This is a book focused on technique and finger work using scales primarily in the 2-octave range. Keys covered go up to four sharps and four flats. There are a variety of rhythmic and articulation patterns which are reminiscent of Taffanel & Gaubert #4. Major scales make up the first section with minor scales (harmonic and melodic) making up a second, considerably smaller section. I found it interesting that in later sections, one was sometimes asked to transpose to the parallel minor key. The pages following consist of an exhaustive set of chromatic scales in triplets and sixteenth notes, and a series of diatonic and chromatic neighbor tones. Next section is arpeggios of course, with the ones covered limited to up to four sharps and four flats, with a section on arpeggios and neighbor tones in triplets. There is an interesting section on “finger exercises” starting with close-range arpeggios, octaves, and then more challenging passages for fingers which includes a tremolos and trills with/without endings.
Highlights:
Range of notes: C1-C4
Rhythms: whole notes, half notes/rests, quarter notes/rests, eighth notes, sixteenth notes, tripets
Time Signatures: 4/4, 3/4
Key Signatures: no flats/sharps, one flat, two flats, three flats, four flats, one sharp, two sharps, three sharps, four sharps
Other: ties, slurs, transposition
Primary work on major scales up to four flats and four sharps
Much lesser minor scale section
Exhaustive set of chromatic scales
Interesting section asking to transpose
Arpeggio exercises only up to four sharps and four flats
Finger exercises includes a section on tremolos and trills