Etudes for Piano (2022)
Dur. 10′
Commissioned by Henrik Schaufuss
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These etudes focus on specific technical issues as in the classical sense of the word. However, they may also be said to have acquired a more modern meaning in the sense of being an introduction to improvisation, with a few structures and sounds that happen to be some of those I personally have used as an improvisor. The contents may of course be developed on by the user and in turn become absorbed into a more comprehensive personal practice. The ideal with these pieces is thus, in the end, to promote a virtuosic and varied, free form of improvisation.
They were commissioned by Henrik Schaufuss who expressed a wish for avantgarde piano repertory in this form to study.
Should these etudes be played in a concert setting, one may make arrangements of one’s own, repeating Etude I in different variants or making a selection from the options outlined in Etude III, for instance.
- this etude with variants aim at training the ability to produce fast figures functioning also as dynamic textures.
- The graphics depict melodic figures - to be played presto possibile mp-mf and sempre staccatissimo unless otherwise stated. Do not think of the notes to have exactly the same length, rather of the figure in question to be grace notes with rubato within the very fast character.
- "Boxes" indicate vertically the total range of the piano. An octave takes up approx. one centimeter. The numbers placed before the figures simply state how many notes they contain.
- Choose the tones to play spontaneously based on an estimate of the distances on the paper. Do play "what is notated" but according to your own impression. Practise figures as entities, get used to swift movements and fast, intuitive action, do not allow yourself to be held back by speculations during playing. You can always take a pause after having tried a figure, reelfect on what you did and give it a new try. Also take the following point into consideration:
- choose freely tones every time, mixing black and white keys. Indicated fingering is to be applied, find out yourself for the remaining. Strive for an atonal style, making good use of minor nones, major sevenths, some tritones and more intervals. Observe differences between figures and make them clear in your creation. A certain formation of habits may occur in the practising of gripping, but strive for choosing them in the situation and with variation. This is more important than achieving a very high speed.
- Advanced option: [All] means: one and the same finger used during this whole figure for each hand. Gradually, try to employ all fingers at such places, one after another. [pos.] means a fast shift in the position of the hand. This may be relevant at more places than indicated.
- means a short break, according to needs, and with consideration of the overall flow.
- legato sempre (without pedal)
- a mixture of staccato and legato ad libitum, but varied and freely chosen - compare the statements above on choosing the tones.
- same as the preceding variant, but imagine there are fermatas comprising 2 to 4 inividual tones around in each figure/group between the breaks. Choose different tones for each playing through. Pedal may be used.
This etude focuses on combining elements so that oscillating timbral processes result by means of applying the pedal after hands have been lifted from the keys, but before the sound they produced has faded completely away. Transitions become immensely important. Great attention to the proportions between the elements is required, the more so as the details become improvised by the performer.
(A) and (B) are written-out versions of those elements that also appear in a more generalised form in section C. You may start with acquainting yourself with (A) and (B). You can stay with these as long as you like in order to practise listening to transitions between elements and the way you hear them together, to achieve the most delightful and interesting balance you can get! This task is especially complex around the sff tone with the splitsecond pedal action (see below). If you understand (A) and (B) well, you are welcome to skip them and start directly at C. Because of their introductory character, the letters of these two have been put into parenthesis.
Pedal in (A) is to be applied to the sff notes just after they have almost stopped to sound! This is why there is a comma notated before pedal action is indicated. So this is not pedal applied to a normally sounding tone, but applied to an "aftersound" which will have a special echoing quality to it due to partly a reminiscence of the tone, partly also sounds from the damper and the mechanics of the piano. Subsequently, the pedal use make the sound resonate in all the strings. Pedal action should of course not come so late that there is no "aftersound" from the tone to catch. But the balance is delicate, one must accept that not all aspects of it are fully controllable! These actions are of course dependent on the individual piano - and on the register.
(B) should be a relaxing counterpart to the (A) characteristics! The tiny stretto - a tempo - rit. occurrences should be taken as a model for a free ad libitum use later, when playing from the C section - as an integral dimension of the general "calmo ma espressivo" character.
C is the former (A) and (B) sections combined into a general formula for a more free use. Its elements should be varied, as A and B sections suggest, maybe also beyond that. But no single element should be repeated before one reaches it again in the proper sequence. It starts with two consecutive clusters or atonal chords. One break has been notated with a "comma" sign which should be felt, not counted. "quiescente" means simply "resting". And to be sure: in C, first play the first section minimum 3 times as stated. Then the second one only one time. This was one complete cycle, and in a full version, more cycles should follow - in the next cycle, repeat first section 3 times again just like before, etc. Make the ending in the way indicated in D.
Carl Bergstroem-Nielsen: Etude II, p.1
allegretto dolciss, quiescente con risonanza interna mf pp-mp sf/sff legatissimo calmo ma expressivo
come B, improvvisando
- end by playing the "con risonanza interna" element two or more times.
This etude aims at using elements from Etude 1 in a versatile way.
- all of Etude I figures - but NOT primarily prestissimo nor staccato. On the contrary, all tempos (including slight and, in some cases, major changes, gradual or sudden) and all phrasings may be tried out.
- still in Etude I, adding tremolos, trills - one hand solo, both hands - including the same intervals/pitches or different ones in each hand. Make each "piece" STATIC and CONTINUOUS, without changing chosen pitches - however, hands may play alternatingly or with overlap, thus making it easier to sustain the activity for some time. If alternatingly or with overlap, use same pitches in each hand in different octaves, to ensure the static and continuous character. Intervals do not have to be atonal in this case since the static character of the pieces will ensure an open character. Tremolos and trills may occasionally be performed down to even extremely slow, as long as the feel is still being outside of metrum. Make "pieces" comprising all Etude I figures at least one minute each. Avoid physical straining from prolonged fast action however.
molto agitato, feroce maestoso, pomposo scherzando with surprises
with almost nothing happening as one exception from the continuous characters with many and long pauses
Carl Bergstroem-Nielsen: Etude III