100 Transcendental Studies () by Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji are a series of 100 piano études written between 1940 and 1944. Swedish pianist Fredrik Ullén has released all 100 études on BIS Records.
Description The études vary greatly in style, character, and length, with the shortest running only 45 seconds and the longest running approximately 56 minutes. According to the Sorabji Archive, the following études have yet to be premiered: Nos. 27, 33, 39, 42, 45–48, 51, 53–58, 60–64, 68, 74, 82, 87, 90, 91 and 93.
Sorabji almost certainly intended for these Études to be compared with Franz Liszt's Transcendental Études. The style of Sorabji's études is typical of his work, consisting of atonal melodies, dissonant harmonies, complex polyrhythms, rapid changes in texture and mood, and extreme technical challenges for the pianist to work through. Taken individually, these are some of the shortest pieces Sorabji ever composed. A complete list of the études is included below. World première pianists and dates from The Sorabji Archive.
World première pianists and dates Number Title Duration Premiere artist Premiere date Notes 1 Mouvementé 1:50 Yonty Solomon 9/30/1979 An opening theme is presented and then repeated in multiple keys, inversions, and voices. Somewhat reminiscent of the opening of Chopin's 24 Preludes, Op. 28 2 Vivace e leggiero 1:09 Carlo Grante 7/20/1995 Rapid jumps in both hands alternating between high and low notes meander up and down the keyboard in unison 3 (no marking) 4:17 Carlo Grante 3/24/2000 A wistful melody moves slowly around the keyboard, containing many expressive passages and rich harmonies 4 Scriabinesco. Soave e con tenerezza nostalgica 2:53 Carlo Grante 10/18/1998 As the marking indicates, this study evokes a mood reminiscent of Scriabin's late works, with a soft, expressive melody and harmonies reminiscent of Scriabin's works built around his "mystic chord" 5 Staccato e leggiero 1:24 Fredrik Ullén 4/27/2002 Both hands play triplets of large chords marked staccato; played with effective use of the sostenuto pedal 6 (no marking) 1:37 Fredrik Ullén 7/15/2002 The first in a sequence of double-note études that explore every interval; an étude in seconds with frequent 3:4 polyrhythms. 7 Leggiero abbastanza 1:07 Carlo Grante 7/20/1995 8 (no marking) 1:56 Fredrik Ullén 2/15/2003 An étude in thirds --- mostly appearing in the right hand, with the left accompanying, but occasionally transferred to the left hand. The accompaniment consists of chords and countermelodies; the mood is contemplative. 9 Staccato e leggiero 0:58 Andrew Ball 11/2/1997 10 Con brio ed impeto - Volante 3:09 Yonty Solomon 9/30/1979 An intense, fiery etude consisting of rapidly ascending and descending arpeggios (some mirrored between the hands) underpinned by sharply dissonant chords. 11 Animato abbastanza 1:37 Fredrik Ullén 8/17/2003 12 Leggerio quasi “saltando” 1:44 Carlo Grante 8/23/1996 13 (no marking) 3:31 Fredrik Ullén 2/15/2003 Another piece evoking Scriabin, beginning with groups of three note pairs in chromatic scales that move slowly and tremblingly up and down, developing into larger structures but with the underlying tremolo texture consistent throughout 14 Tranquillamente soave 4:35 Fredrik Ullén 2/15/2003 15 (no marking) 1:40 Andrew Ball 11/2/1997 16 (no marking) 2:43 Carlo Grante 2/8/1998 17 Molto accentato 1:56 Giampaolo Nuti 11/13/1999 18 Liscio. Tranquillamente scorrevole 5:13 Giampaolo Nuti 11/13/1999 19 Saltando e leggiero 2:12 Carlo Grante 6/2/1996 As the name implies, this etude consists of clusters of four notes in both hands which require the pianist to "jump" up and down the keyboard rapidly 20 Con fantasia 5:24 Fredrik Ullén 7/9/2003 This nocturne-like slower etude consists of a melody in the right hand with wispy, complex rhythms against simple arpeggios and chords in the left hand 21 Con eleganza e disinvoltura 4:37 Fredrik Ullén 7/9/2003 22 Leggiero volante e presto assai 1:24 Fredrik Ullén 7/9/2003 23 Dolcemente scorrevole 1:24 Fredrik Ullén 9/22/2005 24 Mouvementé 5:40 Yonty Solomon 9/30/1979 25 Vivace e secco 2:42 Fredrik Ullén 8/11/2003 26 Dolcissimo 9:56 Fredrik Ullén 8/11/2003 27 Staccato e leggiero a capriccio 2:57 (unperformed) 28 Leggiero e volante 2:15 Fredrik Ullén 8/17/2003 29 A capriccio. Leggiero 2:09 Fredrik