Frédéric Chopin on Music Theory Print

A Month in the Country (ballet)

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History#

Ashton had had the idea of a ballet based on A Month in the Country since seeing the play in the 1930s at the Westminster Theatre, but a meeting with Isaiah Berlin in the late 1960s helped him decide on the subject, and he took up Berlin’s suggestion of using the music of Chopin. During the preparation of the ballet, Ashton encouraged the dancers to see the play in London with Dorothy Tutin as Natalia. Ashton also credited Michael Somes “who brought the music used in the ballet to my notice” and Martyn Thomas who helped construct the action of the ballet to correspond with this music. It has also been seen on tour in New York and Havana. In 1995, Dowell mounted the ballet for the National Ballet of Canada with Karen Kain as Natalia and Robert Conn as Beliaev, the first time it had been performed by any other company. Peggy Ashcroft – after seeing a performance – told Ashton that she thought his adaptation was better than the original.

Allegro de concert (Chopin)

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History#

Chopin published his two piano concertos in 1830. That same year, he wrote that he was planning a concerto for two pianos and orchestra, and would play it with his friend Tomasz Napoleon Nidecki if he managed to finish it. He worked on it for some months, but he had the greatest difficulty with it, and this work never eventuated; however, he may have used ideas from it in later works. There is also evidence that Chopin started work on a third concerto for piano and orchestra. In Chopin: The Piano Concertos, Rink quotes from an unpublished Chopin letter, dated 10 September 1841, offering Breitkopf & Härtel an “Allegro maestoso (du 3e Concerto) pour piano seul” for 1,000 francs. In November 1841, Schlesinger published the Allegro de concert, which has a tempo indication of “Allegro maestoso”, and Breitkopf & Härtel also published it in December of the same year. The work has the general characteristics of the opening movement of a concerto from around that time. It contains a lengthy introduction, with the section corresponding to the original piano solo commencing at bar 87. It seems clear that the “Allegro maestoso” Chopin referred to in his letter was the piece published two months later as Allegro de concert, Op. 46. The first few notes of the piece were drafted around 1832, but it is not known when the rest of the piece was written. Chopin dedicated it to , one of his favourite pupils, who studied with him for 18 months (1839–1841). Franz Liszt gave her the nickname “Mademoiselle opus quarante-six” (“forty six”, the work’s opus number, in French).

Andante spianato et grande polonaise brillante

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Music#

The Grande polonaise brillante is a work for piano and orchestra, although the piano part is often played on its own. The Andante spianato (spianato means “even” or “smooth”) for solo piano was composed as an introduction to the polonaise after Chopin received a long-awaited invitation to perform in one of Habeneck’s Conservatoire Concerts in Paris. This was the only time Chopin ever used the term spianato as a description for any of his works. Chopin’s first work, written at age seven, had been a polonaise. Chopin also used the polonaise form in his earlier work the Introduction and Polonaise brillante in C major, Op. 3. The Grande polonaise brillante of 1830–31 was to be the last such he would compose for several years. It preoccupied Chopin in his final months at Warsaw. It was finished at Vienna in 1831.

Ballade No. 1 (Chopin)

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History#

The ballade dates to sketches Chopin made in 1831, during his eight-month stay in Vienna. It was completed in 1835 after his move to Paris, where he dedicated it to Baron Nathaniel von Stockhausen, the Hanoverian ambassador to France. After Chopin had visited Robert Schumann in Leipzig in fall 1836, Schumann wrote: “I have a new Ballade by Chopin. It seems to me to be the work closest to his genius (though not the most brilliant). I even told him that it is my favourite of all his works. After a long, reflective pause he told me emphatically: ‘I am glad, because I too like it the best, it is my dearest work.

Ballade No. 2 (Chopin)

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History#

Chopin started composing the ballade in 1836. It was one of various unfinished works he took with him to Mallorca for a winter stay with George Sand. Chopin announced completion of the ballade in a letter dated 14 December 1838, and by January 1840, he had sold the work to Breitkopf & Härtel for publication, along with the Piano Sonata No. 2, Scherzo No. 3, Polonaises Op. 40, Mazurkas Op. 41, Nocturnes Op. 37, and Impromptu No. 2. There is some degree of disagreement as to its inspiration, with the claim, often made that it was inspired by Adam Mickiewicz’s poem Świtezianka, the lake of Willis, but this claim is unsubstantiated, and the Ballade No. 3 is sometimes attributed to this poem as well.

