This study actually “looks” like grands battements music, with it’s powerful two-handed chords in octave leaps. There are many ways a teacher might design a grands battements combination, but typically grands battements are either in two counts or one count: either one count up and one count down, or one count down preceded by up on “and” (an anacrusis). Czerny’s study can accomodate both count-types, though it will be necessary to forego the lovely third part, with its long dolce diminuendo.
Op 335 #16, 1st Version: Grands Battements in One Count, 4 sets of 8-count phrases
This is my performance of #16 for battement-in-one-count, for which I supply a score. I’m projecting the feel of “one-and...” per measure, with the “and” being Czerny’s sharp 8th note chord. To make this clear I’ve notated my arrangement in 2/4, and I’ve supplied an “and” in the preparation as well as to the cadences of Czerny’s 4-bar phrases (his mm 4, 8, etc). The “and” (the anacrusis) is particularly important in one-count battements, where the closing is on the downbeat: the dancers have to expend their greatest effort in getting the leg up on the usually silent weak beat in anticipation of closing on one, and if you can supply a clear, sonorous upbeat they’ll have some support for that effort. At Czerny’s mm 13-14 I’ve kept the LH in a strong “one-and” rhythm so as to maintain consistent support. I’ve dotted Czerny’s phrases to provide some supportive swing, and, as is my usual practice, I’ve thinned the voicings of LH chords.
Op 335 #16, 2nd Version: Grands Battements in Two Counts, 4 sets of 8-count phrases
This is a performance of my 1st Version projecting a 4/4 Cut Time (two counts per measure). I’ve increased the tempo and removed the anacruses because I now want a clear two-beat feel for the grand battement: one count up, one count down.
Grands Battements are often done in 3/4, especially when the teacher includes balancoire and en cloche in the combination. If you’re looking for a model for re-engineering Czerny’s #16 you can’t do better than Brahms Op 39 #13.
Op 335 #16, 3rd Version: Grands Battements in 3/4, 4 sets of 8-count phrases