Description
In B-flat major and 4/4, repeated octaves in sixteenth notes fill the right hand from beginning to end. It strikes the octave D many times before moving to E-flat and C, and the right hand alone has about 240 notes. The left hand supports it with simple chords, mostly in half and whole notes. It lasts about 34 seconds, with 287 notes in all.
Among the Op. 821 numbers on this site, Nos. 11 to 14 form a group in B-flat major, and this is the first of them. Czerny's habit in this collection of repeating a single technique for eight bars is especially plain here.
It is rated beginner, but repeated octaves keep the hand stretched open throughout, which is hard on small hands, and the real difficulty goes beyond the beginner level. Bounce the octaves lightly from the wrist and do not let tension build up in the arm. Stop at once if you feel tired or sore, and begin with short sections at a slower playback speed. The range runs from C#3 to C7, which just fits a 61-key keyboard.
A set of 160 short studies by Czerny, each condensed into just eight measures so a single technical point can be worked on quickly. Their brevity makes them well suited to beginners building basic piano technique efficiently.
Browse all songs in 160 Eight-Measure Exercises Op.821 →Sheet Music
Sheet music provided by Mutopia Project
About the Composer
Carl Czerny (1791-1857)
Carl Czerny was a Viennese pianist and composer who studied under Beethoven and later taught Franz Liszt. He is best known for his enormous output of piano etudes, which remain widely used in piano pedagogy around the world today. This site includes selections from the 160 Eight-Measure Exercises, Op. 821, and the 50 Progressive Studies in All Keys, Op. 840.
View all works by Czerny →