12 Etudes in All the Minor Keys

(1986-2009)

By Marc Andre Hamelin

Hamelin's etude set is surely pianistically the most important set of piano etudes published since Ligeti. Stylistically the set is very varied, and it wonderfully displays the mastery Hamelin has over the style and texture of various pianist-composers (Alkan, Godowsky, Liszt, Prokofiev, Scarlatti etc.). This set is a...

must for all pianophiliacs and people interested in the piano culture. But I wish I had the possibility of buying an another edition of the set, because the one I got had an incredibly badly binding. If one is really going to use it, one has to cut the binding off with a chainsaw and then rebind the loose leaves with some or other method. Otherwise the collection remains unusable. In summary: a wonderful and pianistically incredibly interesting set of etudes that has a binding that is below all reasonable standards. Shame on you, Peters! You could do much better service to your reputation and to the public interested in piano music.

I completely disagree with the Greencastle, IN reviewer. Some of these Etudes will blow your mind. The first one, the Triple Etude after Chopin, is absolutely incredible. Not only is it amazing how the three Etudes are combined, but it is just downright funny. The fourth Etude, d'apres Alkan...

, is an incredible combination of Alkan's Op. 76, No. 3 and the last movement of the Symphony for Solo Piano (with brief nods to Le Festin d'Esope). It works so well musically speaking. I've always enjoyed his arrangement of La Campanella, which is the third Etude in this set. I do prefer his earlier version though texturally speaking. Yes, I will agree that these are extremely difficult. These are only for the most intrepid. But to say they have no musical value is just completely wrong. We need to applaud composer pianists like Hamelin that are continuing this tradition. He's not just halfway continuing it, he's doing amazing things.

What is the value, purpose of such a display of difficult and almost unplayable Etudes? Of course, M..A. Hamelin is gifted as is armed with amazing technique and curiosity. But these Etudes are next to impossible to perform (except for Mr. Hamelin... obviously, as I listened to his recording...

.)) But what bothered me more, was the absence of 'musical' value in these Etudes. . The 'sense of humor' mentioned by M.A.H. in his notes, is non-existantt in my humble opinion. After the initial shock of technical feats, there is a just a sense of repetitious, non-interesting music, at the edge of complete boredom, which I would call "Unnecessary Music" ... leaving me with the title of this review: WHY ?

This book is the book to end all books. Herein contains some of the most difficultly inspired Etudes of all time, penned by the virtuoso of virtuosos. Marc-Andre Hamelin is a "super virtuoso" and writes like that too. He fools with your ears, your fingers, and your mind. Anyone...

who takes, eats, and is able to digest this music is well rewarded; do no mistaken this book... though very deceptive and curious, take heed.