George Perle: Six New Etudes (1984)

George Perle (1915-2009): Six New Etudes, per pianoforte (1984). 1.Praeludium 2. Gigue 3. Romance 4. Papillons 5. Variations 6. Perpetuum mobile Michael Boriskin, pianoforte Cover image: painting by Alma Thomas. The dazzling Six New Etudes (1984) is the companion set to Perle's immensely successful Six Etudes of 1976. Like the earlier collection, the new studies explore both the "usual" mechanical problems and more subtle pianistic concerns involving articulation, nuance, pedaling, and rhythm. The short "Praeludium" is a dashing curtain-raiser, full of daredevil stretches and double notes. The whirling "Gigue," in rondo form, is filled with treacherous leaps and quick hand-crossings. The "Butterflies" in the title of the third etude are probably the only bi-rhythmic ones in music; they flutter along quietly in fours in the right hand against threes in the left, and disappear in just a minute. "Romance" is a sensitive study in subtle dynamic inflection and controlled rubato, with a yearning, rising phrase at the outset which becomes progressively more insistent with each appearance. "Variations" is a tour-de-force of rapid, wide-ranging chordal passages and sudden changes of dynamics and articulation; any of the eleven uninterrupted sections could conceivably be considered the main material, while the remaining ten sections offer various perspectives, somewhat like a prism revealing its many facets when observed from different positions. "Perpetuum mobile," the solo version of the identically-titled movement of Serenade No. 3, is an exhilarating study of ethereal scales, prickly cross-rhythms, and nimble, intricate pedaling. (Michael Boriskin). *** The music published in our channel is exclusively dedicated to divulgation purposes and not commercial. This within a program shared to study classic educational music of the 1900's (mostly Italian) which involves thousands of people around the world. If someone, for any reason, would deem that a video appearing in this channel violates the copyright, please inform us immediately before you submit a claim to Youtube, and it will be our care to remove immediately the video accordingly. Your collaboration will be apreciated.