C minor

1. Challenges of this Etude

The difficulty of this etude lies in the fact that although the melody line and accompaniment are quite close in terms of distance, the number of notes in the accompaniment is extremely high compared to the melody. As a result, the melody line loses balance due to the accompaniment and becomes difficult to discern. Therefore, the left hand will ultimately be played at pp, which leads to the following typical problems:

• Lack of evenness in tone.
• Dropped notes.

The left hand's sixteenth notes sometimes require relaying with the right hand. However, even before that, when considering only the left hand, "achieving evenness in the left hand's notes" is a fundamental prerequisite.

This etude must be played with a flowing, horizontal motion. To achieve this, one must be careful not to play in a vertically segmented manner that emphasizes the beat. Consequently, the left hand must play at pp with evenness, and there are many dangerous passages where notes can be dropped. The following are practice methods:

Do not attempt to create music from the beginning. Instead, practice all notes strongly, at a slow tempo, and with clear marcato, similar to Hanon exercises. If the notes are uneven, incorporate independence exercises such as those by Dohnányi or Pischna. During practice, do not consider balance or dynamics at all; aim for the left hand to firmly grasp every note. By engaging in such diligent practice, you can eliminate dropped notes when reducing to pp and playing in tempo.

2. Left Hand Leaps (Measures 16-18)

From measure 16 to measure 18, the left hand makes large leaps. However, the larger the leap (as in measure 18), the more prone one is to playing with a loud sound, despite the dynamic marking being p. For these three measures, the left hand should never play on time (in tempo); instead, take ample time and avoid forced, quick leaps.

3. Melody Line and Octaves

The melody line of this etude is fundamentally written as a single voice, but there are several passages where it changes to octaves. While this applies to any piece, the reason the melody sounds harsh as soon as it becomes octaves is due to excessive volume. Reduce the volume of the octaves by half to remove the harshness. In measure 10, the melody changes to octaves from the second beat. However, this is not a sudden subito f; instead, apply a crescendo in measure 9 and play so that the single voice and octaves are integrated.

4. Musical Aspects

From a musical perspective, this etude strongly exhibits the typical color of Arensky. If this is your first time playing or listening to an Arensky piece, please listen to many other works by Arensky. This will help you understand his musical language and make the piece even more comprehensible.