Ballade No. 3 (Chopin)

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History#

The piece was first mentioned by Chopin in a letter to Julian Fontana on 18 October 1841. It was likely composed in the summer of 1841 in Nohant, France, where he had also finished the Nocturnes Op. 48 and the Fantaisie in F minor. The first German edition, published by Breitkopf & Härtel, appeared in January 1842. The ballade is dedicated to his pupil Pauline de Noailles (1823–1844). The inspiration for it is usually claimed to be Adam Mickiewicz’s poem Undine, also known as Świtezianka. There are structural similarities with the “Raindrop Prelude” which was inspired by the weather in Mallorca during Chopin’s disastrous vacation with George Sand. These include a repetitive A which modulates into a G during the C minor section.

Ballade No. 4 (Chopin)

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History#

The circumstances of composition are poorly documented, though it appears that Chopin began composing shortly after the completion of Ballade No. 3. By December 1842, the ballade was finished, and he offered it for sale to Breitkopf & Härtel, along with the Heroic Polonaise and the fourth Scherzo. The work was dedicated to Baroness Charlotte de Rothschild, wife of Nathaniel de Rothschild, who had invited Chopin to play in her Parisian residence, where she introduced him to the aristocracy and nobility. In the preface to his edition of Chopin’s ballades, Alfred Cortot claims that the inspiration for this ballade is Adam Mickiewicz’s poem The Three Budrys, which tells of three brothers sent away by their father to seek treasures, and the story of their return with three Polish brides.

Ballades (Chopin)

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Form#

Chopin used the term ballade in the sense of a balletic interlude or dance piece, equivalent to the old Italian ballata. However, the term may also have connotations of the medieval heroic ballad, a narrative minstrel song, often of a fantastical character. There are dramatic and dance-like elements in Chopin’s use of the genre, and he is a pioneer of the ballade as an abstract musical form. The ballade concept is said to have been inspired by a friend of Chopin’s, poet Adam Mickiewicz. The exact inspiration for each ballade, however, is not well documented. Though the ballades do not conform precisely to sonata form, the “ballade form” created by Chopin for his four ballades is a variant of sonata form with specific discrepancies, such as the mirror reprise (presenting the two expositional themes in reverse order during the recapitulation). The ballades have directly influenced composers such as Franz Liszt and Johannes Brahms, who, after Chopin, wrote ballades of their own. Modern theorists have shown, however, that the ballades do have much in common, such as the “ballade meter” ( or ) and certain formal practices like the mirror reprise and delaying the structural dominant.

Berceuse (Chopin)

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History#

Chopin began the composition in the summer of 1843 at Nohant, where he stayed with George Sand. As the first manuscript was held by the singer Pauline Viardot, the composition may have been inspired by her little daughter, Louisette, who also spent the summer there while her mother was away giving concerts. The theme of the “Berceuse” echos a song that Chopin may have heard in his childhood, "" (The moon now has risen, the dogs are asleep). Chopin completed “Berceuse” in 1844, shortly before his Piano Sonata in B minor. It is a series of 16 variations on an ostinato ground bass. In an early sketch of the composition, the "" were even assigned numbers. Chopin first began the work with the theme but wrote two measures of introduction later. At first the composer titled the work “”, but the title was altered for publication to the current “Berceuse”, berceuse literally meaning “cradle song”. It was first published by Jean-Racine Meissonnier of Paris in 1844 and was dedicated to Élise Gavard (1824–1900), saying on the title page: The first publication in England was by Wessel & Co. in London on 22 June 1845, and the first publication in Germany was by Breitkopf & Härtel in Leipzig in July 1845.

Boléro (Chopin)

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Structure#

The overall key of the Boléro is difficult to establish. It was often listed as Boléro in C major - A minor, as the work opens with three unison octaves in G (dominant chords of C major) in fortissimo, then a lengthy introduction in C major, moving to A minor (the relative minor of C major) for the Boléro proper. This is interrupted by sections in A major, A-flat major and B-flat minor before returning to A minor. It ends triumphantly in A major (parallel major of A minor).

Cello Sonata (Chopin)

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Structure#

The composition consists of four movements: It takes around 30 minutes to perform.

References#

;Notes ;Sources * * *

Chopin National Edition

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History#

In 1959, Jan Ekier started the project of a new critical edition of Chopin’s works, as he came to the conclusion that the prevailing Paderewski edition presented a “false image of Chopin’s music in many aspects”. The first volume of Ballades was published in 1967 by PWM Edition, featuring a minimalist design with white covers. A total of nine volumes were published up to 1991, with a publication rhythm that correlated to each edition of the quinquennial International Chopin Piano Competition. After the Revolutions of 1989, the edition was re-evaluated from a market perspective. While the first editions were typeset manually and accompanied by Polish commentary only, the new editions were typeset using SCORE, with bilingual (Polish and English) annotations. In 1998, Ekier established the Foundation for the National Edition of the Works of Fryderyk Chopin, for fundraising, research, publication and promotion of the National Edition. In 2004, he received a special award from the Minister of Culture of Poland, “in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the preservation and popularization of the legacy of Fryderyk Chopin, in particular for the monumental National Edition of his works, restoring to European culture the art of the great Polish composer in a form closest to its historical original.” The edition was completed in 2010, in time for the bicentenary of Chopin’s birth.

