About this edition
Few works in the concerto repertoire have entered the public imagination as decisively as Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor, Op. 23. From the famous thundering horn call and crashing piano chords of its introduction — a passage that, paradoxically, never returns in the body of the work — through the lyrical Andantino with its delicate flute melody and Prestissimo middle section, to the propulsive Ukrainian-derived finale, the concerto fuses Romantic grandeur with melodic invention of extraordinary directness. Premiered in Boston in 1875 after Nikolai Rubinstein's notorious initial rejection of the score, it has become one of the most performed and recorded concertos ever written.
This printing reproduces the full orchestral score published in Moscow by P. Jurgenson (plate 2590, issued after 1890), presenting the standard 1888 revision — the version Tchaikovsky himself prepared late in life and the one that has served as the basis for virtually all subsequent performance practice. Jurgenson was Tchaikovsky's principal publisher and close personal associate, and the firm's editions of his works carry exceptional authority, having been prepared in direct consultation with the composer. For conductors, pianists, and scholars seeking the composer's mature, authorized text, the Jurgenson plates remain a primary historical document.
About this edition:
- Full orchestral score (conductor's score with solo piano part)
- Page size: 8.5 x 11 inches, suitable for study and rehearsal use
- Faithfully reproduced from a public domain historical edition
- Source: Moscow: P. Jurgenson, plate 2590, after 1890 (1888 standard version)
- Published by Purple 4R Publishing
Because this score reproduces a historical edition that has entered the public domain, we are delighted to make this cornerstone of the concerto literature available once again in an affordable, well-presented print format — ideal for conductors preparing performances, pianists studying the orchestral fabric, students, and lovers of Tchaikovsky's music everywhere.
