Le monumental « Cours complet pour l’enseignement du forté piano conduisant progressivement des premiers éléments aux plus grandes difficultés par Madame la Marquise de Montgeroult » compte pas moins de 711 pages, 972 exercices, 114 études progressives, des thèmes variés, 3 fugues, un canon et une fantaisie. Commencé vers 1788 il est achevé en 1812 et sera la dernière œuvre éditée de la compositrice.
Ses 114 « études » sont des pièces de caractères qui dépassent, par la qualité de leur inspiration, ce qu’il est convenu d’attendre de simples études pédagogiques. Montgeroult en a bien conscience qui écrit dans la préface : »Quel que facile que soit le morceau qu’on offre au travail [de l’élève], on s’est attaché, pour lui former le goût, à ce que ce morceau facile fut réellement de la musique, et ne ressemblât point à ces essais informes avec lesquels on croit souvent pouvoir commencer les enfants.»
L’intérêt musical de ces œuvres méconnues est tout à fait étonnant, empruntant parfois la régularité rythmique et certaines tournures baroques à Bach, et posant déjà, dans le même temps, les bases du langage romantique qui sera celui de la génération ultérieure à laquelle appartiendront Chopin et Schumann.
Prenant comme idéal musical et technique l’expressivité et le legato du chant italien, Montgeroult, toujours en préface, pose la question essentielle sur laquelle s’articulent toutes ses études : « comment rendre ces accents, ces nuances innombrables si nécessaires à l'expression sur un clavier qui ne peut soutenir les sons, et qui a tout dit quand la note a résonné ? Ici l'illusion doit venir au secours de la réalité. »
D’où l’idée, somme toute raisonnable, de confier ici certaines de ces études qui s’y prêtent le mieux à un instrument monodique pouvant naturellement en soutenir la mélodie. Etant donné ceci et l’importance de la redécouverte de l’œuvre d’Hélène de Montgeroult, les pianistes nous pardonneront peut-être de souhaiter, à notre tour, la connaître et l’interpréter.

Hélène de Montgeroult, born Hélène Antoinette Marie de Nervo, is a French composer and pianist recognized as one of the best piano-forte and improvisers of her time.
As a composer her main work is the "Cours complet pour l'enseignement du forte piano", begun in 1788 and completed in 1812, which has no less than 711 pages, 972 exercises, 114 studies, various themes, three fugues and a fantasy.

Along his university studies (DEA in musicology, University of Paris IV-Sorbonne), Frédéric Cellier was awarded three first prizes and a development prize at the CNR of Nice and won first prize at the International Competition of Musical Execution - soloist category – of Stresa (Italy).
He is the laureate of the Fondation de France and the Yehudi Menuhin Foundation and accredited teacher at the CNR of Nice, the CNR of Marseille, and at the CRR Olivier Messiaen of Avignon (France).
Frédéric Cellier is the interpreter of Francis Poulenc’s Sonata for clarinet Bb and piano with Jean-Michel Damase, Jean Françaix or Gabriel Tacchino, but also performs his own version for clarinet, piano and string orchestra of George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in blue for Wynton Marsalis or under the baton of Adrian Gershwin, grandson of the composer.
Founder and artistic director of STRADIVARIUS Editions, he is the author of pieces of light music and a considerable number of arrangements in all styles and for all instruments acclaimed by numerous personalities in the music world:

"Frédéric Cellier has produced a number of adaptations of Georges Auric's works with such talent and precision that I consider them a natural addition to his chamber music catalogue."
Michèle AURIC - Georges Auric's widow

"To Frédéric Cellier, excellent musician and tireless arranger."
Jean FRANÇAIX - Composer and pianist

"Arranging a musical work is always a delicate and risky exercise, because it requires both modifying it so that it can be played by the desired instruments and preserving its very essence. But that is exactly what Frédéric Cellier has done, preserving the nuances, subtleties and soul of the original works while breathing new life into them.
His arrangements give all the musicians the chance to perform these compositions specially revisited for their instrument, and make music lovers rediscover them in a new light."
Adrian GERSHWIN - George Gershwin’s grandson

"Congratulations for your beautiful new orchestration and rendition of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in blue."
Wynton MARSALIS - Trumpet player, composer, bandleader, general and artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center, New York

"It is outstanding that Frédéric Cellier has managed to transpose Saxophone Marmalade from the saxophone to the clarinet. I thank him for it and wish its great and deserved success. "
Manuel ROSENTHAL - Conductor, composer and Maurice Ravel’s pupil

"I am very happy to tell you how much I appreciated your transcription of the Capriccio, based on Francis Poulenc's Le Bal Masqué. It perfectly reflects the spirit and verve of the score for two pianos that I had the opportunity to play and record with Jacques Février, and it was a great pleasure for me to premiere it in Montpellier."
Gabriel TACCHINO - Pianist, Francis Poulenc’s specialist

"I must tell you that I really like your transcriptions and that I think the tone of the instruments you have chosen suits perfectly our beloved composer."
Ornella VOLTA - Musicologist, president of the Erik Satie’s Foundation