Chopin's compositions for piano and orchestra

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Context#

Together with a number of rondos (Opp. 1, 5, 16 and 73), the Polonaise brillante (Op. 3) and the Variations on “Der Schweizerbub”, Chopin’s compositions for piano and orchestra belong to a group of compositions in brilliant style, no longer confined by the tenets of the Classical period, which were written for the concert stage in the late 1820s to early 1830s. Other compositions of the same period, such as the Sonata (Op. 4) and the Trio (Op. 8), kept closer to a classical approach, or had a more limited scope, for example the Nocturnes (Op. 9), and were rather intended for private performance. The circumstances in which Chopin composed and premièred his works for piano and orchestra before leaving Poland in late 1830 are to a large extent documented in his letters to Tytus Woyciechowski.

Dances at a Gathering

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Production#

Dances at a Gathering is the first ballet Robbins created for the New York City Ballet (NYCB) in years, after he worked on Broadway theatre. He first planned to make a pas de deux for Patricia McBride and Edward Villella, but it was eventually expanded to five couples. The ballet starts with a solo performed by Brown Boy, originally Villella, and in the middle of the ballet, a woman who had not appeared in the ballet before dances a solo. In one section featuring three men and three women, the women are tossed from partner to partner. The most well-known part of the ballet is a pas de deux between Pink Girl (originally McBride) and Mauve Boy. No more than six dancers are on stage at the same time until the finale.

Études (Chopin)

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Composition#

Chopin’s Études formed the foundation for what was then a revolutionary playing style for the piano. They are some of the most challenging and evocative pieces in the concert piano repertoire. Because of this, they remain popular and are often performed in both concert and private stages. Some are so popular they have been given nicknames; among these are Op. 10, No. 3, sometimes called Tristesse (“Sadness”) or “Farewell” (L’Adieu), the “Revolutionary” (Op. 10, No. 12), “Black Keys” (Op. 10, No. 5), and “Winter Wind” (Op. 25, No. 11). None of these nicknames are of Chopin’s creation. All 27 études were published during Chopin’s lifetime; Op. 10, the first group of 12, was written between 1829 and 1832 and published in 1833, in France, Germany, and England. The 12 études of Op. 25 were composed at various times between 1832 and 1835 and published in the same countries in 1837. The final three, part of a series called compiled by Ignaz Moscheles and François-Joseph Fétis, were composed in 1839, without an assigned opus number. They appeared in Germany and France in November 1840 and in England in January 1841. Accompanying copies of these early editions are usually several manuscripts of a single étude in Chopin’s hand and additional copies made by Chopin’s friend Jules Fontana, along with editions by Chopin’s student Karol Mikuli.

Fantaisie in F minor (Chopin)

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Form#

This work belongs to the Fantasy form, a composition free in form and inspiration. It begins with a solemn marching theme that eventually plunges into a passionate and virtuosic section, the transition marked poco a poco … doppio movimento, still with elements of marching, but more triumphant and positive in mood. About halfway through the piece occurs a slow and sombre chorale-like section in B major, before the previous section is restated. After a short, quiet and sweet statement followed by a final flourish the work ends in a plagal cadence in A-flat major, the relative key. This piece is 11–14 minutes long.

Fantaisie-Impromptu

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History#

The Fantaisie-Impromptu was written in 1834, as were the Four Mazurkas (Op. 17) and the Grande valse brillante in E major (Op. 18), but unlike these other works, Chopin never published the Fantaisie-Impromptu. Instead, Julian Fontana published it posthumously, along with the waltzes Opp. 69 and 70. It is unknown why Chopin did not release the Fantaisie-Impromptu. James Huneker called parts of it “mawkish” and “without nobility”. Ernst Oster conducted a technical examination of the piece that hints at similarities between the Fantaisie-Impromptu and Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Moonlight” Sonata (Quasi una fantasia), which he cites as the reason for Chopin’s reluctance to publish the piece. It is also recognized that it resembles the Impromptu in E major, Op. 89, by Ignaz Moscheles and published in 1834, the same year Chopin wrote the Fantaisie-Impromptu. The mystery may have been solved in 1960 when pianist Arthur Rubinstein acquired the “Album of the Baroness d’Este”, which had been sold at auction in Paris. The album contained a manuscript of the Fantaisie-Impromptu in Chopin’s own hand, dated 1835, stating on the title page in French “Composed for the Baroness d’Este by Frédéric Chopin”. Its authenticity was “guaranteed by the French authorities” and it shows “a delicate care for detail” and “many improvements in harmony and style” in comparison to the previously published version. Rubinstein considered it proof that it is the finished work. In his preface to the “Rubinstein Edition”, published by G. Schirmer, Inc. in 1962, he surmises that the words “Composed for” in place of a dedication imply that Chopin received a paid commission for the work, so he had actually sold it to the Baroness.

