What I find particularly nasty in the first one is that, even though this is clearly modeled after Chopin’s Etude in Thirds, Saint-Saëns prevents us from using our thumbs in the thirds by engaging the thumb in a lower voice. Chopin at least allows this, and it creates an easier weight management/distribution for our fingers, Saint-Saëns knew exactly what he was doing, and thus this is actually perhaps technically slightly more difficult than Chopin’s. It mercifully doesn’t last too long, but still demands endurance. To top it off the left hand has to also do the thirds in the middle section, and Chopin avoided that. It’s as if Saint-Saëns is respectfully pointing out what Chopin forgot to do! This recording is stunning!
Chopin's hands had a physique which allowed his thumbs to do things most can't do. That mobility is showcased in his studies especially. I think Saint Saens was more into writing a study for the individual use of the fingers, which gives it less of a fluid feel then Chopin. Just thinking out loud, not really thought this through. lol.
@@bartjebartmans I think it is interesting that these etudes were written for students at the Paris Conservatory as exam pieces. Saint-Saëns included Preludes and Fugues in all of his three sets of etudes, thus recognizing that contrapuntal playing was a technical challenge that every pianist must master. The balancing of different voices is something he addressed beautifully. Also, the second Etude of Opus 52 relates to finger independence and the ability to bring out each finger separately in a melody. He was a monster pianist. I am attempting to learn all 18 etudes this year to honor the 100th anniversary of Saint-Saëns' death.
@@zswu31416 indeed I do understand the difficulties, as I recorded this whole set myself at home, after making that comment. I went on to complete all 18 of his Etudes. They are on my channel: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-doovw1FDaHU.html
@@zswu31416 here is my playlist of the complete Saint-Saëns Etudes video recorded at home in my humble piano studio in 2021: ru-vid.com/group/PLiWOSyW1nKgbzv44eIr4dxnSO-DpjkJQb
Saint-Saëns was such a wonderful composer. So surprising, charming, delightful, unpredictable, masterful. Capable of lyrical depth, grandeur, and one of the few composers who were able to express genuine musical humor.
@@brunopianodude9938 you're right his music very static or boring, for example, almost all of his works are sad and similar to each other, but take the same Rachmaninov - all the plays are completely different, and the question is - whom will you love, monotonous melancholy or diversity?
@@chezbe I really like Chopin's style, cause his melodies sounds very familiar to me. But Saint Säen is just wow, he really have a lot of colour in his compositions and cool ideas. I think I like him a bit more than Chopin.
Yes! I feel like no one ever talks about #6; meanwhile, it's one of my absolute favorites across the board! I was finally able to start working on it and it has truly exceeded my expectations. The feeling that runs through you on those arpeggiated motifs is indescribable. Wish more people were getting on board the 6 train cause it's truly a hidden gem. You can do it, girl!
I swear to god it's my first time hearing this etude of Camile and i amazed and open my mouth like many times wondering how is it possible for human to create such complicated and beautiful song??????
Very idiomatic interpretation. Saint-Saëns is said to have had fingers of steel, cold as ice, but the most neat, balanced scales one could dream of. One can hear the same French clarté and finger work here. On top of that it's quite fiery and there's a nice variety of colours. Well done, Duchâble!
Again, this is the first time I have heard these etudes by SS, and once again I am thrilled and delighted. Looking at the scores they seemed to be unplayable but obviously modern techniques have overcome the difficulties (I know they were composed in the 19th century), were they really playable then (daft question!). I was pleased to recognise the 5th piano concerto. Even though my playing days have long gone I love to follow the scores (I felt exhausted after reading the op.111!!).
+Peter Bollard Saint Saens himself was a formidable pianist. These etudes show his own technical abilities. Pianists like Tausig, Godowsky, Hofmann etc. etc., wouldn't have had any trouble with them.
