Moritz Moszkowski

Spanish Dances, Op. 12; Nos. 2 and 5

While less known today, German composer Moritz Moszkowski (1854-1925) was a popular and respected composer during his life. Known best for his piano compositions, his most popular work is his Spanish Dances, Op. 12, composed for piano four-hands in 1876, which he later arranged for solo piano himself. Consisting of five pieces, Moszkowski stated that none of the themes are based on any known Spanish melodies, but they are entirely his own creations, written in a Spanish style. The work was so popular that Moszkowski's friend Ludwig Philipp Scharwenka (1847-1917) orchestrated Nos. 2 and 5 in 1879, while Valentin Frank (1858-1929) orchestrated Nos. 1, 3, and 4 in 1884. Each of these orchestrations is available from the publisher. Instrumentation: 2+Picc.2.2.2: 4.2.3.0: Timp.Perc(2): Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set).