The Quatre études (Four Studies), Op. 7 are a collection of short études for piano by
Igor Stravinsky. They were composed between June and July 1908 in Ustilug, Russian Empire. Along with his Piano Sonata in F-sharp minor, the études are one of his major early works for piano.
These four études are focused on difficult and irregular rhythmical structures for pianists, countering tuplets with other rhythmically regular forms or other rhythmical structures that involve certain difficulty for performers.
The first étude in C minor, dedicated to E. Mitusov, consists of a regular 4 with triplets against quintuplets or even septuplets at some point. The second étude in D major, dedicated to Nicolas Richter, is in 8 and opposes sixteenth notes against quadruplets and quintuplets. The third in E minor, dedicated to Andrey Rimsky-Korsakov, doesn't require much effort or experience in polyrhythm, while the long legato melody is in the middle voice and the accompaniment figures are in the upper registers. The main trait of the fourth étude in F-sharp major, which is dedicated to
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, is its syncopation, present throughout the étude.
