Johann Friedrich Franz Burgmüller was born in 1806, Regensburg
Germany. He was the son of Johann August Franz Burgmüller (German
organist and conductor 1766-1824) and elder brother of Norbert
Burgmüller (German composer and pianist 1810-1836). Friedrich
studied with Ludwig Spohr (1784-1859) and Moritz Hauptmann
(1792-1868). After years of studies with Spohr and Hauptmann,
Friedrich settled in Paris (until his death in 1874), and he
adopted Parisian music. Friedrich Burgmüller wrote numerous
pieces of salon music for piano and published several albums of
piano studies that have become standard works.

Burgmüller's piano music is mainly intended for juvenile
performers, and his opus 68, 76, 97, 100, and 105 etudes are
widely used for piano teaching today. Etudes in opus 100, Twenty-Five
Easy and Progressive Studies for Pianoforte, are used for
piano lessons especially for juvenile learners with small hands
because of the following reasons:

·There are no
octave fingerings

·The widest
range (interval) is the seventh

·Each piece
has an unique title, and the pieces are pleasant (joyful)

Zen-On Publishers' Burgmüller Op. 100 Twenty-Five Etuden
(published in Japan) has been used for piano lessons by Yamaha
method. After completing a two-year primary course (age 4-6) and
a two-year secondary course (age 6-8) of basic musicianship,
Yamaha students (age 8-10) usually start taking individual
lessons with this etude book.

This is a mild (frank) practicing piece. At the beginning
levels (elementary to early intermediate levels), it is difficult
to use the fourth finger, but there is not difficult
fourth-finger usage with this piece. Practice with rhythm (an
accent on the first beat and third beat), and pay attention to
expression marks; try to be expressive.

Note:

Allegro moderato - Allegro means fast, and it usually gives more specific
meanings with other terms.

This piece is very fast. Like a foliage (arabesque design),
try to express brilliant sound movements. It is also basic
practice for scales; playing 1,2,3,4, and 5 of the right hand
(also left hand) with fast speed are difficult at the beginning
levels because it usually comes up unevenly. Try to get rid of
unevenness, listen to your sound carefully, and articulate
clearly.

Try to make the melody sing because sound movements with
"feeling" are necessary among the well-balanced melody
lines of this tune. Follow exact fingerings as indicated; this
piece is good for fingering practice. Do not use the same finger
for the repeated notes in the melody; using a different finger
makes a better balanced melody and phrase. Do not hurry to play
grace notes, take a time before the beat, and put an accent on
the beat.

The first six measures are formed like an introduction;
imagine that the left hand is "calling everybody" and
the right hand is "everybody starts gathering." Then
the party begins in the seventh measure; the left hand talks and
the right hand responses, or the right hand talks and the left
hand responses. There are many conversations and discussions, and
the party continues until it gets back to the first atmosphere
(in m. 27, motive of m. 7). Be aware that the third-interval
scales (sequence in m. 10 and other) are very difficult. Practice
to play two notes (sound) simultaneously and the same strength
(intensity). For scales with the second and fourth fingers,
settle the fingers and try to play by movements of hand (arm),
but do not tense fingers too much.

Note:

Allegro no troppo- Allegro, but not too fast.

No. 5 Innocence in F major

This is a descending-scale-practice piece (see
"Arabesque" as ascending scale practice). This piece
also contains an ascending scale, so practice to play lovely
(pretty) ascending and descending scales.

Note:

Moderate - medium speed.

grazioso - graceful.

No. 6 - Progres (Progress) in C
major

This is a piece to practice both hand scales and staccato
evenly. After the ninth measure, there are unusual accents with
slurs. It is very important to practice those unusual accents
correctly. Play staccato with light feelings like hopping.

Note:

Allegro - fast, cheerful.

D.C. al Fine - return to the beginning (D.C.) and end at Fine.

No. 7 - Le Courant limpide (The Limpid
Stream) in G major

Well-balanced sounds (even-sounds) are quite necessary to
express "the limpid stream." The first notes of
triplets play melody lines, accompanying by other two notes (of
triplet); therefore, make (put) a little accent on the first note
of each triplet, and play other two notes (rests of triplet)
softer and evenly. The left hand plays melody and the right hand
accompanies in mm.9-16.

Note:

Allegro vivace - very fast and lively.

mormorendo - like whispering.

No. 8 - La Gracieuse (Grace) in F
major

This is a piece to practice embellishment (grace notes). There
is a variety of fingerings; however, it is very important to play
embellishing notes evenly and clearly. Notice the locations of
accent marks (on the eighth notes or on the doted-quarter notes)
and practice those accents correctly.

There are octave fingerings (g1-g2) in this piece, but they
are not played at the same time, so that there is no problem for
children with small hands. Leap fingers to play if fingers can
not reach octave notes, but make sure to practice to play (land
to) the correct key. Here many hunting-whistle sounds approach,
horses start cantering, hunting dogs also start cantering, the
whistles sound again louder, and everything (hunting band)
gradually goes away.

Note:

un poco agitate - little agitated.

dolente - sadly.

rallent - gradually growing sloer.

No. 10 - Tendre Fleur (Tender Blossom)
in D major

This is a very important piece to practice to play flowing
melody, well-balanced left hand and right hand dialog, and minute
(delicate) fingerings.

