Six Etudes for Piano, Op. 111 R 49

More than 20 years after op. 52, Saint-Saëns turned once more to the genre of the concert etude. In 1892, he wrote an etude that was initially intended for publication in a magazine and later was to become Etude No. 1. However, on the advice of his publisher Durand, the composer refrained from publishing it individually and wrote a further five etudes by 1898 to complete a new collection. The dedications are mainly intended as a thank-you to pianists who were committed to the performance of his piano music, including Arthur de Greef, Raoul Pugno, and Édouard Risler. Shortly after the publication of the edition in 1899, Pablo Sarasate arranged the impressionistic-sounding etude Les Cloches de Las Palmas for solo violin, and Risler arranged the last two pieces (Tierces majeures chromatiques and Toccata) for two pianos.

These Urtext editions are based on the groundbreaking musical text of the Œuvres instrumentales complètes by Camille Saint-Saëns, for which the editor has meticulously evaluated all known sources. A detailed Foreword provides information on the genesis and significance of the etudes. Readings and variants are precisely documented in the Critical Commentary (in English). Notes on interpretation in French, English,and German as well as an elegant music engraving provide the pianist with optimal conditions for studying these virtuosic etudes.