This set of etudes composed by Burgmüller rightfully holds its reputation and popularity as pieces that appeal to all ages whilst providing exposure to a particular area of interpretation or technique. They are classified as etudes, however they should also be thought of as character pieces.
By Print made by: F Meyer Printed by: Thierry Frères - https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1870-1008-1113, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=90262815
According to Jane McGrath’s book “The Pianists Guide to Standard Teaching and Performance Literature” these pieces are for a time considered dated, and it has only been in recent years that they have been played more frequently. Jane MacGrath states that the most popular selections are No 2. Arabesque, No. 3 Pastorale, No. 6 Progress, No. 9 The Chase, No. 15 The Ballade, No. 19 Ave Maria and No. 21 Harmony of the Angels.
Friedrich (or as he was known in France, Frédéric) Burgmüller was born in 1806 in Regensburg, a Bavarian city on the Danube in south-east Germany. His father, Johann August Franz Burgmüller was a composer, music teacher and pianist and his brother, Norbert born in 1810, was a pianist, composer and conductor. Burgmüller was taught by his father and after his father’s death in 1824, he became director of music at Düsseldorf, he taught music in Mühlausen and was a cellist in Basel. He won considerable reputation as a piano teacher and as a composer after settling in Paris in 1832. And, he often promoted the works of his brother, Norbert who died young in 1836 at the age of 26.
Memorial plaque for the composer Norbert Burgmüller in Dusseldorf, Bastionstrasse by Ulrich Grenzheuser - Eigenes Werk, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=76111413
Apart form his piano compositions, Burgmüller also composed the music for some ballets.
The full title of Burgmüller’s Opus 100 is ‘25 Easy and Progressive Studies, Composed and Fingered expressly for the Stretch of Small Hands’. It was published in 1851, and his latter work Opus 109 entitled ‘ 18 Characteristic Studies, Providing a Continuation of the Easy Studies’ was dedicated to his friend, Stephen Heller.
The pieces become increasingly difficult as the set progresses.
La Candour (Candour) - also called Sincerity is in C major, the melodies are mostly within the span of the five fingers and there is little thumb crossing. It has a moderate tempo, lyrical writing and emphasises legato and inflection.
L’Arabesque (Arabesque) is in A minor, has a marking of Allegro scherzando), the melody is present in both hands and there are accompanying chords. A popular piece containing rapid mostly five-finger patterns which the player must control evenly. There are some position shifts however these are generally easy to accomplish.
La Pastorale - is in G major, has a marking of Andantino and dolce cantabile and is in 6/8. It has a reflective and refined quality and requires a quiet accompaniment.
La Petite réunion (The Small Gathering) - is in C major using thirds and sixths and requires a relaxed wrist.
Innocence - is in F major, contains semiquavers, scales, finger changes, slurs and phrases of different lengths. It requires evenness in the touch and helps develop facility in the right hands.
Progrés (Progress) - is in C major, contains a da capo repeat and a contrasting middle section. There are many passages where the hands are a tenth apart playing scales. The player needs to adhere to different articulations present in the piece.
Le Courant limpide (The Clear Stream) - is in G major and contains triplets. The player is required to voice within the right hand and also maintain the murmuring effect throughout the piece.
La Gracieuse (With Grace) - is in F major, contains a da capo repeat and introduces demi-semiquavers. It basically is a delicate study in playing turns which are present in both hands and requires a lightness of touch.
La Chasse (The Hunt) - is in C major and the title is communicated by means of its call and echo effects and with its rhythms. Every section is based on a recurring motive which contains broken octaves and two-note slurs.
Tendre fleur (Tender Flower) - is in the key of D major and centres around the two-note slur. The player will need to have supple wrists to ensure that there is a smooth melodic line and be able to grade the dynamic levels with ease.
La Bergeronnette (The Young Shepherdess) - is in C major and requires of the player the facility to move around the keyboard with ease. The focus in this piece should be on playing leggiero, the playing of broken chords, dynamic control and the playing of repeated notes.
L’Adieu (The Farewell) - is in A minor and contains fast accompanying triplets and paid RH figurations in the A sections of an ABA form. There are large leaps written in both hands. The B section modulates to C major where a change of character is required.
Consolation (Consolation) - is in C major and contains a melody within figuration. One of the main concerns is being able to hold a note with the thumb whilst playing a trill above it. A useful study in the balance of sound.
La Sytrienne (Styrian Dance) - is in G major and has the rhythm and melody of a Ländler. According to Jane Magrath, this piece is excellent preparation for the playing of mazurkas, waltzes and polonaises.
Ballade (Ballad) - is in C minor but has a contrasting part in C major. Jame Magrath refers to this piece as being mysterious and dramatic. The ballade is basically a story told through music. The technical skill that needs to be overcome is the playing of fast sixteenths in the LH. The melody swaps between the hands.
Douce plainte (Gentle complaint) - is in the key of G minor and contains arpeggiated patterns. It requires great skill to be able to play the accented notes within a piano dynamic.
La Babillarde (Chatterbox) - is in the key of F major and contains yodelling type-patterns. Here the player needs to be able to change fingers easily whilst playing repeated notes.
Inquiétude (Restlessness) - is in E minor and has rapid RH patterns which require meticulous finger work. Jane Magrath discussed the need here for the player to finely coordinate playing the LH chords on the downbeat which are followed by three sixteenth notes in the RH. She states that this piece provides practice for the facility for rapid playing and for a lightness of touch.
Ave Maria - is in A major which contains a hymn-like opening which is followed by variations. The beginning contains four voices which should be separated and studied by themselves. It is a nocturne-like work that emphasises chordal playing.
La Tarentelle (Tarantella) - is in the key of D minor. Jane Magrath states that it is a dramatic tarantella in rondo form and that is is more of an etude than a character piece. Again, this piece provides practice for building facility for rapid playing which in this case, is mostly in the RH.
L’Harmonie des anges (The Music of the Angels) - is in G major and contains flowing triplets. It is built on ascending and descending broken chords which are divided between the hands. According to Jane Magrath, it requires fine coordination between the hands and helps to develop and even and legato sound.
Barcarolle (The Gondolier’s Song) - is in the key of Aflat major, the barcarolle being a popular form at that time. It has a strong romantic sound states Jane Magrath and it contains a singing melodic line.
Le Retour (The Return) - is in the key of Eflat major and contains many repeated notes and chords. The player must ensure that the chords are played together without any ‘splitting’. And, the player must be able to bring out the top notes of the RH as this is where the melodic line is. Here, according to Jane Magrath, the player must work on ensuring that there are smooth changes of position. She also states that is is not as difficult as it sounds.
L’Hirondelle (The Swallow) - is in the G major and contains hands crossing patterns. Here, Jane Magrath states that this piece requires a singing tone and also careful listening when changing the pedal. Evenness is required in the sixteenth notes and a sense of keyboard geography is developed when playing this piece.
La Chevaleresque (Trotting) also sometimes called the Knight Errant - is in the key of C major, with one part in F major and there are a few instances of syncopation present. This is the most difficult of the pieces in the set and contains most of the technical requirements that are found in the other pieces in the set.
References
Jane McGrath, “The Pianists Guide to Standard Teaching and Performance Literature”
Carl Petersson “25 Études faciles et progressives, Opus 100”.