Lyapunov S. 6 Easy Pieces for Piano

Sergei Mikhailovich Lyapunov (1859–1924) the distinguished Russian composer, pianist, conductor, musicologist and teacher was born in Yaroslavl in the family of an astronomer. That was the future composer’s mother to bring him into the world of music. Then there was a college at the Nizhny Novgorod Department of the Russian Music Society, followed by the Moscow Conservatoire, where he studied till 1883 and acquired two specialties composition theory at N. A. Gubert and S. I. Taneyev, piano at K. Klindworth and P. I. Pabst.

Piano pieces for children and about children are represented by such cycles as Six Children’s Pieces for Piano , no opus, (1918–1919); Divertissement, Six Pieces for Piano, op. 41 (1910), Six Easy Pieces for Piano, op. 59 (1914). The composer resorted to the topic of childhood, and it wasn’t by chance. He watched the children’s world and psychology, studying vivid examples of his own big family.

The cycle Easy Pieces for Piano op. 59 referring to the 1914 is dedicated to Lyapunov’s three daughters — Olga, Anastasiya and Lyudmila. That was the composer’s present for each of them before his departure abroad. His music autographs on photo-portraits are preserved in the Russian National Library.

The publication of Six Easy Pieces, op. 59, may be considered the first publication in Russia.

Contents:

1. Playing ball (Music text example)
2. Lullaby to my dolly  
3. Seesaw  
4. Cockhorse  
5. Nanny’s fairytale  
6. Children’s babble