Comments on some of the Transcendental Studies of Sorabji - by Fredrik Ulln

Most of the Transcendental Studies, in particular the pieces in the beginning of the cycle, are typical
concert etudes in the sense that essentially a single technical or structural idea is explored. Later on
Sorabji inserts pieces that are on a much larger scale than the traditional etude: extended, highly
ornamented "nocturnes"; a huge Waltz; a Habanera; a Passacaglia with 100 variations, and which
ends the present recital. The tendency towards larger and larger forms culminates with the two last
etudes, a hugely expanded elaboration of J.S. Bach's Chromatic Fantasia and a quintuple fugue with a
duration of at least 45 minutes, respectively.
The title 100 Transcendental Studies naturally alludes
to Liszt's famous set of the same kind, and Sorabji may have been stimulated to write his etudes after
attending a concert with Egon Petri playing the Liszt etudes. Other obvious influences are Scriabin,
Busoni and Godowsky, but in his use of evolving patterns of immense textural and rhythmic complexity
Sorabji by far exceeds all of his precursors. At least in this regard, it is tempting to see the Sorabji
etudes as presages of the piano music of, say, Ligeti, Finnissy or Ferneyhough. However, these
comparisons should not be taken too far. As composer, pianist and thinker Sorabji remains sui
generis; his vast pianistical universe is compelling and strangely different from any other music before
or after him. Among his mature works, 100 Transcendental Studies occupy a key position. The
following brief descriptive comments on some of the individual studies were originally written for
concert programs and might give a feeling for the variety of ideas explored in this work.
1. Mouvement. A whirling, turbulent exploration of a rapid seven-note motive. The etude starts with
two parts in the middle-register but soon double-notes and chords are added, and in a characteristic
Sorabjian manner the musical activity extends over the whole range of the keyboard.
2. Vivace e leggiero. Pianistically a devilish piece based on large leaps in both hands; musically
perhaps an ironical wink at Chopin's a minor etude op. 25 no. 4. Occasional repetitions of a figure
function
as
structural
landmarks.
3. (untitled). Melodical phrases are entwined with accompanying triplet figures in a tranquil web of
sound. Basically a piece in four voices, which sometimes thicken into chordal melodies.
4. (Scriabinesco) Soave e con tenerezza nostalgica is an arabesque and a loving meditation on
Scriabin's B major etude op. 8: 4. There are some interesting polymetric experiments in the later
section.
5. Staccato e leggiero. A reminiscence of Liszt? Both hands play triplets of large staccato chords in a
Wilde Jagd that makes effective use of the sostenuto pedal on a couple of occasions.
6. (untitled). The 100 Transcendental Studies contain double-note etudes for each possible interval.
This is the first one, an etude in seconds with rich use of 3:4 polyrhythms. A scintillating will-o-thewisp
etude
in
the
romantic
tradition.
7. Leggiero abbastanza. A brief and effective piece based on arpeggiated triads. As often in the cycle,
the
hands
change
roles
on
occasion.
8. (untitled). The etude in thirds. A delicate piece where elegantly flowing double-note passages are
played
by
the
right
hand,
the
left
hand
or
both
together.
9. Staccato e leggiero. A remarkably modern piece for its time. Both hands play staccato chords, first
in perfect asynchrony, later on with irregular alternations between the hands. Frequently Sorabji has
one hand play only on white keys and the other only on black keys, a device used much later by e.g.
Gyrgy
Ligeti.
10. Con brio ed impeto - Volante. Cascades of arpeggiated triads accompany demoniacal incantations

la
Scriabin.
The
furious
coda
has
few
parallels
in
its
wild
virtuosity.
11. (Animato abbastanza.) Triplet figures ascend and descend irregularly in a winding motion round
melody fragments in both hands. The music vanishes in a leggierissimo saltando that prepares the
ground,
as
it
were,
for
the
next
etude.
12. Leggerio quasi saltando. A study in staccato chords, where the piano imitates the string player
saltando. Occasional, accentuated phrases in longer note-values appear as brief remarks from the
wind
section.
