Yuko expresses her greatest and deepest respect for the work by prof.Jan Ekier and prof.Paweł Kamiński.

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This TV programme won prestigious JSBA (Japan Satellite Broadcasting Association) Original Programming Awards.

Special thanks: really special, great and hugely talented CLASSICA JAPAN team - Ishikawa-san, Miki-san, Takahashi-san, Haraguchi-san and others.

Played/showed Chopin Sonata in B-flat minor Op.35 (fragment)
And - from Yuko's CD: Chopinissimo I (Imagine)

Yuko expresses her greatest and deepest respect for the work by prof.Jan Ekier and prof.Paweł Kamiński.

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This TV programme won prestigious JSBA (Japan Satellite Broadcasting Association) Original Programming Awards.

Special thanks: really special, great and hugely talented CLASSICA JAPAN team - Ishikawa-san, Miki-san, Takahashi-san, Haraguchi-san and others.

Yuko visited National Library in Warsaw and saw/checked Chopin's pupil Adolf Gutmann's copy of Sonata in B-flat minor Op.35 - on 18th March 2005. This was the day after her performance of the B-flat minor Sonata at Warsaw National Philharmonic Hall, 17th March 2005.

Special thanks: Mariola Małgorzata Nałęcz (the head of music collections section of National Library of Poland)
http://www.yukokawai.com/styled-3/styled-11/

CLASSICA JAPAN TV 'Yuko Kawai talks about Chopin National Edition'
- Vol.4b "The most 'shocking' difference in Chopin's editions - Let's see the sources" (Excerpt)

Gutmann didn't write a repeat/repetition sign (just double barline) but First German Edition put it receiving/using Gutmann's copy. Why? Yuko checked it at National Library in Warsaw. Gutmann's copy - on the second page of the first movement - the theme is 'thicker' with the accord, there are more notes. One of the right hand's notes from the second page - the ink has run to the reverse side, to the first page - near the 5th bar. But one dot, not two. Then First German Edition put a repeat/repetition sign and published. Pianists all over the world started to play wrong(ly). What a history...

played/showed Chopin Sonata in B-flat minor Op.35, the 1st movement (fragment)

And from Yuko's CD: Chopinissimo I (Imagine)

Yuko expresses her greatest and deepest respect for the work by prof.Jan Ekier and prof.Paweł Kamiński.

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This TV programme won prestigious JSBA (Japan Satellite Broadcasting Association) Original Programming Awards.

Special thanks: really special, great and hugely talented CLASSICA JAPAN team - Ishikawa-san, Miki-san, Takahashi-san, Haraguchi-san and others.

Yuko on TV:
CLASSICA JAPAN 'Yuko Kawai talks about Chopin National Edition' - Vol.5b "piano fingering" (Excerpt)

played/showed:
Piano Concerto in E minor Op.11 the second movement (fragment),
Ballade No.4 in F minor Op.52 (fragment)

This TV programme won prestigious JSBA (Japan Satellite Broadcasting Association) Original Programming Awards.

Special thanks: really special, great and hugely talented CLASSICA JAPAN team - Ishikawa-san, Miki-san, Takahashi-san, Haraguchi-san and so on.

Yuko on TV: CLASSICA JAPAN 'Yuko Kawai talks about Chopin National Edition'

'As many different sounds as there are fingers - everything is a matter of knowing good fingering. (…) Just as we need to use the conformation of the fingers, we need no less to use the rest of the hand, the wrist, the forearm and the upper arm. One cannot try to play everything from the wrist, as Kalkbrenner claims.'
- Chopin, PM (Chopin's Project de méthode)

'He (Chopin) used a simple, natural position of the hands as conditioned by scale and chord-playing, adopting the easiest fingering, although it might be against the rules, that came to him.'
- Hipkins

This TV programme won prestigious JSBA (Japan Satellite Broadcasting Association) Original Programming Awards.

Special thanks: really special, great and hugely talented CLASSICA JAPAN team - Ishikawa-san, Miki-san, Takahashi-san, Haraguchi-san and others.

