Three Concert Études

The Italian subtitles now associated with the études—Il lamento ("The Lament"), La leggierezza ("Lightness"), and Un sospiro ("A sigh")—first appeared in the French edition.

It starts with a four-note lyrical melody which folds itself through the work, followed by a Chopin-like chromatic pattern which reappears again in the coda.

It is a monothematic piece in F minor with a very simple melodic line for each hand under an unusual Quasi allegretto tempo marking, usually ignored in favour of something slightly more frenetic.

[3] It starts with a fast but delicate sixteen chromatic-note arpeggio divided in thirds and sixths under an irregular rhythmic subdivision and cadenza so as to underline the atmosphere implied in its title.

[3] The technical difficulties involved in playing the piece include rapid leggiero chromatic runs, often with irregular rhythmic groupings, and passages in sixths and thirds.

[5] Simon Barere recorded the piece with an abbreviated version of the Leschetizky coda with critical results in the press.

Un Sospiro has been recorded by many well-known pianists including Van Cliburn, Jorge Bolet, Claudio Arrau, Marc-André Hamelin, Daniil Trifonov and Jan Lisiecki.