Henselt Douze Études caractéristiques de concert Op.2

[onwan]

Hi,

While ago I found this amazing etudes. Unfortunately, they are not much famous and find some informations about them is almost impossible.

I showed this etudes to my teacher (she didn't know them), but she liked them and told, that I could start some of them before Chopin etudes.

My favourites are Op.2 nos.2, 3, 8, 10, 11, 12 (especialy 3,8,10).

Is there anybody who has played some of them? Do you have some advices?

How difficult are they compare to Chopin etudes?

[ale_ius]

They are exceedingly fine etudes. Better in many ways to the more famous ones by composers I will not name (hence people get their feelings hurt).

I do not see the 'logic' in seeing these as pre-work to the Chopin ones.  Henselt was in many regards one THE greatest of piano virtuosos of his time. Were it it not for his extreme dislike of public attention, we would probably hear his name as often as Liszt. 

His music is exquisitely crafted and his etude subtitled 'If I were a bird' is one of the prettiest things I have ever heard.

Play them and approach them as the high quality, high standard, and difficult works they are. I would not treat these as just some Pre-Chopin foray. Good luck and enjoy.

 

[visitor]

They are exceedingly fine etudes. Better in many ways to the more famous ones by composers I will not name (hence people get their feelings hurt).

I do not see the 'logic' in seeing these as pre-work to the Chopin ones.  Henselt was in many regards one THE greatest of piano virtuosos of his time. Were it it not for his extreme dislike of public attention, we would probably hear his name as often as Liszt. 

His music is exquisitely crafted and his etude subtitled 'If I were a bird' is one of the prettiest things I have ever heard.

Play them and approach them as the high quality, high standard, and difficult works they are. I would not treat these as just some Pre-Chopin foray. Good luck and enjoy.

 

Agree.  I would add frustrating. He possessed quite the hand span and I read he trained it on top of that.  He tends to write crazy difficult  intervals into the hand so many would venture to say the music is more than a little harder than Chopin. You may find yourself asking for a third hand. I think it is one reason his ooh so delicious concerto is not played more

[onwan]

Play them and approach them as the high quality, high standard, and difficult works they are. I would not treat these as just some Pre-Chopin foray. Good luck and enjoy.

I don't take Henselt etude like pre-Chopin. But I'm a bit worried of the expectation, that the Chopin etudes has to be played perfect and everybody knows them. But Henselt's etudes are not that known. It doesn't mean that I could play them weakly but there will not be that big pressure of polishing them.

When I listen to some great pianists play Chopin etudes I'm really uncomfortable about their interpretation...and I feel like...If they can't play it perfect...how the hell I could play it well?

[ale_ius]

I don't take Henselt etude like pre-Chopin. But I'm a bit worried of the expectation, that the Chopin etudes has to be played perfect and everybody knows them. But Henselt's etudes are not that known. It doesn't mean that I could play them weakly but there will not be that big pressure of polishing them.

When I listen to some great pianists play Chopin etudes I'm really uncomfortable about their interpretation...and I feel like...If they can't play it perfect...how the hell I could play it well?

I mean who cares if it's "perfect" I hate that word. Learn it and play it well and make your personal artistic statement.  Performing with notion of being compare to anyone is just not fun, so stop it. Find a piece you like. Practice. Perform it. Enjoy. It's that simple. Really.   

[thalbergmad]

I tend to agree that these are not "Pre Chopin" Etudes. If you can play all of the Henselt Etudes, then you are more than equipped for the Chopin.

Thal

[ianw]

FYI - the pianosyllabus.com site only lists a couple of the Henselt etudes - Si oiseau j'etais (No 6) and Repos d'amour (No 4) at grades 7 and 8 respectively.  The Chopin etudes all seem to go at grades 11-12, although one is listed at grade 9 and a few at grade 10.

[ronde_des_sylphes]

FYI - the pianosyllabus.com site only lists a couple of the Henselt etudes - Si oiseau j'etais (No 6) and Repos d'amour (No 4) at grades 7 and 8 respectively.  The Chopin etudes all seem to go at grades 11-12, although one is listed at grade 9 and a few at grade 10.

Re 'Si oiseau j'etais' that is quite extraordinary. It should viewed as of full concert etude level difficulty. Especially with regard to the fact it should be played with feathery lightness.

[ianw]

Re 'Si oiseau j'etais' that is quite extraordinary. It should viewed as of full concert etude level difficulty. Especially with regard to the fact it should be played with feathery lightness.

Agreed - I was just listening to the recording of Rachmaninov playing this - certainly full value at grade 7!

[j_menz]

full value at grade 7!

I'm not sure if I find your faith in that site more endearing or more disturbing. 

[ianw]

That one was down to the AMEB - agreement with their ratings is optional