Transcendental Studies (Sorabji)
Études transcendentes (100) by Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji are a series of 100 piano études written between 1940 and 1944. They vary greatly in style, character, and length, with the shortest running about a minute and the longest running approximately 45 minutes. As with most of Sorabji's works, the vast majority of these were not published or premiered during the composer's lifetime. According to the Sorabji Archive, many of the etudes have yet to be recorded or publicly performed.[1]
Description
Sorabji almost certainly intended for these Études to be compared with Franz Liszt's Transcendental Études. The style of Sorabji's études is typical of his work, consisting of atonal melodies, dissonant harmonies, complex polyrhythms, rapid changes in texture and mood, and extreme technical challenges for the pianist to work through. However, individually taken, these are some of the shortest pieces of music Sorabji ever composed. A (currently incomplete) list of etudes is included below (world premiere pianists and dates from The Sorabji Archive):
| Number | Title | Duration | Premiere artist | Premiere date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mouvemente | 1:55 | Yonty Solomon | 9/30/1979 | An opening theme is presented and then repeated in multiple keys, inversions, and voices. Somewhat reminiscent of the opening of Chopin's 24 Preludes, Op. 28 |
| 2 | Vivace e leggiero | 1:12 | Carlo Grante | 7/20/1995 | Rapid jumps in both hands alternating between high and low notes meander up and down the keyboard in unison |
| 3 | (no marking) | 4:19 | Carlo Grante | 3/24/2000 | A wistful melody moves slowly around the keyboard, containing many expressive passages and rich harmonies |
| 4 | (Scriabinesco) | 2:57 | Carlo Grante | 10/18/1998 | As the marking indicates, this study evokes a mood reminiscent of Scriabin's late works, with a soft, expressive melody and harmonies reminiscent of Scriabin's works built around his "mystic chord" |
| 8 | (no marking) | 1:59 | Fredrik Ullén | 2/15/2003 | The right hand plays thirds in ascending and descending scales while the left hand accompanies with chords and countermelodies; the mood is contemplative |
| 10 | Con brio ed impeto - Volante | 3:12 | Yonty Solomon | 9/30/1979 | An intense, fiery etude consisting of rapidly ascending and descending arpeggios (some mirrored between the hands) underpinned by sharply dissonant chords. |
| 13 | (no marking) | 3:35 | Fredrik Ullén | 2/15/2003 | Another piece evoking Scriabin, beginning with groups of three note pairs in chromatic scales that move slowly and tremblingly up and down, developing into larger structures but with the underlying tremolo texture consistent throughout |
| 19 | Saltando e leggiero | 2:15 | Carlo Grante | 6/2/1996 | As the name implies, this etude consists of clusters of four notes in both hands which require the pianist to "jump" up and down the keyboard rapidly |
| 20 | Con fantasia | 5:27 | Fredrik Ullén | 7/9/2003 | This nocturne-like slower etude consists of a melody in the right hand with wispy, complex rhythms against simple arpeggios and chords in the left hand |
| 36 | Mano sinistra sempre sola | 7:22 | Nicola Ventrella | 11/20/1999 | A two-part etude for the left hand alone, the first part consisting of a warm, expressive melody with typically complex harmonies, the second consisting of a technically challenging one-handed fugue with some voices in two- and three-note chords in parts |
| 75 | Passacaglia. Largo | 26:00 | Fredrik Ullén | 8/17/2003 | A passacaglia with 100 variations, a microcosm of the entire series of 100 etudes |
| 99 | Quasi fantasia. Scorrevole | 17:00 | Kentaro Noda | 4/1/2006 | An expansion on the fantasia from J. S. Bach’s Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue in D minor, BWV 903 |
| 100 | Coda-finale. Fuga a cinque soggetti | 38:50 | Kentaro Noda | 4/1/2006 | The longest of the 100 etudes, this is a quintuple fugue which develops five themes extensively |