Fantasy on Polish Airs (Chopin)

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Structure#

The orchestration calls for flutes, oboes, clarinets (in A), bassoons, horns (in A), trumpets (in D), timpani (A and E), piano and strings. The work contains three main themes, two of which are traditional folk melodies.

Introduction#

The piece starts with a 55-measure introduction marked Largo non troppo. The introduction is in common time and concludes on a chord of the dominant seventh.

Już miesiąc zaszedł psy się uśpiły#

The next section is based on “Już miesiąc zaszedł psy się uśpiły (A month has passed, the dogs slept).” This popular Polish folk song was sung to words from Franciszek Karpiński’s idyll “Laura i Filon”. Significantly, the song was a favorite of Chopin’s mother. The section lasts from mm. 56 to 127. The meter is . The section begins in A major and ends on C minor.

Hexaméron (musical composition)

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External links#

- Performance by Marc-André Hamelin on YouTube

In the Night (ballet)

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Structure#

In the Night features three couples, depicted at different phases of their relationships. The first duet, set to Chopin’s Nocturne in C sharp minor, Op. 27, No. 1, shows a pair of young lovers. On the choreography of this section, Deborah Jowitt, the author of Robbins’ biography, wrote, “Over and over he lifts her or twines her through delicate balances; they separate only to rush together.” with the men lifting their partners off stage.

Les Sylphides

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Performance history#

The exact origins of the ballet are complex. It evolved from a 1907 performance at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg titled Rêverie Romantique: Ballet sur la musique de Chopin. This early version served as the basis for the ballet Chopiniana, which underwent various revisions in Fokine’s hands. The work premiered as on 2 June 1909, performed by Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. The original cast featured Tamara Karsavina, Vaslav Nijinsky (as the poet, dreamer, or young man), Anna Pavlova, and Alexandra Baldina. Léon Bakst designed the long white tutu originally worn by Pavlova and subsequently adopted by the entire female corps de ballet. The long white tutu that Pavlova originally danced in, and that the entire female corps de ballet adopted soon after, was designed by Léon Bakst and inspired by lithographs of Marie Taglioni in the 1832 ballet La Sylphide. The London premiere, in the first season of the Diaghilev Ballets Russes, was at the Royal Opera House. In North America, an unauthorized version premiered at the Winter Garden in New York on 14 June 1911. This production was staged by Gertrude Hoffmann and featured Lydia Lopokova and Alexandra Baldina (the latter being the only member from the original Diaghilev cast). The authorized premiere on that continent, by the Diaghilev Ballets Russes, was at the Century Theater in New York City on 20 January 1916. It featured Lydia Lopokova (who had appeared in the unauthorised production five years earlier) in the leading role. On 14 April 1916, Nijinsky danced the ballet with the company at the Metropolitan Opera, where it was paired with a similar work by Fokine, Papillons (set to a piano suite by Robert Schumann). Fokine went on to stage the ballet for several other companies, often performing the leading roles alongside his wife, Vera Fokina.

Mazurkas (Chopin)

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Origins#

Chopin based his mazurkas on the traditional Polish folk dance, also called the mazurka (or “mazur” in Polish). However, while he used the traditional mazurka as his model, he was able to transform his mazurkas into an entirely new genre, one that became known as a “Chopin genre”.

Compositions#

Chopin started composing his mazurkas in 1825, and continued composing them until 1849, the year of his death. The number of mazurkas composed in each year varies, but he was steadily writing them throughout this time period.

Mazurkas, Op. 17 (Chopin)

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Composition#

Frédéric Chopin composed his Op. 17 mazurkas in 1832–33 and they were his first set to be written in Paris. Chopin had just recently settled in France, as he had become a refugee from Poland, however, he hoped he could move back to his homeland when the political situation changed. This hope was never realized and he was never able to return. Even though Chopin had moved away from his homeland, he never forgot his Polish roots and this set demonstrates his homesickness and deep longing for Poland.

