Bartók’s voluminous output for the piano contains a great many exquisite masterpieces at every level of difficulty. This collection gathers together easy to moderately difficult pieces, including a wide variety of dance forms and folk-music miniatures. Players can coax magical sounds from the instrument using a varied refinement of touch such as silently depressed keys or can even play in two keys at once (bitonality). In addition, all of this provides a stimulus for improvisation.

This collection is a welcome addition to the repertoire used in music schools and private lessons and will, of course, appeal to all lovers of Bartók’s music. Besides familiar works, it also contains several that have never before been edited. Two pieces handed down as fragments have been judiciously completed by the editor. Care has been taken to provide a spacious engraving and practical page turns.