Alongside HN 1264 (the Etude in e flat minor op. 39,5), we are now offering the Etude in C major in a single edition, taken from our much-loved complete edition of the 17 Études-Tableaux. Rachmaninoff greatly valued this work, often included it in his concert programmes and also recorded it. A longing melody unfolds over a simple accompaniment. This charming piece that alternates between major and minor is a good technical exercise for the crossing over of the hands, but does not contain nearly as many difficulties as Rachmaninoff's other etudes and is thus also manageable by advanced amateurs. They will be aided in the Henle Urtext edition by the helpful fingerings provided by the virtuoso Marc-André Hamelin.

Rachmaninov