Ullén 9/22/2005 30 Con fantasia 4:36 Fredrik Ullén 9/22/2005 31 Vivace assai 2:14 Carlo Grante 7/20/1995 32 Legato possible, quasi dolce 3:12 Fredrik Ullén 8/17/2003 33 Vivace e brioso 4:42 (unperformed) 34 Soave e dolce. Insinuante 4:11 Fredrik Ullén 8/17/2003 35 (no marking) 2:17 Fredrik Ullén 3/22/2006 36 Mano sinistra sempre sola 7:16 11/20/1999 A two-part etude for the left hand alone, the first part consisting of a warm, expressive melody with typically complex harmonies, the second consisting of a technically challenging one-handed fugue with some voices in two- and three-note chords in parts 37 Riflessioni. Moderato 3:54 Fredrik Ullén 8/11/2003 38 Con fantasia 4:53 Sid Samberg 9/10/2013 An étude in minor ninths --- mostly appearing in the right hand, with the left accompanying, but occasionally transferred to the left hand. Littered with complex polyrhythms and contrapuntal passages in the accompaniment. 39 (no marking) 3:34 (unperformed) 40 Moderato 3:09 Fredrik Ullén 8/17/2003 41 (no marking) 3:40 Fredrik Ullén 8/19/2006 42 Impetuoso e con fuoco ed energia 4:15 (unperformed) 43 (no marking) 4:39 Fredrik Ullén 8/19/2006 44 Ben cantato. Dolce e chiaro 15:25 Kentaro Noda 11/2/2008 45 (no marking) 1:26 (unperformed) 46 (no marking) 2:44 (unperformed) 47 Leggiero e a capriccio 2:35 (unperformed) 48 Volante 3:14 (unperformed) 49 Vivace ma non troppo 2:23 Fredrik Ullén 8/17/2003 50 Per il pedale 3 4:50 Fredrik Ullén 8/17/2003 51 (no marking) 3:15 (unperformed) 52 (no marking) 3:14 Alexander Abercrombie 4/12/2003 53 A capriccio 1:59 (unperformed) 54 (no marking) 4:17 (unperformed) 55 (no marking) 2:43 (unperformed) 56 Moderato 3:10 Alexander Hanysz 09/16/2023 57 (no marking) 3:15 (unperformed) 58 Leggiero 3:31 Alexander Hanysz 09/16/2023 59 Quasi fantasia. Moderato 10:46 Fredrik Ullén 5/18/2003 60 Saltando, leggiero 3:07 (unperformed) 61 (no marking) 4:12 (unperformed) 62 (no marking) 2:37 (unperformed) 63 En forme de valse. Leggiero con disinvoltura 17:00 (unperformed) 64 (no marking) 2:38 (unperformed) 65 (no marking) 2:33 Fredrik Ullén 8/12/2003 66 (no marking) 6:07 Nicola Ventrella 7/9/1996 67 (no marking) 4:10 Fredrik Ullén 8/12/2003 68 Sotto voce 2:28 (unperformed) 69 La punta d’organo. Sotto voce 25:39 Florian Steininger 2/1/2014 70 Rhythmes brisés 4:08 Alexander Abercrombie 4/12/2003 71 Aria 13:14 Fredrik Ullén 8/8/2014 72 Canonica. Marcato 2:11 Nicola Ventrella 12/19/1997 73 Quasi Preludio-corale. Sonorità piena, morbida e dolcissima 17:57 Kentaro Noda 11/2/2008 74 Ostinato. Secco 4:22 (unperformed) 75 Passacaglia. Largo 28:50 Fredrik Ullén 8/17/2003 A passacaglia with 100 variations, a microcosm of the entire series of 100 etudes 76 Imitations. Presto assai 1:10 Nicola Ventrella 12/19/1997 77 (no marking) 1:34 Nicola Ventrella 12/19/1997 78 (no marking) 1:44 Ernest So 3/21/2020 79 The inlaid line. Legatissimo il tema melodico 2:08 Jørgen Hald Nielsen 4/9/2011 80 La linea melodica. Mormorando sordamente 5:46 Kentaro Noda 11/2/2008 81 The Suspensions. Lento quasi Adagio e gravemente solenne 5:35 Nicola Ventrella 7/9/1996 82 Sordamente e oscuramente minaccioso 2:28 (unperformed) 83 Arpeggiated fourths 4:12 Nicola Ventrella 11/20/1999 84 Tango habanera. Leggiero, con grazia indolente 8:00 Jonathan Powell 2/1/2003 85 (no marking) 1:40 Nicola Ventrella 11/20/1999 86 Adagietto. Legatissimo 2:20 Carlo Grante 1/23/1996 87 Studio gammatico 3:15 (unperformed) 88 (no marking) 1:20 Nicola Ventrella 12/19/1997 89 Chopsticks. Vivace 1:20 Fredrik Ullén 8/12/2003 90 (no marking) 3:00 (unperformed) 91 Volante leggiero 1:45 (unperformed) 92 Legato possible. Velato, misterioso 1:30 Fredrik Ullén 8/17/2003 93 Leggiero, saltando 2:10 (unperformed) 94 Ornaments. Con fantasia 3:30 Florian Steininger 2/15/2013 95 (no marking) 0:45 Nicola Ventrella 11/20/1999 96 (no marking) 2:50 Kentaro Noda 11/2/2008 97 (no marking) 3:00 Kentaro Noda 7/19/2007 98 Staccato e vivace 2:40 Kentaro Noda 7/19/2007 99 Quasi fantasia. Scorrevole 16:05 Kentaro Noda 1/4/2006 An expansion on the fantasia from J. S. Bach’s Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue in D minor, BWV 903 100 Coda-finale. Fuga a cinque soggetti 56:00 Kentaro Noda 1/4/2006 The longest of the 100 etudes, this is a quintuple fugue which develops five themes extensively
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