Heller Selected Piano Works (Character Pieces)

In this volume are to be found many small but pleasing piano pieces by the 19th-century composer Stephen Heller. The majority are of only medium difficulty, but their sound always has a particular charm. In 1853 Heller wrote to his publisher that he �had not sought to write many words� here, but wanted to suggest something �substantial and meaningful� in �just a few strokes�. Our volume provides valuable insights into Heller�s artistic development and is entirely devoted to the �character piece�, a form that comprises the major part of his compositional output. Examples include �Die kleine Bettlerin� [The little beggar-girl], �Nach erquickender Rast� [After a refreshing rest] and �Weinendes Kind� [Crying child] � scenes that conjure up and express a particular mood. As Ursula Kersten writes in her preface, Heller�s music already makes one think of Impressionism, and repays the effort involved in getting to know the composer of this volume more closely.