The Forty Etudes were borrowed from violin etudes by famous violin teachers, many of whom taught at the Paris Conservatory in the years prior to Rose's tenure there. In this current edition, original composers are identified. A brief biographical sketch of each is included.

The Rose Thirty two Etudes were derived in large part from original shorter studies for oboe by Franz Wilhelm Ferling (1796-1874), a notorious German oboist. (Clarinetists may find it interesting to note that Ferling began his career as a clarinetist and composed a clarinet concerto. Unfortunately, only fragments of the concerto have been located.)

Bonade students were required to approach the Rose studies in a highly disciplined manner in three stages: First, the details of the individual performance problems presented by each etude were identified and solved. On a second round through the etudes, the student was reminded of the details which he had not yet fully mastered. By the third cycle, Bonade expected to hear a highly polished performance, no further instruction needed. At this point, the student was ready to look for career performance opportunities.

The technical facility required to play these Rose studies and the phrasing style that can be developed with them will prepare a clarinet student for 85% of the standard orchestral literature he may encounter. (The remaining 15% can be learned by practicing the literature itself.) It remains that true orchestral technique must be learned by playing in an orchestra. The practice room and the teaching studio can be excellent preparation, but the "job" is the maker of the artist, if an artist is to be! And indeed, many Bonade students assumed the positions of principal clarinetists in the major American orchestras, becoming the prominent artist performers of the day.

• many wrong notes which were never corrected
• metronomic markings throughout which are entirely unsuitable, most marked much too fast
• virtually no markings to guide stylistic concepts

Unfortunately, partly as a result of these poor editions, uninformed students have wasted much time in purely mechanical practice without regard to artistic objectives. (In addition, it is a common fault of many teachers to assign these studies too early -- before the student is prepared to master the elegant style and assurance which he should stabilize in these works.)

An added bonus is the relatively low price. This volume containing all the Rose 40 Etudes (usually available in two separate books), the entire Rose Thirty two, and nine of the Rode-Rose Caprices under one cover at a cost of $12.50, is a "best buy" in addition to being a preferred edition.