Chasse-niege

[chopiabin]

I first listened to this the other day, and I think it is utterly amazing. It is definitely on par with Chopin's Winter Wind, Octaves etude, Oceans etude, etc. Does anyone know what Chasse-niege means?

[schnabels_grandson]

I know that neige (spelled nEIge) means "snowflake " or snow in french.  Chasse means chase or chasing.  So the rough equvalent would be "chasing snowflakes", I guess.  Is this a piece you're refering to?

[Shagdac]

I find it truly a beautifully, delicate piece. One of my fav's. One of the recordings I have of this (Etude d'execution transcendante No 12), is Claudio Arrau's interpretation. I had a prof who made the statement that this was one of those pieces that one could "play with their eyes shut", simply by allowing themselves to feel the music and following the simplistic beauty of the the piece.

[comme_le_vent]

delicate?!?!?  
not to me...........

[chopiabin]

That's the one. Well, I guess it's delicate at first, but it builds tension into this huge snowstorm. Thanks 6th Gen.

[comme_le_vent]

yeah thats what it means 'snowstorm'. you can say some parts are delicate, but the greatness of the piece is due to the contrast between a light shimmer of snowfall, and building to a huge snowstorm, those last few alternating hands chords - they are marked forte, but berezovsky plays them piano, and it is a much more shiver inducing ending. this is a very emotionally powerful piece, but sometimes being quiet give it more emotional power.
there is indeed a few similarities between this and chopin's winter wind - lots of swirling chromaticism, and of course the title - winter wind conjures up images of a snow storm too - cos in the winter...it snows!

[trunks]

Curiously I find this twelfth etude "easier than it sounds", although I'm not musically prepared yet to learn it. I am still for 6 (vision), 4 (Mazeppa), 9 (ricordanza) and 11. I think 11 (harmonies du soir) is by far the greatest in terms of harmony, and its melody has already melted my heart. Ricordanza is the most touching of the set. It sometimes brings tears.

Chasse-Neige, on the other hand, leaves the listener in awe yet the whole piece sounds desolate - frigid and lonely somewhere in snowing Siberia . . .