13. (untitled). A remarkable study in trills and tremolos, erotic and emotionally overstrung. The demons
of the late Scriabin are lurking here, as on many other places, of course; in particular, the piece
evokes
his
etude
op.
42
no.
3.
14. Tranquillamente soave. An Oriental carpet of endless, aimlessly drifting melodic lines. Sorabjis
deep originality, even relative to those composers in the Western tradition he deeply admired, is
clearly revealed in pieces like this: a music of highly complex, ever-changing patterns that lacks any
sense
of
drama
or
even
inner
directionality.
15. (untitled). A short, sparkling etude that explores shifts between quadruple and quintuple metrics
as
well
between
leggerio
and
legato
articulation.

16. (untitled). The brilliantly shining etude in fourths, with rich use of the upper register of the piano
and sharp, accentuated rhythms. As usual in the double-note etudes, passages of double notes are
written
for
both
hands.
17. Molto accentato. A brief, homophonic intermezzo with accentuated chords that suggest trumpets
and other wind instruments. The slow metronome indication is, unusally, given by Sorabji himself.
18. Liscio. Tranquillamente scorrevole. This is the etude in fifths, which contains some exquisite,
sensual writing for the piano. One of the larger double-note etudes, and one of the finest inspirations
among
the
early
etudes
of
the
collection.
19. Saltando e leggiero. A repeated, small cell of four jumping staccato chords, played first by the right
hand, forms the basis of this piece. After a while the hands change roles - la Godowsky - and the
piece ends triumphantly with the main motive played by both hands. Sorabji maintains a weak sense
of
G
major
tonality
throughout
the
piece.
20. Con fantasia. One of Sorabji's refined, mysterious nocturnes. A single, ornamented sotto voce
singing line meanders above accompanying figures in the left hand. Later new strands enter to form a
fabric
of
sound
of
a
sensual
complexity
that
is
typical
of
Sorabji.
21. Con eleganza e disinvoltura. The etude in sixths. The free, almost nonchalante, character of the
piece
can
not
hide
its
pianistic
difficulties,
which
are
absolutely
Sorabjian.
22. Leggiero volante e presto assai. The piece explores an interesting, new device for pianistic
fireworks: glissandi on chords. A quick, hazardous piece that passes by leaving you in wonder of what
really
happened.
25. Vivace e secco. A violent etude in staccato chords: first single unison chords, later repeated
chords that are distributed in various ways between the hands to build up a dramatic culmination at the
end
of
the
piece.
26. Dolcissimo. A beautiful piece of night music incidentally also one of the several etudes of which
there exists a sketchy but interesting private recording in the Frank Holliday collection, made by
Sorabji himself in relatively old age. A soft high-register motive in the right hand, later varied in
different ways, shimmers like moon-light above warm, arpeggiated chords and melodies in the left
hand.
28. Leggiero e volante. A lively etude where a single motive and its mirror-image are developed by a
gradual accumulation of new notes, until the music reaches both ends of the keyboard and terminates.
31. Vivace assai. An exploration of a rapid flow of four-note figures. As in many of the more traditional
etudes, where a single technical idea is developed, Sorabji alternates the difficulties between the
hands,
and
finally
employs
them
in
both
hands
together.
32. Legato possibile: quasi dolce. All rhythmic complexities are avoided in this etude, to achieve a
gentle, undulating flow of dense chords in the middle register of the piano. As often Sorabji uses
complex combinations of triadic harmonies without any clear sense of traditional tonal relations.
34. Soave e dolce. Insinuating is the unusual character Sorabji indicates for the seductive but
poisonous opening of this piece, which uses the 6 versus 5 polyrhythm throughout. The technique
used here, to let melodic lines thicken into chordal counterpoint, is often used by Sorabji in his later
works.
37. Riflessioni. A good-tempered and not-too-serious play with a cavalcade of motives and their
inversions. The inversions first appear as echoes, but soon both motive and reflection are played
together.
