The ''12 Études d’exécution transcendante'' (), Op. 11, are a series of 12
études written from 1897 to 1905 by
Sergei Lyapunov
Sergei Mikhailovich Lyapunov (or Liapunov; , ; 8 November 1924) was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor.
Life
Lyapunov was born in Yaroslavl in 1859. After the death of his father, Mikhail Lyapunov, when he was about eight, Sergei, his moth ...
. Lyapunov intended them to be the posthumous continuation of
Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt (22 October 1811 – 31 July 1886) was a Hungarian composer, virtuoso pianist, conductor and teacher of the Romantic music, Romantic period. With a diverse List of compositions by Franz Liszt, body of work spanning more than six ...
's uncompleted work ''
Transcendental Études
The ''Transcendental Études'' (), S.139, is a set of twelve compositions for piano by Franz Liszt. They were published in 1852 as a revision of an 1837 set (which had not borne the title "d'exécution transcendante"), which in turn were – f ...
,'' having finished only the first 12 before his death in 1886. The work is also dedicated to Liszt, with the twelfth étude being named after the composer as well. Inspired by one of his three teachers during his time at
Moscow Conservatory
The Moscow Conservatory, also officially Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory () is a higher musical educational institution located in Moscow, Russia. It grants undergraduate and graduate degrees in musical performance and musical research. Th ...
Karl Klindworth, a former student of Liszt, along with being heavily influenced and artistically guided by
Mily Balakirev
Mily Alexeyevich Balakirev ( , ; ,BGN/PCGN romanization of Russian, BGN/PCGN romanization: ; ALA-LC romanization of Russian, ALA-LC system: ; ISO 9, ISO 9 system: . ; – )Russia was still using Adoption of the Gregorian calendar#Adoption in E ...
, the main ideologue of
The Five, these Études use the full gamut of nationalist techniques: From folk-songs and church bells, to Caucasian melodies and sumptuous melodicism.
Études
Liszt's original intention was to write
24 études in every major and minor key. However, he only completed half of this project, using the neutral and
flat keys. As such, Lyapunov's études used the remaining 12
sharp keys.
# ''Berceuse'' ("Lullaby") in F♯ major
# ''Ronde des Fantômes'' ("The ghosts' dance") in D♯ minor
# ''Carillon'' ("Bells") in B major
# ''
Térek'' in G♯ minor
# ''Nuit d'été'' ("Summer night") in E major
# ''Tempête'' ("Storm") in C♯ minor
# ''Idylle'' in A major
# ''Chant épique'' ("Epic song") in F♯ minor
# ''Harpes éoliennes'' ("
Aeolian harp
An Aeolian harp (also wind harp) is a musical instrument that is played by the wind. Named after Aeolus, the ancient Greek god of the wind, the traditional Aeolian harp is essentially a wooden box including a sounding board, with strings stretche ...
s") in D major
# ''
Lesghinka'' in B minor
# ''Ronde des sylphes'' ("Dance of the sylphs") in G major
# ''Élégie en mémoire de François Liszt'' ("Elegy in memory of Liszt") in E minor
Recordings
* Lyapunov, S.M.: 12 Études d'exécution transcendante, Op. 11 (
Scherbakov, K.) (Naxos, 1993)
* LYAPUNOV//12 Études d’exécution transcendante (
Noack, Florian) (La Dolce Volta, 2021)
Sources
* Onegina, Olga Vladimirovna. Piano music by S.M. Lyapunov. Style features: dissertation ... of a candidate of art history: 17.00.02 / Olga Vladimirovna Onegina;
lace of protection: St. Petersburg. state conservatory im. ON THE. Rimsky-Korsakov.- St. Petersburg, 2010.- 292 p .: ill. RSL OD, 61 10–17 / 114
External links
*{{IMSLP, work=12 Études d'exécution transcendante, Op.11 (Lyapunov, Sergey)
References
Compositions by Sergei Lyapunov
Piano études
1905 compositions
Lyapunov