“Burgmuller - The Swallow - Op. 100, No. 24” is classified as a Level 5 Piano work worth 7,690 points within the Road to Virtuosity progression system. It is categorized under Composers → Burgmuller, Friedrich and is part of the Romantic collection. The sheet music for “Burgmuller - The Swallow - Op. 100, No. 24” provided on this website is available for non-commercial use. This means it may be downloaded, printed, studied, and performed for personal or educational purposes, but it may not be sold, redistributed commercially, or used as part of a paid product without permission.
“Burgmüller - The Swallow - Op. 100, No. 24” is a fast Romantic character study in G major. The music creates the image of a swallow in flight through light broken-chord figures, quick hand crossings, repeated rising and falling patterns, and a mostly soft dynamic range. The piece is marked Allegro non troppo, so the motion should feel lively and continuous without becoming heavy or rushed.
Measures 1–6 introduce the main flying figure. The right hand moves through quick broken patterns while the left hand supplies simple bass notes underneath. The m.s. markings show where the left hand crosses over to play notes above the right hand, helping create the light, fluttering effect that gives the piece its title.
Measures 7–10 present a softer contrasting idea marked dolce. The right hand moves in a more connected melodic shape while the left hand reaches into the upper register, creating a smoother, more lyrical version of the same birdlike motion. The return of the opening material in measures 9–10 brings back the original pattern and keeps the piece moving forward.
Measures 11–16 continue the main texture with repeated broken figures and small phrase contrasts. The right hand keeps the quick sixteenth-note motion active, while the left hand alternates between bass support and crossing gestures. The dolce marking in measure 15 gives this section another brief lyrical contrast before the next phrase begins.
Measures 17–24 build toward the strongest part of the piece. The music uses repeated patterns, crescendos, and a brighter upper-register shape to increase the energy. Measures 23–24 begin to pull the sound back through diminuendo and softer dynamics, preparing the final section.
Measures 25–30 bring the piece to a quiet close. The repeated broken patterns continue, but the dynamics become softer, moving through piano, diminuendo, and pianissimo. The poco ritenuto at the end slows the final gesture, making the swallow-like motion fade away gently instead of ending with a heavy cadence.
Interesting fact: “The Swallow” is the next-to-last piece in Burgmüller’s Op. 100 collection, 25 Easy and Progressive Studies. Even though the collection is often used for students, this piece is one of the more advanced studies in the set because it combines speed, lightness, hand crossing, and continuous broken-chord motion in a very compact form.
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