Sound ToolsEstudio de Piano

Burgmüller Op. 100 No. 7: Le courant limpide: tempo and how to practice it

Burgmüller Op. 100 No. 7: Le courant limpide is part of “25 Études faciles et progressives, Op. 100” by Friedrich Burgmüller (1806–1874). Main focus: technique in the service of the character named in the title. In our transcription it is in G major, in 4/4 time, and 16 bars long. Suggested tempos: start at ♩ = 88 to learn it, practice at ♩ = 138 and work up to the target of ♩ = 176. Difficulty 3/10 (beginner).

The pattern and its fingering

First bar of our transcription, note by note, with the fingering the app shows.

Right handB–G–D–B–G–D–C–A–D–A–F♯–D
Left handG–D–G–D

■ right hand (finger above) · ■ left hand (finger below)

What it trains

How to practice it

  1. Picture the scene in the title before you play: the character decides the tempo and the touch.
  2. Play the melody alone while singing it in your head; then add the accompaniment more softly.

Tempo ladder: ♩ = 88 → ♩ = 113 → ♩ = 138 → ♩ = 157 → ♩ = 176. Only move up a step once the take comes out clean; in the app, the progressive metronome does it for you.

ComposerFriedrich Burgmüller (1806–1874)
Work25 Études faciles et progressives, Op. 100
Difficulty3/10 · Beginner
KeyG major
Time signature4/4
Bars16
Suggested temposlearn ♩ = 88 · practice ♩ = 138 · target ♩ = 176
Where the target tempo comes fromcomposer's metronome mark: ♩ = 176, printed in the first edition (Paris, 1851)
Transposableno
Status in the appAvailable
Copyrightpublic domain: Burgmüller died in 1874