CLASSICA JAPAN 'Yuko Kawai talks about Chopin National Edition'

played/showed:
Prelude in E major Op.28 No.9 (fragment),
Nocturne No.4 in F major Op.15 No.1 (fragment)

Yuko expresses her greatest and deepest respect for the work by prof.Jan Ekier and prof.Paweł Kamiński.

This TV programme won prestigious JSBA (Japan Satellite Broadcasting Association) Original Programming Awards.

Special thanks: really special, great and hugely talented CLASSICA JAPAN team - Ishikawa-san, Miki-san, Takahashi-san, Haraguchi-san and others.

played/showed:
Chopin's masterpiece, incredibly beautiful and heart-warming Largo - Sonata in B minor Op.58, the 3rd movement (fragment)

CLASSICA JAPAN TV 'Yuko Kawai talks about Chopin National Edition'

Yuko expresses her greatest and deepest respect for the work by prof.Jan Ekier and prof.Paweł Kamiński.

This TV programme won prestigious JSBA (Japan Satellite Broadcasting Association) Original Programming Awards.

Special thanks: really special, great and hugely talented CLASSICA JAPAN team - Ishikawa-san, Miki-san, Takahashi-san, Haraguchi-san and others.

CLASSICA JAPAN 'Yuko Kawai talks about Chopin National Edition'

played/showed:
Polanaise-Fantaisie Op.61 (fragment - Coda),
Ballade No.4 in F minor Op.52 (fragment - Coda)

In spite of receiving Chopin's autograph ('at the same time') of Op.61, First German Edition changed the dotted rhythm notation and published.

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Yuko expresses her greatest and deepest respect for the work by prof.Jan Ekier and prof.Paweł Kamiński.

This TV programme won prestigious JSBA (Japan Satellite Broadcasting Association) Original Programming Awards.

Special thanks: really special, great and hugely talented CLASSICA JAPAN team - Ishikawa-san, Miki-san, Takahashi-san, Haraguchi-san and others.

[Important]
Yuko addressing/talking directly to TV viewers: "In my own personal view, this matter - the dotted rhythm and the triplet at the same time or not - actually, this isn't only the thing about the 'timing'. More essential/crucial thing - if it's at the same time, the sounds resonant together. They sound richer, warmer. Not '1+1=2'. No, no, no. '1+1=2 plus alpha (+α)', much more. We feel happier, feel even 'safer', have the warmer feeling listening to the resonance between the dotted rhythm and the triplet. They resonant beautifully and melt into the whole richer sounds. It makes us happy and we feel at ease.

Especially, at the ending of the 3rd movement Largo - the tension eases harmonically to a tonic chord, and when we play the dotted rhythm and the triplet at the same time as Chopin wrote - It's like - we feel a magnetic pull. The sounds resonant and we can feel a 'deep sense of relief.' "

CLASSICA JAPAN TV 'Yuko Kawai talks about Chopin National Edition'
- Vol.7b "Dotted rhythm and triplet at the same time"(Excerpt)

played/showed:
Sonata in B minor Op.58, the 3rd movement (ending)

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Yuko expresses her greatest and deepest respect for the work by prof.Jan Ekier and prof.Paweł Kamiński.

This TV programme won prestigious JSBA (Japan Satellite Broadcasting Association) Original Programming Awards.

Special thanks: really special, great and hugely talented CLASSICA JAPAN team - Ishikawa-san, Miki-san, Takahashi-san, Haraguchi-san and others.

played/showed:
Piano Concerto in E minor Op.11, the 2nd movement - Romance, Larghetto (fragment),
Mazurka in C minor Op.30 No.1 (fragment)

"In the use of the pedal he (Chopin) had likewise attained the greatest mastery, was uncommonly strict regarding the misuse of it, and said repeatedly to the pupil: 'The correct employment of it remains a study for life.' "
- Streicher/Niecks

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Yuko expresses her greatest and deepest respect for the work by prof.Jan Ekier and prof.Paweł Kamiński.

