Etüden
Etüden, the plural form of Etüde, are instrumental pieces designed to practice a specific technical challenge. The term comes from the French étudier, meaning “to study,” and in German usage Etüden denotes such studies. While etudes exist for many instruments, the piano repertoire is the best known domain.
In piano music, the etude form matured in the 19th century. Frédéric Chopin popularized the genre by
Purpose and use: Etudes target specific devices—arpeggios, scales, finger independence, rhythm, tone production, and other technical
Notable examples include Chopin’s 24 Études, the pianistic virtuosity of Liszt’s Transcendental Études, Fernando Sor’s guitar