Though Saint-Saëns’s Étude ‘En forme de valse’ is admired by cognoscenti, the remaining five numbers in the composer’s Op 52 set of studies have been shockingly neglected. This is our loss, as the music is consistently witty, elegantly presented and of superlative quality. Equally useful in the studio as on the concert stage, Op 52 dates from the same period as Saint-Säens’s operatic masterpiece Samson et Dalila and shows an affinity with the so-called ‘Stuttgart school’ of composers and with the French tradition of filigree jeu perlé clarity and precision.

The opening Prélude presents a restless torrent of notes in a mere 47 bars, while the charming second study, for finger independence and voicing within repeated chords, is even shorter, and brings a satisfying sense of tactile pleasure. No 3 is a remarkably athletic Prélude and Fugue, with relentless repeated figurations in alternation between the hands. No 4, ‘Étude de rythme’, brings a degree of exoticism that will be explored more fully in the concluding study, and it seems sad that this wittily crafted miniature remains so underplayed: it would serve as a deliciously charming encore. The Prélude and Fugue that forms Étude No 5 adds a note of majesty and nobility, with elegantly presented double sixths in the Prélude and a four-part Fugue whose subject would not seem incongruous in Bach’s ‘48’. Finally, we have the famous sixth study in the form of a waltz, which has of course been championed for its rhythmic sophistication, sparkling textures and ravishingly varied colours. Though previously developed virtuosity is a prerequisite for this fiendishly demanding piece, non-professional players can learn much from studying it – as indeed they can from the other five studies. Bärenreiter has done Saint-Säens proud with this release, which contains a fascinatingly detailed introductory essay from Catherine Massip.

This article originally appeared in the Spring 2024 issue of International Piano. Never miss an issue – subscribe today