This TV programme won prestigious JSBA (Japan Satellite Broadcasting Association) Original Programming Awards.

Special thanks: really special, great and hugely talented CLASSICA JAPAN team - Ishikawa-san, Miki-san, Takahashi-san, Haraguchi-san and others.

CLASSICA JAPAN TV 'Yuko Kawai talks about Chopin National Edition'
played/showed:
Nocturne No.8 in D-flat major Op.27 No.2 (fragment),
Barcarole in F-sharp major Op.60 (fragment)

And from Yuko's CD: Etude in F major Op.25 No.3 (Chopinissimo III, Imagine)

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Yuko expresses her greatest and deepest respect for the work by prof.Jan Ekier and prof.Paweł Kamiński.

This TV programme won prestigious JSBA (Japan Satellite Broadcasting Association) Original Programming Awards.

Special thanks: really special, great and hugely talented CLASSICA JAPAN team - Ishikawa-san, Miki-san, Takahashi-san, Haraguchi-san and others.

played/showed:
Mazurka in B-flat minor Op.24 No.4 (fragment)

"Chopin used the pedals with marvellous discretion. He often coupled them to obtain a soft and veiled sonority, but more often still he would use them separately for brilliant passages, for sustained harmonies, for deep bass notes, and for loud ringing chords. Or he would use the soft pedal alone for those light murmurings which seem to create a transparent vapour round the arabesques that embellish the melody and envelop it like fine lace. The timbre produced by the pedals on Playel pianos has a perfect sonority, and the dampers work with a precision very useful for chromatic and modulating passages; this quality is precious and absolutely indispensable."
- Marmontel

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Yuko expresses her greatest and deepest respect for the work by prof.Jan Ekier and prof.Paweł Kamiński.

This TV programme won prestigious JSBA (Japan Satellite Broadcasting Association) Original Programming Awards.

Special thanks: really special, great and hugely talented CLASSICA JAPAN team - Ishikawa-san, Miki-san, Takahashi-san, Haraguchi-san and others.

Yuko talking to TV viewers: "Chopin's autograph shows that he changed his mind - changed the short pedalling for longer one. But we just need to know about the differences between the 19th century Pleyel piano and our modern one. Today's piano sound is richer and it's difficult to keep the sound clear using the long pedalling. Chopin's long pedal indications are sometimes big/tough challenges for us. But it is worth trying - Chopin's long pedalling realises the natural/long phrasing, the beauiful flow of the music. So, I think we can use the 'shallow' pedalling, although I know it is not always easy. We need to listen very carefully, need to control the sound with our ears."

played/showed:
Prelude in B-flat minor Op.28 No.16 (fragment)

And from Yuko's CD:
Prelude in B major Op.28 No.11 (Chopinissimo VI, Imagine)
Prelude in A-flat major Op.28 No.17 (Chopinissimo VI, Imagine)

CLASSICA JAPAN TV "Yuko Kawai talks about Chopin National Edition'
- Vol.9b "Chopin's piano pedalling" (Excerpt)

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Yuko expresses her greatest and deepest respect for the work by prof.Jan Ekier and prof.Paweł Kamiński.

This TV programme won prestigious JSBA (Japan Satellite Broadcasting Association) Original Programming Awards.

Special thanks: really special, great and hugely talented CLASSICA JAPAN team - Ishikawa-san, Miki-san, Takahashi-san, Haraguchi-san and others.

played/showed:
Impromptu No.1 in A-flat major Op.29 (fragment)

(1:15-) Chopin's autograph

(1:56-) First French Edition

(2:09-) First English Edition

(2:23-) First German Edition

(2:43-)
left: Chopin's autograph
right: First German Edition

(3:13-) First German Edition

(3:34-) Chopin's autograph

(3:44-) First German Edition

(4:16-) National Edition

(4:43-) Paderewski Edition

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Yuko expresses her greatest and deepest respect for the work by prof.Jan Ekier and prof.Paweł Kamiński.

