A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Studies

by Franklin Taylor

STUDIES (Fr. Études; Ger. Etuden, Studien). The name given to a large class of musical compositions, of extremely varied scope and design, but always having, as the name implies, the cultivation of the powers of execution for their chief object. Studies have been written for nearly every instrument, but since the principles which govern their construction and employment are in all cases the same, it will be sufficient here to speak of Pianoforte Studies, which form the great majority of all those in existence.

Mechanical facility upon the pianoforte is achieved in the first place by the practice of technical exercises, so called, such as are found in every pianoforte school, and in the works of Plaidy, Löschhorn, Eggeling, and many others, and consist of isolated passages, scales, arpeggios, etc., generally played by each hand separately or by both in unison. Following these comes the Study proper, in which opportunity is afforded for the application of the principles of execution to the performance of actual music. For this purpose it is not necessary that the study should possess any value as a composition, indeed it would be in some respects inexpedient, first, because the student's attention might be diverted by the attractiveness of the music from those questions of touch and mechanism which ought to occupy it exclusively, and secondly, because musical interest is scarcely compatible with that constant reiteration of a single figure which is required by considerations of technique. Accordingly, we find that the most valuable studies of this class, such as those by Czerny, Kessler, Köhler, Mayer, etc., consist for the most part of a single passage repeated with simple harmonies and modulations in many various positions, by the practice of which a much more perfect mastery is gained over difficulties than could possibly result from the study of any composition offering a greater variety of passages.

But studies such as those described form but a part of what is required for the perfecting of execution. So soon as a certain degree of facility has been attained, and correct habits formed, studies affording a far greater amount of musical interest, though still constructed on the same lines, have to be attacked. Pre-eminent among these are the studies of Cramer, Clementi (Gradus ad Parnassian), Moscheles (ops. 70 and 95), and Haberbier (Études Poesies), many of which are extremely interesting and attractive works. Other studies there are which have for their object the development of the execution in some one special direction, such as Heller's 'Art of Phrasing,' op. 16, Hiller's 'Rhythmische Studien,' op. 56, Thalberg's 'L'art du Chant appliqué au Piano,' etc, the intention of which is sufficiently indicated by their titles, Lastly there are the so-called Concert Studies (in German Vortragsstudien—studies of performance) usually of extreme difficulty, and valuable to the student, as affording an insight into the nature of the special difficulties to be met with in the other works of their respective composers, together with practice in the means of conquering them, and to the artist, as forming short pieces of great brilliancy, suitable for the concert room. Among the principal studies of this kind may be named those of Chopin, Henselt, Liszt, Rubinstein, and Schumann (Études Symphoniques).

[ F. T. ]