A piano miniature is, as is known, the favorite genre of European composers. During the age of romanticism, it established one of the two main evolutionary paths of the musical art, the path that was opposite to that of other artists striving for polysynthesism in their pieces. The depth of contents and feeling in a miniature is comparable in its magnitude to the onmiembracement of the greatest concepts a composer may think of. And, as evidenced by the works of XIX century geniuses, both tendencies can well conjoin in one piece.

The position of a miniature in the core of the creative process attracted authors seeking self-expression in a concentered moment. A miniature attracts performers as well with the chance in gives them to discover the spaciousness of a musical moment - lyrically spontaneous, impulsive, unaffected, artistically graceful, ironic or utterly bold. For a musician, especially a young one, with the ability to express oneself or understanding of the author’s st yle it nurtures the culture of feelings and the art of communication through music. All that makes creation of a piano miniature very valuable.

In this collection, the generous hand of the compiler cast a number of reflections of the great XX century authors and our contemporaries. The very acquaintance with the names presented by Sergey Poddubny in this chrestomathy brings performers and listeners closer to the music culture of the recent past. With their fresh melodies, sharp rhythm, unusual patterns and picturesque images, the pieces collected train the taste of a young pianist anew. They free students’ minds and their perception from the inertia of traditional classical school repertoire which has long ago been renewed and brought to the modern by the very evolution of musical art. The pieces presented in Sergey Poddubny’s collection make the sonic world of a child and a teenager wider, enriching their spiritual experience.

The Sergey Poddubny’s chrestomathy will