Saint-Saëns 6 Études for the left hand alone, Opus 135 (1912)

0:00 introduction
00:06 Etude No. 1-Prélude
02:16 Etude No. 2-Alla fuga
04:18 Etude No. 3-Moto perpetuo
06:10 Etude No. 4-Bourrée
10:10 Etude No. 5-Élégie
14:50 Etude No. 6-Gigue

Unlike the two previous sets of Etudes by Saint-Saëns, this group of six was commissioned by the brilliant pianist Caroline Montigny-Rémaury de Serres (1843-1913). She was a pupil of Liszt and had been highly regarded in her day. Saint-Saëns had previously composed his Caprice-Wedding Cake, Opus 76, as a gift for her wedding day. After undergoing surgery and radiation treatments, this left her right hand virtually unable to play. The Etudes were composed in Egypt. They clearly form a set, as they borrow titles from the Baroque suite format. The fourth Etude, Bourrée, was an immediate success and has been played separately. The primary difficulty for the pianist is the crystalline clarity required. The texture is often thin, and exposed. Every note counts, and in that regard they merit comparison with the solo violin and cello works by Bach. The previous two sets of Études for two hands, Opus 52 and 111 have been recorded and appear on this channel. Thank you!

Etude No. 1-(00:06) Prèlude G major. A charming and clever study in varying touches. At times one finger sustains a note while the other fingers dance around it.

Etude No. 2-(02:16) Alla fuga G major. The thought of playing a fugue with multiple voices for one hand seems impossible, however, Saint-Saëns achieved this by limiting the texture to only two voices. In that sense, it resembles more a Bach two part invention. Once the technical problems are solved, the piece is a delight to play. Its Baroque heritage is undeniable.

Etude No. 3-(4:18) Moto perpetuo E major. The most exposed of the six Etudes has an unrelentless single voice texture, with nonstop 16th notes, and is marked “without pedal” at the beginning. At no point do two notes play simultaneously. A pianist may notice a similarity to the finale of Chopin’s Sonata No. 2, “Funeral March.” Only on the final measures does the composer tell us to add the pedal. The final chord is a widespread arpeggio in E major, with the pedal being held for its entire range. At this point, the pianist breathes a sigh of relief!

Etude No. 4-(6:10) Bourrée G minor. This dance movement can stand on its own and was an encore played by Paul Wittgenstein, the legendary one armed Austrian pianist, who commissioned great concertos for left hand by Ravel, Prokofiev, Britten, Hindemith, Korngold and others. This work is disarming in its effects and is infectious in spirit. The texture imitates two hands, with the central section in G major being reminiscent of solo violin writing. A contemporary violinist of the composer transcribed it for violin solo, but no trace of this remains.

Etude No. 5 (10:10) Élégie D-flat major. One of only two Etudes in a key other than G major or minor. This piece stands out for its Romantic outpouring of emotion. The composer allows the lines to get more chromatic and offers thicker texture. He also utilizes a more extended range and extensive use of the pedal is required. The last chord is marked so that the chord is held with the fingers, but without striking the hammers against the strings. This allows the previous harmony to continue to sound, without the bass notes, as the pedal is lifted. This was a very daring effect for the time period, and anticipates such composers as Aaron Copland.

Etude No. 6 (14:50) Gigue G major. We are abruptly thrust back into the Baroque spirit with this bouncing and joyous Gigue. It is a rather athletic piece which allows the pianist to show off their fingers. The technique comes very close to that of the Baroque harpsichordists, such as Rameau and Couperin. Unlike those composers, Saint-Saëns asks the performer to gradually accelerate to a brisk prestissimo in the final twenty bars. Such a thing would be unheard of in the Baroque period.

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