Niels W. Gade, who occasionally substituted for Felix Mendelssohn as conductor of the Gewandhaus Concerts in Leipzig, is today considered the most important Danish composer. In his “Spring Flowers” op. 2b, “Aquarelles” op. 19 and “New Aquarelles” op. 57 he created supple, pleasing piano pieces in an intimate style suitable for domestic music-making. Nevertheless, these character pieces are of moderate difficulty. They fascinate with their powerful originality, deeply sensitive expressive power and pianistic ingenuity. For pianists who want to look beyond the established romantic piano music repertoire, engaging with this edition will prove worthwhile. The informative preface has been written by Danish pianist Bengt Johnsson, who has recorded Gade’s complete piano works.