Note:

delicate - gracefully, elegantly.

No. 11 - La Bergeronnette (The
Wagtail) in C major

Bird-singing-like sounds (played by broken chords) cheerfully
come up part by part. Try to play lightly like bird flying with
the attention to dynamics.

This is a very agitated piece, expressing sadness of a
farewell to close (intimate) friends. Triplets are very tiny and
vertiginous, but practice to play evenly with clear articulation.
The tune becomes C major in the middle part, expressing gentle
consolation; then the tune returns to A minor, expressing sadness
again. At the codetta, the tune starts falling away,
expressing resignation. Play the final cadence resolutely,
expressing a period (full stop).

Note:

Allegro molt agitato- fast and very
agitatedly.

expresivo - expressively.

No. 13 - Consolationin C major

This is a piece to practice to make clear distinction of
melody-line notes and accompanying notes; in the first five
measures, make (put) an accent on the whole notes of the hand
(play them as a melody line), and play the eighth notes (right
hand) as accompaniments (make sure to articulate clearly). In the
sixth measure, melody moves closely (the eighth notes); then from
the third beat in the seventh measure, "G" starts
accompanying. Remember these points throughout the piece, try to
make melody sung, and pay attention to balance of the sound.

Note:

dolce lusingando - softly and gently.

No. 14 - La Styriennein G major

This piece is a waltz. Understand well the waltz rhythm, One
(strong) -- two (weak) -- three (weak). The tempo is fast;
practice slowly, but try to catch up the tempo indicated later.
Make clear distinction of legato and staccato.

Note:

mouvement de valse - waltz speed.

deciso - decisive, bold.

No. 15 - Balladein C minor

Ballade is a story tune. The right hand plays
accompaniments and the left hand plays the melody in the
beginning part and ending part. In the middle part (C major), the
right hand plays the melody and the left hand plays
accompaniments, so make sure to play the melody louder (right
hand, not left hand). Try not only to make the melody sing but
also to make melody recite.

Note:

Allegro con brio - fast and sprightly (lively).

mesterioso- mysteriousl.

No. 16 - Douce Plainte (Tender
Grieving) in G minor

This is a sad tune in minor to practice P (piano-soft
sound) beautifully. Practice an accent among weak sounds, and
make the rhythm clear and even.

No. 17 - La Babilarde (The
Chatterbox) in F major

In the first six measures, the right hand plays legato
and the left hand plays staccato with a big leap.
Practice to play surely. Make the left hand's rhythm clear mm.
7-14, and practice (left hand) to play the same note (key) with
different fingers (the first and second) evenly and smoothly
mm.15-18; don't you think that the tune is chattering? Practice
to play the right hand's third-interval melody evenly and 3-2-1
(fingering) on the same note from m. 33; it might be awkward at
first, but be patient and practice slowly.

No. 18 - InquietudeinE
minor

Make a strong accent on the left hand's chords and make the
right hand's P (piano-soft) sounds clear and even. The
left hand and right hand should be linked each other, so practice
"not to scatter them."

No. 19 - Ave Mariain A major

Melody is both polyphonic and monophonic, played by both hands
(sometimes by LH and sometimes by RH). Practice with the
attention to these points and with gentle singing aspect.

Note:

religioso - religiously.

No. 20 - La tarentelle (Tarantella) in
D minor

La tarentelle has a unique rhythm. Platy lightly with
two beats in one measure. Pay attention to grace notes in the
middle part. Make an accent on the down beat (the first beat) and
practice slowly.

Note:

Allegro vivo - fast and lively.

No. 21 - L' lfarmonie des Anges
(Harmony of the Angels) in G major

This is a piece to practice a wide range (compass) and broken
chords. The most important thing is to understand the distinction
between an accent on only the first beat in one measure and an
accent on each beat. The first and second measures are examples
of "first beat accent" and the third and fourth
measures are examples of "each beat accent." Link the
right hand and left hand evenly; do not let listeners notice
(sense) the "left hand and right hand change."

Note:

armonioso - harmonically.

piu lento - quite gently (slowly).

No. 22 - Barcarolle (The Chantey) in
A-flat major

This is a typical sailor's-song-rhythm piece, 6/8. Do not play
too strongly (roughly) the left hand's rhythm from m. 12, and
play the melody rollingly with rhythm like a boating.

Note:

Andantino quasi
Allegretto -
faster than Andante like Allegretto.

No. 23 - Le Retour (The Return) in
E-flat major

This is a piece to practice chords. Avoid scattered chords;
practice to play the notes (for the chords) simultaneously.
Melody lines are top voices (right hand), so make them come up.

Note:

Molto agitato quasi
Presto - very
agitatedly like Presto (very fast).

simile - similar.

cresc. assai - enough crescendo.

No. 24 - L' Hirondelle (The Swallow)
in G major

This is a piece to practice the left hand crossing over the
right hand. Notes played by the left hand are melody, and the
right hand plays accompaniments. Practice to play melody lines
and accompaniments clearly.

This is a piece for all-round (synthetic) practice (review for
what you have learned so far). Express an elegant but unsteady
horse walk with various rhythms and scales. Remember everything
you have learned, adapt your technique, and make the piece as a
brilliant finale for your study with this etude book.