This TV programme won prestigious JSBA (Japan Satellite Broadcasting Association) Original Programming Awards.

Special thanks: really special, great and hugely talented CLASSICA JAPAN team - Ishikawa-san, Miki-san, Takahashi-san, Haraguchi-san and others.

played/showed:
Fantaisie in F minor Op.49 (beginning)
Ballade No.3 in A-flat major Op.47 (fragment)

(0:06-) Chopin's autograph

(1:00-) National Edition

(1:15-) Paderewski Edition

(1:33-)
above: National Edition
below: Paderewski Edition

(1:45-) Paderewski Edition

(2:24-) National Edition

(2:30-) Paderewski Edition

(2:43-)
above: Chopin's autograph
below: Paderewski Edition

(3:00-)
[Sonata in B minor Op.58, the 4th movement (Finale)]
left: Chopin's autograph
right: Paderewski Edition

(3:45-) National Edition

(4:20-) National Edition

(4:56-) Paderewski Edition

(5:13-) Paderewski Edition

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Yuko expresses her greatest and deepest respect for the work by prof.Jan Ekier and prof.Paweł Kamiński.

This TV programme won prestigious JSBA (Japan Satellite Broadcasting Association) Original Programming Awards.

Special thanks: really special, great and hugely talented CLASSICA JAPAN team - Ishikawa-san, Miki-san, Takahashi-san, Haraguchi-san and others.

played/showed:
Nocturne No.2 in E-flat major Op.9 No.2 version with Chopin's authentic variants (fragment)

"If we have two or more authentic 'versions', not only one, we say we have 'variant(s)'. ('Variant' and 'variation' are not the same.) Chopin's variants are just beautiful and inspiring."

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Yuko expresses her greatest and deepest respect for the work by prof.Jan Ekier and prof.Paweł Kamiński.

This TV programme won prestigious JSBA (Japan Satellite Broadcasting Association) Original Programming Awards.

Special thanks: really special, great and hugely talented CLASSICA JAPAN team - Ishikawa-san, Miki-san, Takahashi-san, Haraguchi-san and others.

played/showed:
Nocturne No.4 in F major Op.15 No.1 (fragment)
Piano Concerto in E minor Op.11, the 1st movement (solo part beginning)

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Yuko expresses her greatest and deepest respect for the work by prof.Jan Ekier and prof.Paweł Kamiński.

This TV programme won prestigious JSBA (Japan Satellite Broadcasting Association) Original Programming Awards.

Special thanks: really special, great and hugely talented CLASSICA JAPAN team - Ishikawa-san, Miki-san, Takahashi-san, Haraguchi-san and others.

(1) One octave more - 'up':
Chopin Piano Concerto in E minor Op.11, the 2nd movement Romance

(2) One octave more - 'down':
Etude in F minor Op.25 No.2 (ending)

played/showed:
Nocturne No.2 in E-flat major Op.9 No.2 (fragment)
Etude in F minor minor Op.25 No.2 (ending)
Piano Concerto in E minor Op.11, the 2nd movement - Romance, Larghetto
(fragment)

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Yuko expresses her greatest and deepest respect for the work by prof.Jan Ekier and prof.Paweł Kamiński.

This TV programme won prestigious JSBA (Japan Satellite Broadcasting Association) Original Programming Awards.

Special thanks: really special, great and hugely talented CLASSICA JAPAN team - Ishikawa-san, Miki-san, Takahashi-san, Haraguchi-san and others.

played/showed:
Nocturne No.18 in E major Op.62 No.2 (fragment)

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Yuko expresses her greatest and deepest respect for the work by prof.Jan Ekier and prof.Paweł Kamiński.

This TV programme won prestigious JSBA (Japan Satellite Broadcasting Association) Original Programming Awards.

Special thanks: really special, great and hugely talented CLASSICA JAPAN team - Ishikawa-san, Miki-san, Takahashi-san, Haraguchi-san and others.