Isidore Philipp's Arrangement of Schumann's Pedal Piano Sketches

Isidore Philipp (or Isidor Philipp) is counted among the leading French pianists of the first half of the 20th century. His significant contribution as a renowned teacher, nurturing many younger generations, is also noteworthy. Beyond his activities as a performer and educator, his diverse work included composition, arrangement, compilation/editing/fingering of existing pieces, and writing pedagogical books. It is particularly important to note the substantial quantity and quality of his compositions and arrangements for piano duo. His arrangements for two pianos alone exceed 60 published scores. Philipp maintained a close relationship with the two-piano repertoire throughout his life. Beginning in 1875, when he was just 12 years old and performed on stage as Saint-Saëns's partner for two pianos, he frequently collaborated with older masters and young peers of his generation during his youth. From his middle age onwards, he increasingly performed with his students; when he recorded Saint-Saëns's Scherzo (Op. 87) with Marcelle Herrenschmidt in 1939, Philipp was 76 years old. Philipp's two-piano arrangements were written for his own performance activities and for the education of his students, and they comprise masterpieces that combine both practicality and artistic merit.

After privately studying with Saint-Saëns in his youth, Philipp studied at the Paris Conservatoire with Mathias (a student of Chopin). In his youth, he also gained the acquaintance of Liszt, Heller, and Alkan, who were then living elders of the musical world. From these living witnesses of the golden age of Romanticism, he received direct and thorough instruction on the ideas, aesthetics, interpretation, and performance techniques of that era. Schumann's collection of sketches written for the pedal flügel (a piano with a pedal keyboard, also called "pédalier" in France) is an important work from his middle period, but opportunities for live performance are rare today due to the instrument's obsolescence. The significance of Philipp, who had a deep understanding of Schumann, arranging this work for two pianos is considerable. Besides this work, Schumann's pedal flügel compositions include the Six Studies in Canon Form, Op. 56, for which a piano four-hands version by Bizet and a two-piano version by Debussy are widely known. Compared to the introspective and moderate "Six Studies," this work is filled with Schumann's characteristic sense of agitation and floating quality, offering the enjoyment of a dynamic musical character with clear contrasts. It is also likely to be greatly appreciated by listeners. The difficulty is not high, and its usability is enhanced by the ability to adjust the duration with or without repeats. It was dedicated to the composer Charles Lenepveu.

• Movement 1: Moderato, ma marcato assai, 3/4 time, C minor
• Movement 2: Moderato, ma marcato assai, 3/4 time, C major
• Movement 3: Vivace, 3/4 time, F minor
• Movement 4: Allegretto, 3/4 time, D-flat major