Mazurkas, Op. 24 (Chopin)

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No. 1 in G minor#

The first mazurka of the Op. 24 set is in G minor with a tempo marking of Lento. The piece soon modulates to the relative major key (B major) which soon shifts to a closely related key, E major.

No. 2 in C major#

The second mazurka of the set is in C major with a tempo marking of Allegro non troppo, opening with a quiet alternation of C and G major sotto voce chords. The trio is in D major. The trio is closed by using repeated notes, generally open fifths. The piece is also notable for its vague yet distinctly diatonic harmony, as the opening 56 bars of the piece do not feature a single accidental.

Mazurkas, Op. 33 (Chopin)

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No. 1 in G minor#

In G-sharp minor, the opening mazurka of the set has a tempo marking of Mesto. This mazurka has an emotional melody, accompanied in the left hand with a waltz pattern. This mazurka has a total of 48 bars, the dynamic marking forte only appeared twice. It should be played with a deep and rounded sound, instead of a sharp and loud one. The mood changes many times throughout the piece. This intimate piece is occasionally considered less complicated than many of Chopin’s other mazurkas.

Mazurkas, Op. 41 (Chopin)

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Structure#

The order here is the order in the first German edition. The first French and English editions placed the C minor mazurka last rather than first.

Mazurka in C minor, Op. 41, No. 1#

The first mazurka is in C minor and has a time signature of . It also has the tempo marking: Maestoso. The Mazurka in C minor should really have a subtitle: in the Phrygian mode for this is the special quality of its main theme and the crowning climax at the end. How Chopin incorporates the mode into the piece is fascinating: The mazurka starts with an outlining of the Phrygian scale as a solo right hand melody, only then repeating it with harmonization and then subjecting it to harmonic development in E major. Various episodes introduce new key areas, all very clearly marked off from one another, many developing the dotted rhythm idea from the main theme. The big dominant build-up to the climax is quite awe-inspiring both in its length (14 bars) and its ubiquitous use of dotted rhythms. In the 13 bar coda Chopin takes us back to C minor and we enjoy the minor scale without the characteristic flattened supertonic of the Phrygian mode.

Mazurkas, Op. 59 (Chopin)

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Mazurka in A minor, Op. 59, No. 1#

The mazurka in A minor is the opening piece of the set. This highly chromatic Mazurka conveys a warm and comforting portrait, and concludes with an ascending melody.

Mazurka in A major, Op. 59, No. 2#

The mazurka in A major is the second and shortest of the Op. 59 mazurkas, with a typical performance lasting around 2 and a half minutes. The piece begins with a memorable main theme that Chopin varies from time to time to maintain the piece’s interest. The trio section of the piece is very similar to the main theme, providing little contrast. The piece concludes with an interesting coda, full of accidentals and chromatic harmonies and finishing on a tonic chord, repeated 4 times.

Mazurkas, Op. 6 (Chopin)

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No. 1 in F minor#

The first mazurka of the set is a lively piece that makes use of Polish folk rhythms and modes. The main theme, which revolves around triplets and brings heavy accents on the third beat of each bar, is quite melancholy, yet elegant in character. A second theme, marked fortissimo, offers a passage full of sforzandos and wedge accents. The original theme then returns, forte, but quickly decrescendos. These passages end with repeats. The third theme enters as an ostinato under a thundering accompaniment with a grace note before every chord. After several percussive chords, the central theme returns and the mazurka gradually dies away. It takes around two and a half minutes to perform.

Mazurkas, Op. 63 (Chopin)

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Mazurka in B major, Op. 63, No. 1#

The first of the Op. 63 Mazurkas, B major and marked Vivace, begins with a lively theme typical of Chopin’s mazurkas. This is immediately followed by a more simple second theme which has a rustic feel. Throughout the piece, feelings of animation and excitement present in the main theme are contrasted by the simplicity and warmth of the second theme. Overall, this mazurka is very rhythmic and full of flourishes. It lasts about two and a half minutes.

Mazurkas, Op. 7 (Chopin)

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No. 1 in B major#

The first mazurka, set in B major and marked Vivace, is the most well-known mazurka of the set and perhaps, one of Chopin’s most popular mazurkas in general. The piece is in rondo form and includes a lively main theme characterized by an upward rise and then downard jumps of ninth intervals. The second theme, in F major, is quite graceful and adds to the elegant character of the piece. After a reprise of the main theme, a third and much more subdued theme is introduced. It is quite tonally ambiguous and its mysterious mood is in total contrast with the rest of the piece. The main theme returns for a final time and the piece ends on a B major chord marked forte. It takes a little under three minutes to perform.

