The six pieces which make up this set were composed over a number of years and explore a range of styles. "Characteristic pieces" is a collective title which has been used by many composers, especially of the Romantic period, for a group of shorter pianocompositions held together by a common factor. In this instance, however, the term haracteristic' has been applied somewhat loosely and refers to the diversity of the distinct styles within the set. For intermediate to advanced players.