Etude 1: those 3rds give me ptsd.. Etude 2: We thought the rapid 32nd notes were too easy so we decided to have you play them against triplets.. Etude 3: Did Rachmaninoff write this one?.. Etude 4: How long did you say your pinkie was?.. 10:09 Etude 5: Those 3rds give me arthritis.. Etude 6: How to use your sheet music to make beautiful art! 16:55
I've been working on the prelude & fugue for just over 5 weeks now. I have a weakness for baroque forms by Romanticism composers, especially the French & German. I also found this amazing Chinese composer that has written the most beautiful Chinese themed piano suite in baroque form. I forgot his name by memory, but his suite is very pleasing & technically challenging with amazing & unique special sound effects that I'm quite eager to explore next.
I don't understand what's going on, I replied to your question 5 times and it keeps getting automatically deleted. I never experienced this before. Could you please let me know if you saw my previous replies answering your question?
@ABB I posted the info on the comments section. lmk if you can see it. It's absolutely insane that i can't post it in this thread. This never happened before. I literally copied and pasted the answer like 8 times and it won't show here, yet these texts will. This is Crazy.
@@Michelle6998832 I saw it and replied, but then it all got deleted somehow (what on earth??? maybe youtube thought it was a spam comment from the formatting??) but! I got to read it and found the music! Thank you for your efforts 😊
Yes : I first heard the G sharp minor Etude about 15 years ago in a recording ( I believe the first ever ) by the incomparable Piers Lane . I wanted to play this , the one in op.52 in thirds for the independence of the fingers, and the one using themes fro the 5th Concerto no 111.6 which is truly symphonic. Sadly, I quickly found they are all too difficult for me
This is a wonderful performance of repertoire new to me. As I can attest to my youth, people tend to dismiss this composer; folly of youth. This must be a real joy to pianists, and as pure music I'm inclined to take it very seriously.
Wow. Thanks for uploading these etudes. Going to explore more of Saint-Saens stuff... These are very technically demanding etudes. I like no. 6 the most.
Remarkable feat of pianism. I felt there were places in no. 4 where the performer was not delivering the p or pp the composer asked for, but perhaps it is impossible.
@@BetonBrutContemporary Haha no worries, completely empathize because I would've felt similar to you a few years ago -- Scales in thirds may sound a bit pyrotechnic, but aren't very difficult when you're actually playing them with solid fingerings and technique. That's all I'd meant. Cheers!
Notice allors both sets op.52 and cette collection avait fugues et chiens y chats particulier . Camille was always bout dee fun !In both sets Camille told me il avait a crea these fugues car une pianiste vrai must voice -oh yiu tu doit must voice toujours et tous les temps ou you will fall in dee dirty muck ! Dohnanyi didn't know us then but Rudolf Ganz always bought coffee in dee mornings !
marcraider Not at all, if that was a recording failure it would've been a much bigger fault to the pianist than asking to edit 2 recordings on top of another. It' s not pretty but most young pianists and masters do this, which explains the tendency to exaggerate pedalling, rubati: to create some "checkpoints". This happens when they get the habit to make too many recordings per year, rather than few of superb quality: they don't have time. Personally I'd just do as many attempts as necessary to finally get the best result in a single take. The greatest pianists of all time anyways (like Shura Cherkassky), because of their outsdanding familiarity with each single piece of their repertoire, could've simply recorded live concerts and call it a day. In the end, all that a musician has to do is play their music. Period.
Definitely harder than most of Chopin’s études. Chopin’s pieces tend to SOUND extremely difficult, but usually they don’t feel particularly unnatural in terms of hand positions. Composers like Saint-Saens and Ravel are far more frustrating to learn, which is why not many do.
Yt Yt, tell that to Op. 25 No. 11 (Chopin). It’s much more technical demanding than these études. They’re obviously not bad. They can replace some Chopin’s of course.
Am I the only one finding the 6th etude to sound like combination of Liszt and Rach? Edit. Now when i think about it? The 5th etude also sounds like Liszt and Rach
Well it is the exact same key and thirds trill but here you have to hold down the thumb so it's a 24-35 thirds trill which is much more difficult than 14-25. Also this piece only focuses on thirds trills and the independence of fingers, including the left hand - where Chopin's Etude focuses on the chromatic thirds of the right hand. So I wouldn't call it a rip off - it is pretty obvious he got inspired by it though.