Mazurkas, Op. posth. (Chopin)

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Minute Waltz

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History#

Chopin composed the waltz in 1847 and had it published by Breitkopf & Härtel in Leipzig the same year, as the first of the Trois Valses, Op. 64. The second waltz is in the enharmonic parallel minor key of C minor. A fast version of the waltz, played by Arthur Rubinstein, has served as the theme music for the BBC Radio 4 show Just a Minute since the programme’s inception.

Miscellaneous compositions (Chopin)

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Posthumous opus numbers and other catalogue designations#

Chopin expressed a death-bed wish that all his unpublished manuscripts be destroyed. However, at the request of the composer’s mother and sisters, Julian Fontana selected 23 unpublished piano pieces and grouped them into eight posthumous opus numbers (Opp. 66–73). These works were published in 1855, and include the Fantaisie-Impromptu, 8 mazurkas, 5 waltzes, 3 polonaises, 3 écossaises, a nocturne, a rondo, and a Marche funèbre. In 1857, 17 of Chopin’s Polish songs were published as Op. 74. Various other works have been subsequently published, but have not been given opus numbers. They are identified by alternative numbers from the catalogues of: * Maurice J. E. Brown (B), * Krystyna Kobylańska (KK), and * Josef Michał Chominski (A, C, D, E, P, S).

Nocturne in C minor, Op. posth. (Chopin)

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Structure#

The composition is structured as a single movement marked Andante sostenuto.

Nocturne in C-sharp minor, Op. posth. (Chopin)

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Background#

Frédéric Chopin composed the piece shortly after arriving in Vienna in 1830. He sent it to his older sister Ludwika Chopin with the dedication, “For my sister Ludwika to practise before she takes on my second Concerto”. Ludwika’s catalogued it as a “Lento, of a nocturne character”. The November Uprising in Poland occurred shortly after Chopin arrived in Vienna. The piece is sometimes seen as a reflection of the composer’s homesickness and isolation after learning of the revolt. The title Reminiscence or Reminiscence Nocturne is associated with this interpretation of the music. Chopin biographer Marceli Antoni Szulc came across the manuscript in 1875 and persuaded Jarosław Leitgeber to publish it. The score was titled Adagio. Ludwika’s taxonomy eventually became the standard, and the piece is classed as a nocturne. Its most common title derives from the tempo marking Lento con gran espressione. Mily Balakirev premiered the piece on October 17, 1894, 45 years after Chopin’s death. The performance celebrated the unveiling of a monument to the composer in his birthplace, Żelazowa Wola.

Nocturne in E minor, Op. posth. 72 (Chopin)

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Background#

According to Casimir Wierzyknski, in his book The Life and Death of Chopin, “up until then this form the nocturne had been the exclusive domain of John Field, an Irish-born composer. But his Nocturne in E minor did not satisfy him Chopin and was published only posthumously.”

Form#

An informal analysis of the piece is as follows: *Bar 1: Introduction, first subject. *Bar 2–9: Theme A, in E minor. *Bar 10–17: Variation on theme A, beginning with octaves in the right hand. *Bar 18–22: Interlude *Bar 23–30: Theme B, in B major, consisting of a four bar phrase, repeated with variation, second subject. *Bar 31–38: Heavily ornamented variation on A, in E minor, first subject again. *Bar 39–46: Variation on theme A, beginning with octaves in the right hand. *Bar 47–54: Theme B, modulated to E major, second subject again. *Bar 55–57: Coda in E major.

Nocturnes (Chopin)

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Influences#

By the time of Chopin’s birth in 1810, John Field was already an accomplished composer. Eventually, the young Chopin became a great admirer of Field, taking some influence from the Irish composer’s playing and composing technique. Chopin had composed five of his nocturnes before meeting Field for the first time. In his youth, Chopin was often told that he sounded like Field, who in turn was later described as sounding “Chopinesque”. The composer Friedrich Kalkbrenner, one of Chopin’s early influences, once inquired as to whether Chopin was a student of Field. While Chopin held Field in high respect and considered him one of his primary influences, Field had a rather negative view of Chopin’s work. Upon meeting Chopin and hearing his nocturnes in 1832, Field is said to have described the composer as a “sickroom talent”. Nonetheless, Chopin still admired Field and his work and continued to take inspiration throughout his life. Chopin’s nocturnes carry many similarities with those of Field while at the same time retaining a distinct, unique sound of their own. One aspect of the nocturne that Chopin continued from Field is the use of a song-like melody in the right hand. This is one of the most if not the most important features to the nocturne as a whole. The use of the melody as vocals bestowed a greater emotional depth to the piece, drawing the listener in to a greater extent. With these main attributes of the “Field nocturne” Chopin was inspired, and expanded upon them to develop the “Chopin nocturne”. One of the greatest innovations made by Chopin to the nocturne was his use of a more freely flowing rhythm, a technique based on the classical music style. Also, Chopin further developed the structure of the nocturne, taking inspiration from the Italian and French opera arias, as well as the sonata form. Composer Franz Liszt even insisted that Chopin’s nocturnes were influenced by Vincenzo Bellini’s bel canto arias, a statement affirmed and echoed by many in the music world. A further innovation of Chopin’s was his use of counterpoint to create tension in the nocturnes, a method that even further expanded the dramatic tone and feel of the piece itself. It was mainly through these themes of operatic influence, freer rhythms, and an expansion into more complex structures and melodic playing that Chopin made his mark on the nocturne. Many think of the “Chopin nocturne” as a mix between the form and structure of Field and the sound of Mozart, displaying a classic/romantic-influenced theme within the music.

