Études (Chopin)

The Études by Polish composer Frédéric Chopin are three sets of études for piano.

Composition

"In all my life I have never again been able to find such a beautiful melody." -Chopin, on Op. 10, No. 3[1]

Chopin's Études (studies) are some of the hardest pieces of all the works in concert piano repertoire. Because of this, the music remain famous and are often played at concerts.[1] Some of them have been given nicknames (but not by Chopin himself) - for example, the last Étude from Op. 10 has been called the Revolutionary because it was inspired by the November 1830 Uprising, when the Poles were defeated by the Russian Empire.[1]

All twenty-seven Études were published during Chopin's lifetime; Opus 10, the first group of twelve were written between 1829 and 1832, and were published in 1833, in France, Germany, and England. The twelve Études of Opus 25 were composed at various times between 1832 and 1836, and were published in the same countries in 1837. The final three, part of a series called "Méthode des méthodes de piano" compiled by Moscheles and Fétis, were composed in 1839 but with no opus number.

The first Études of the Opus 10 set were written when Chopin was still in his teens. Chopin's Études elevated the musical form from purely utilitarian exercises to great artistic masterpieces.[2] At a concert in which Chopin performed his opus 25, Robert Schumann said "À la Chopin".[2]

List of Études

Études Op. 10

Name Key Name Key
Étude Op. 10, No. 1 C major Étude Op. 10, No. 7 C major
Étude Op. 10, No. 2 A minor Étude Op. 10, No. 8 F major
Étude Op. 10, No. 3 E major Étude Op. 10, No. 9 F minor
Étude Op. 10, No. 4 C-sharp minor Étude Op. 10, No. 10 A-flat major
Étude Op. 10, No. 5 G-flat major Étude Op. 10, No. 11 E-flat major
Étude Op. 10, No. 6 E-flat minor Étude Op. 10, No. 12 C minor

Études Op. 25

Name Key Name Key
Étude Op. 25, No. 1 A-flat major Étude Op. 25, No. 7 C-sharp minor
Étude Op. 25, No. 2 F minor Étude Op. 25, No. 8 D-flat major
Étude Op. 25, No. 3 F major Étude Op. 25, No. 9 G-flat major
Étude Op. 25, No. 4 A minor Étude Op. 25, No. 10 B minor
Étude Op. 25, No. 5 E minor Étude Op. 25, No. 11 A minor
Étude Op. 25, No. 6 G-sharp minor Étude Op. 25, No. 12 C minor

Trois nouvelles études

Name Key
Étude No. 1 F minor
Étude No. 2 A-flat major
Étude No. 3 D-flat major

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Palmer, Willard A., ed. (1992). Chopin Etudes for the Piano, Practical Performing Edition. USA: Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. ISBN 0-7390-2497-3.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Smendzianka, Regina (2007). "How to Play Chopin? Part 3: Chopin's Etudes". Chopin Foundation of the United States. Archived from the original on 2011-07-23. Retrieved 2007-04-28.