Description
Czerny's Op. 840 is a set of fifty studies whose edition published by Schott of Mainz around 1855 carries the subtitle "progressive exercises in all the major and minor keys." Also known as 50 Melodious Studies, it cares about making a melody sing as much as about technique, and No. 1 is where it begins.
The score opens in C major, and in the second half of its 32 bars the key signature changes to three flats for C minor, the key in which it ends. The design moves between the major and minor modes on the same keynote within one piece. In 4/4, the right hand sings an ornamented melody high on the keyboard while the left accompanies in quarter-note chords. It lasts about 56 seconds, with 450 notes.
It is rated beginner and its technical demands are modest. The point of interest is how the sound of the same keynote changes between the major first half and the minor second half. Find where the key signature changes in the score view, and use an A-B loop to compare the two halves. Slow the playback to count the notes in the right-hand ornaments and they will come out cleanly. The range climbs from G2 to E7, so a 61-key keyboard lacks the highest notes.
A set of melodious studies by Czerny covering all 24 keys, valued as a way to develop technique and musicality at the same time.
Browse all songs in 50 Melodious Studies Op.840 →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.
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