Pianophilia

Can someone more qualified than I explain the commonly-used phrases 'etudes de style' and 'etudes symphoniques' from 19th-century piano literature.
'Etudes de mécanisme' and '...de perfectionnement' are more obvious, but I'm not totally sure of the two previous phrases as to the inherent purpose and meaning of the etudes.
Thanks!
4c

I'm definitely not qualified for a definitive answer but I can tell the Etudes symphonique in Schumann's case, orchestrate very well as I have done several of them. So this suggests an orchestral sound on the piano. Naturally Alkan comes to mind, and IMHO should have used this phrase for his etudes. I won't hazard a guess as to what "etudes de style" are all about.

fleubis wrote:I won't hazard a guess as to what "etudes de style" are all about.

They are the opposite of "etudes de substance"...

Regards
Fred

Never seen "étude de substance" for music and cannot find any example on Google. "Étude de style" is quite common, but I do not think we should find a precise meaning to all these expressions coined at a time when composers would compose lots of different collections of études and it was commercially appealing to distinguish them with different names. In any case, while an étude de mécanisme is clearly focused on technical difficulties, études de style are supposed to accustom the pianist to the various styles in music : elegiac, melancholic, religious, serious, elegant, etc. ; they are more focused on interpretation than just on mechanical playing.

fredbucket wrote:

fleubis wrote:I won't hazard a guess as to what "etudes de style" are all about.

They are the opposite of "etudes de substance"...

Regards
Fred

Thanks all for your informative comments. I am more enlightened now!

Recently I contacted Leeds University Library for a couple of sets of études, which includes the Op. 15 by Ernst Lübeck.
Unfortunately, what they sent me was only book 2 (which I will upload in due course), so if anyone has book 1 or can acquire it easily enough, please do post online, as they are lovely works.
Four of these studies were recorded by Jack de Bie in the 1990s and samples can be heard at the following link:

http://www.muziekweb.nl/Link/CAX2167

4c

Two sets of etudes by Spanish composer Pedro Tintorer (1814-1891), apparently a pupil of Liszt.
He composed a few sets of studies, of a didactic nature, but these look to be the most musical of them, to my eyes at least. If only I could play them!

Courtesy of Biblioteca Digital Hispánica:
4c

Very nice, 4candles. Pedro Tintorer is certainly a composer I've never heard of. It's been a while since we've had any etudes posted here so these are very welcome. Much fun playing through these this morning and rather like the left hand etude, Op.101 No.6.

Thanks of posting!

fleubis wrote:Very nice, 4candles. Pedro Tintorer is certainly a composer I've never heard of. It's been a while since we've had any etudes posted hereso these are very welcome. Much fun playing through these this morning and rather like the left hand etude, Op.101 No.6.

Thanks of posting!

My pleasure!