Studies by Moritz Moszkowski op. 72: Towards a Formulation of the Problem of the Instructional Genre

Abstract

The article attempts to determine the place of the piano Études op. 72 by Moritz Moszkowski (1864–1825) in the context of the development of the instructional genre. The works are considered in the context of the “instructional – concert” opposition traditional for Russian musicology. In this regard, the approximate and intuitive nature of the very definition of an instructional étude is noted to inform the determination of criteria on the basis of which certain études can be classified as varieties of the designated genre. Moszkowski’s piano Études op. 72 are particularly representative in this regard since they do not fit unconditionally into any one category. To further their study, the article draws two lines of comparison: Moszkowski – Czerny and Moszkowski – Chopin. According to the first line, Op. 72 is analysed with a focus on the generally accepted example of the instructional variety of étude (in particular, Czerny’s op. 740 Études), while in the second, comparisons are made with Chopin’s concert texture. It is shown that romantic elements penetrate the piano texture and themes of Moszkowski’s études to become an immanent property of the genre. While certainly retaining instructive features, the tasks set for the performer by the pianism of the études are principally of an artistic nature. Since this makes it impossible to classify Moszkowski’s études as a purely “school” type of étude, the author proposes to consider them as instructional études of a new type.

Keywords: piano étude, Moritz Moszkowski, Frédéric Chopin, Carl Czerny, romantic pianism