It is a bit of a mystery why Saint-Saens's enjoyable etudes are not better known. Perhaps it is their extreme awkwardness which deters pianiststhese works are prime examples of a peculiarly French school of finger technique which requires absolute independence and equality for each digit, making no concession whatsoever to the weaker fingers or the shape of the hand. The Opp 52 and 111 sets of etudes each end with a barn-storming show-stopper, 'En forme de Valse' and 'Toccata d'aprs le 5e Concerto' respectively. The left-hand etudes are perhaps less demanding, but nonetheless require a particular clarity and precision, being in essence a pastiche Baroque suite. The Thme Varie, fundamentally a compendium of pianistic challenges, was written as a test piece for the Paris Conservatoire.