Etudes as miniatures

What I like about these etudes is that they are short and to the point, but go deep. Deep, both musically and in terms of the technical tasks and the ability to read music. I am talking about the Moderní Klavírní Etudy by the Czech composer Jakub Metelka. The pieces move through all major and minor keys and each etude deals with a specific technical aspect. For example, musical embellishments, glissandi, intervals of thirds and sixths, polyrhythms, arpeggios and wide shifts in position. Despite these clear intentions on the part of the composer, he succeeds in writing very poetic and appealing music, far removed from the stereotypical working through of technical patterns.

In terms of difficulty, the miniatures are at an intermediate level, and depending on the tempo and quality requirements, they can be quite tricky. Used specifically as "etudes" in piano lessons, I can imagine that these pieces can also be fun for more advanced pupils. I also consider the use of keys with many accidentals and the associated reading of contexts as well as the training of the ear to be particularly valuable.

Jakub Metelka: Modern piano etudes, BA 11559, mp3 files online, € 13.50, Bärenreiter, Prague 2019