Dear Pianists,

When playing music, we usually play exactly the notes we have in front of us. What we are doing is interpreting music that has already been completely composed. In past centuries, however, "making music" meant not only playing an instrument, but also improvising and composing.

"Playing with Fifths" comprises both of these aspects. As the title suggests, "playing" here also means that you should approach the music creatively and experimentally. You can change the pieces at will and even shape your own personal pieces from the material. We hope that these pieces will help you discover your own unique musical world within yourselves, and stimulate you to develop it, to express it openly, to let yourselves and others hear its sound. l would like you to find the freedom to treat the music a little differently every time you play it - after all, we don't always feel the same every day either! I wish to thank my many pupils, students, fellow teachers and colleagues for their help and valuable advice on this project.

I am particularly grateful to Magdalena Schatzmann and Monika Thiery, who encouraged me to publish "Playing with Fifths."