Nocturnes, Op. 15 (Chopin)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

No. 1 in F major#

Chopin’s fourth nocturne is in simple ternary form (A–B–A). The first section, in F major, features a very simple melody over a descending triplet pattern in the left hand. The middle section in F minor, in great contrast to the outer themes, is fast and dramatic (Con fuoco) using a challenging double note texture in the right hand. After a return to the serene A theme, the ending does not contain a coda, but rather two simple arpeggios. Some critics have remarked that this nocturne has little to do with night, as if sunlight is “leaking from the piece’s seams.”

Nocturnes, Op. 27 (Chopin)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

No. 1 in C minor#

The Nocturne in C minor, referred to as Nocturne No. 7 in the context of the complete set of Chopin’s Nocturnes, is initially marked larghetto and is in meter, written as common time. It transitions to più mosso (more movement) in measure 29, along with a time signature change to meter. The piece returns to its original tempo and meter in measure 84, and ends in an adagio beginning in measure 99. The piece is 101 measures long and written in ternary form with coda; the primary theme is introduced, followed by a secondary theme and a repetition of the first. The opening alternates between major and minor and uses wide arpeggios, commonly found in other nocturnes as well, in the left hand; such arpeggios require a wide left hand to play smoothly. James Huneker commented that the piece is “a masterpiece”, pointing to the “morbid, persistent melody” of the left hand. Huneker also likens the più mosso to a work by Beethoven due to the agitated nature of this section. The coda “reminds the listener of Chopin’s seemingly inexhaustible prodigality” according to Dubal while Huneker calls it a “surprising climax followed by sunshine” before returning to the opening theme. The first duet of the ballet In the Night by Jerome Robbins (1970) was choreographed to this piece. image:Chopin nocturne op27 1b.png The second theme of No. 1 in C minor image:Chopin nocturne op27 1c.png Modulation to A major

Nocturnes, Op. 32 (Chopin)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

No. 1 in B major#

The nocturne in B major is initially marked andante sostenuto and is in meter. There are several ritardando markings throughout, followed by a tempo marking in the next measure, such as in measure 7, 8, 17 and 18. The piece transitions to adagio in the last two measures, starting in measure 64. The piece is 65 measures long and, unusually, ends in the tonic minor key, B minor, although some editions (such as those by Rafael Joseffy as well as Chopin’s student Carl Mikuli ) and performances (such as that by Arthur Rubinstein ) end with a B major chord, which has the effect of a Picardy third in the context of the minor-mode coda. There has also been confusion over a key in the first bar of the last line: Theodor Kullak and Karl Klindworth use a G, while Julian Fontana used an F. David Dubal found the nocturne to be “of less importance, though characteristic in design and melodic contour.” He also states the coda “completely shocks the listener out of reverie.” The ending was both “dramatic and original” to James Friskin, in comparison to the simplicity of the rest of the piece.

Nocturnes, Op. 37 (Chopin)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

No. 1 in G minor#

The nocturne in G minor is initially marked as andante sostenuto and is in meter. In measure 41, the key changes to E major and returns to G minor in measure 67. The piece is a total of 91 measures long, ending with a Picardy third, and is in ternary form. James Friskin commented that the nocturne is “one of the simpler nocturnes” and is similar to the Nocturne in G minor, Op. 15, No. 3 in that it “has similar legato chord passages in the contrasting section” though this nocturne “has a more ornamental melodic line”. Dubal also agreed that the nocturne is “of lesser importance.” Critics, however, have often pointed to the potential allusion to religion in the middle section. Maurycy Karasowski commented that the middle section has “a church-like atmosphere in chords.” Johnson also thought the chords to be “chorale-like” and commented that “some biographers have felt that this music represented Chopin’s faith in the consoling power of religion.”

