The challenge of the Etude has intrigued and inspired composers from Bach and Chopin on: can music designed to improve technique hold its own aesthetic value? Pianist Christina Bjørkøe has an inspired answer to that question. She commissioned a set of three animal etudes from twelve composers and here presents the charming, evocative and very useful musical menagerie that resulted. From flea to hippo, beginner to professional, there is something for everyone.

The pianist Christina Bjørkøe is one of Denmark’s leading musicians. She performs solo, as a chamber musician and as a soloist with the Danish symphony orchestras. She is also an associate professor at the Danish National Academy of Music.

The etude flourishes in modern modern-day Denmark, a country whose composers have traditionally relished the challenge of writing music within strict criteria, who have long been keen to extend their creativity by tempering it with systems, series or ascetic design features.

The set of 12 etudes, composed by as many composers, that make up Animal Universe takes the idea a step further by employing a universal expressive component.

‘It has always been a dream of mine to commission piano works from Danish composers,’ says Christina Bjørkøe. ‘Suddenly the idea arrived to commission a cycle of piano etudes using animals as a common theme.’

Each etude is conceived in three movements according to a design scheme laid down by Bjørkøe: a ‘Concert etude’ is combined with what she describes as two ‘younger siblings – a light etude for intermediate students and a very simple etude for beginners’.