IMSLP Forums

Hi.

I have an interest in continuing Piano Practical Editions (PPE) by Ray Alston. (PPE promotes high-quality innovative editions of challenging piano works with addition/removal of staves as needed, changes of key and time signatures, hand distribution, improved layout, and practical performance suggestions.) My reason for IMSLP users to continue the PPE series for other works is that I have emailed Mr. Alston to do other works but he has declined to answer general topics like these, requesting only specific questions about his (existing) editions. So I believe other users should continue PPE for other works (or, at least, make scores in the style and format of PPE).

Changes from existing scores include:

- Use of differently sized noteheads
- Redistribution of hand positioning
- Some modification of key and time signatures
- Suggestions for use of the sostenuto pedal
- Amendments to stave layout
- Amendments to page layout for improved page turns

A few samples of scores from PPE:

Chopin
Etudes Op. 10 Vol 1--1-4
Etudes Op. 10 Vol 2--5-8
Etudes Op. 25 Vol 2--5-8
Etudes Op. 25 Vol 3--9-12
Scherzo Op. 39

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Schumann
Abegg Variations Op. 1
Fantasy in C Op.17
Kreisleriana Op. 16
Toccata Op. 7

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Albeniz
Iberia 1
Iberia 2
Iberia 3

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Debussy
Estampes
Preludes book 1

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Rachmaninov
Prelude Op. 3#2

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Ravel
Jeux d'Eau

I checked Ray Alston's contribution history, and he is still actively creating new Piano Practical Editions. As of this writing, the latest new edition is from Apr 19 (Brahms Op. 116), and two other editions have been revised. So, anyone interested in creating new editions like this would certainly be working concurrently to Ray Alston, unless he stops creating new editions.

A few questions to consider when thinking about your proposal:

• What factors specifically interest you about the Piano Practical Editions? Is it all the factors you listed above, combined? Are there any aspects you would like to see changed about PPE, or added, or removed?
• Are you only interested in seeing new editions for "challenging" piano works? That would certainly limit the scope of this type of edition, though the more difficult piano works generally provide more opportunities to tweak the style like PPE does.
• Do you have a wishlist of works you like to see new editions for?