No.1 La Candeur
Description
The opening piece of Burgmüller's 25 Easy and Progressive Studies, Op. 100. Published in 1851 by a German-born composer who made his career in Paris, the set lines up twenty-five short studies, each with a title and a clearly defined technical aim, and it remains a standard beginner's collection more than a century and a half later. The title, "Candour," describes the unadorned character of the music exactly.
In C major and common time, it has the simplest structure in the set: the right hand sings while the left supports it with steady broken chords. The harmony sticks largely to the primary triads, never darkens into the minor, and builds plainly in eight-bar units.
The aim is to play melody and accompaniment at two different volumes. Strike both hands equally and the broken chords swallow the tune. Letting the right hand sing while the left stays a level below without breaking up is the one thing this first study teaches — and it underpins all twenty-four that follow.
A set of beginner études by Burgmüller, each bearing an evocative title, offering a classic way to develop technique and musical expression together.
Browse all songs in 25 Easy and Progressive Studies Op.100 →Sheet Music
Sheet music provided by Mutopia Project
What this piece teaches
Number one. As the title "La Candeur" (candour) suggests, it asks for a plain, smooth, singing legato.
How to practise it
- Leave no gap in the melody: press the next key before releasing the last.
- Set down the last note of each phrase softly. Looping just the phrase endings at 0.75x helps.
Practice guides using this piece
Your first 15 minutes with the opening of Für Elise
A 15-minute practice plan for the opening of Für Elise: the E–D-sharp figure, the left-hand entry, and when to put the hands together.
Reading the falling notes, and practising with them
What the position, length, colour and brightness of each falling note mean, plus the guide lines, the pedal display and the switch to sheet music.
Preparing and opening your own MIDI file
Where to find MIDI files you may use, what makes a file work well here, how the player treats tracks, pedal and channel volume, and fixes for common problems.
Reading the difficulty level and score, and choosing your next piece
How the beginner / intermediate / advanced levels and the 1-10 difficulty score are worked out, and how to use them to choose what to play next.
Keeping a practice log that lasts
What the practice log records and when, self-ratings and progress, how days and streaks are counted, and exporting and importing so the log is never lost.
About the Composer
Johann Friedrich Franz Burgmüller (1806-1874)
Johann Friedrich Franz Burgmuller was born in Germany and spent much of his career in Paris, where he composed the ballet La Peri. He is best remembered today for his pedagogical piano collections, especially the 25 Etudes faciles et progressives, Op. 100, whose accessible, tuneful pieces remain popular with beginning pianists. This site includes Nos. 1 to 18 of the 25 Etudes, Op. 100, beginning with "La Candeur" and "Arabesque."
View all works by Burgmüller →