40. Moderato. Structurally a relatively simple etude, with solemn processions of triadic chords in both
hands.
A
friendly
nod
at
Mussorgskij?
45. (untitled). An energetic piece based on a single, incisive motive with rapid alternations between the
hands.
49. Vivace ma non troppo. Relatively unremarkable, this etude nevertheless gains motoric energy and
rhythmic momentum by frequent changes in metrics. One of the etudes where equality of opportunity
between the hands is assured by having them change roles now and then.
50. Per il pedale 3. Use of the sostenuto-pedal is certainly beneficial in a lot of Sorabjis music, but this
is an etude specifically for the otherwise often neglected middle pedal of the piano. Here it is used to
maintain long chords, leaving both hands free to play increasingly elaborate arcs of eight-notes
figures.
52. (untitled). A four-part study in 3 versus 4 polyrhythm, centered in the middle register of the piano.
55. (untitled). One of the studies where Sorabji inventively explores a simple motive, in this case a
three-beat staccato figure with repeated sixteenth notes. Inversions and alternations between the
hands as well as growth by replications and additions of notes are used in a texture of increasing
density.
59. (Quasi fantasia) Moderato ends the second section of this recital. It is one of the larger etudes,
written in Sorabji's delicate, impressionistic "nocturnal" style. As the title indicates, the piece has a
free, improvisatory character. Quintuplet motives are explored in textures of increasing density and

rhythmic complexity, and in later sections in a characteristic Sorabjian manner the musical activity
extends
over
the
whole
range
of
the
keyboard.
64. (untitled). The main motive of this etude consists of chromatically falling lines of two-note groups,
which
are
varied
in
different
ways,
using
imitation
techniques.
65. (untitled). Sorabji demonstrates his good sense of humour in this piece, based on fast
appoggiaturas
and
sequences
of
staccato
triads.
66. (untitled). A hypnotic music of large arpeggiated chords embedding a slowly sung, rhythmically
free
melody
in
the
middle
register.
67. (untitled). A highly polyphonic fantasia, where Sorabji restricts himself to comparatively simple
rhythmic
relations.
75. (Passacaglia.) This grand Passacaglia is with its theme and 100 variations one of the largest
etudes of the whole cycle. A detailed discussion of the different variations is naturally out of scope for
this text, and a few general remarks will have to suffice. Both the character and key of the theme (b
minor) suggests that Sorabji may have been inspired by the famous Godowsky passacaglia when
writing this piece. In spite of the sometimes highly dissonant and complex harmonies Sorabji uses in
some places, the theme serves to anchor the piece firmly in b minor. In the initial variations, Sorabji
increases the number of voices and introduces faster note-values according to a rigid scheme. Later
on, more free variation techniques are used, illustrating Sorabjis talent for creative ornamentation.
Notably, many of the variations appear as miniatures or reflections of etudes elsewhere in the cycle
it is probably no coincidence that the number of variations in the Passacaglia and the number of
etudes in the whole cycle is the same. Towards the end of the piece, Sorabji asks for a truly
transcendental pianism, creating veritable tsunamis of sound, before the music halts in the grandiose
last
variations
that
end
the
passacaglia.
76. (Imitations) Presto assai. A very brief musical joke, based on as the title indicates imitations.
81. The Suspensions. Lento quasi Adagio e gravemente solenne. One of the few slow etudes, choral
like
in
its
texture,
with
frequent
use
of
suspensions.
83. Arpeggiated fourths. An elegant arabesque, based entirely on arpeggatied fourths. Occasional
double-note figures appear as distant memories of the etude in fourths, number 16.
88. (untitled). A brief, stern piece slightly archaic in its counterpointal style.
89. (Chopsticks). A virtuous showpiece based on alternating chords between the hands, with
irregularly
inserted
pauses.
92. Legato possibile. An ominous music of winding, growing legatissimo figures that imperceptibly
appear from the silence. The piece disappears in the shadows at the lower end of the keyboard.
Fredrik Ulln, 2003.