Nocturnes, Op. 48 (Chopin)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

No. 1 in C minor#

The Nocturne in C minor, Op. 48, No. 1 is initially marked lento and is in meter. In general, the scheme of the music is ternary form and follows the structure A–B–A′. The piece becomes poco più lento at measure 25 and enters its middle section, which is a chorale in C major. Later, it moves to a technically demanding doppio movimento agitato at measure 49 which features fortissimo octave passages and double octave arpeggios. Finally, the piece ends with a reprise of the initial melody with extremely fast chordal accompaniment. The piece is a total of 77 measures long. The Nocturne in C minor is one of the more well known nocturnes, and has been categorized as one of Chopin’s greatest emotional achievements. Theodor Kullak said of the piece, “the design and poetic contents of this nocturne make it the most important one that Chopin created; the chief subject is a masterly expression of a great powerful grief.” Some musical critics, including Charles Willeby and Frederick Niecks, do not think the piece deserves its fame and position; though James Huneker agrees with this assessment, he notes that the nocturne is still “the noblest nocturne of them all.” James Friskin found the music to have “the most imposing instrumental effect of any of the nocturnes,” calling the crescendo and octaves “almost Lisztian.” Jim Samson notes that the nocturne intensifies “not through ornamentation, but through a new textural background.” Kleczyński commented that the middle section “is the tale of a still greater grief told in an agitated recitando; celestial harps come to bring one ray of hope, which is powerless in its endeavor to calm the wounded soul, which…sends forth to heaven a cry of deepest anguish.” The ending, according to Samson, is “in the nature of an elaborated ‘feminine ending’, articulating the reactive final beat of an amphibrach grouping.”

Nocturnes, Op. 55 (Chopin)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

No. 1 in F minor#

Composed in 1842–44, the F minor nocturne has an average duration of about 5 minutes. The piece is in ternary form (ABA). Its main theme has a slow with a heavy, steady crotchet beat. It starts with the main theme which repeats once with only minor variations. The right hand plays a slow melody and the left hand accompanies with a bass note and then a chord, in crotchets. The second section is then played with, again, the right hand playing the melody and the left hand accompanying with bass notes and a chord. Although there are occasional changes to this pattern, for example the left hand plays a sustained minim with a crotchet chord above. The main theme then comes back in with some variations to the first two times it was played: a triplet phrase is added to the third bar of the section. The second section is again repeated with no variations, followed immediately by the first section again with the triplet sequence. A tempo change to più mosso speeds up the piece. It starts off with some fast, triplet quavers and then three loud (forte) chords. This then repeats three further times until a completely new section comes in with a melody in the right hand and triplet broken chords in the left (see score on left). A descending scale and some large chords completes this section and leads it onto the first theme again. There is then a large variation on the first theme where the main tune is played with other notes in between. There is then a large section of arpeggios and finishing off on six final chords, then modulates to the parallel key of F major for an interrupted final cadence. There are two short chorales. The first, at bars 71–72, marks the transition from B section back to A, while the second, at 98–101, concludes the piece, in F major. The piece was described by Frederick Niecks (Chopin’s biographer) as: “we will note only the flebile feeble dolcezza of the first and the last section, and the inferiority of the more impassioned middle section”. This piece was performed by Vladimir Horowitz in his television debut concert at Carnegie Hall in 1968, which was broadcast nationwide by CBS.

Nocturnes, Op. 62 (Chopin)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

No. 1 in B major#

The Nocturne in B major opens with two introductory chords. After a pause, a melody in B major emerges. At first, the action proceeds gently and smoothly (dolce, legato). The piece soon turns into declamation, led by a voice in the upper register, and after a rapid scale in the right hand, there is a quick reprise of the main theme. Then, the B section of this ternary formed (A–B–A) piece begins. The middle section, in the distant key of A major, is marked sostenuto and legatissimo. Though it begins softly, it can also be described as inhibited, showing unease, triggered by the play of syncopation of the left-hand chords. Chopin ends this section with harmonic subtlety and delicacy. The main section of the nocturne returns, in the home key of B major. Furthermore, the opening melody is embellished by continuous figuration including many trills, grace notes and runs. The main theme ends with a resolution in B major, in a particularly long coda. The coda ends with a simple and peaceful harmonic phrase. The recurring harmonies from the introductory chord alternate with the tonic B major chord before concluding as an I–V–I cadence. The embellishment upon the return of the main theme has often been compared to an Italian da capo aria in Italian bel canto style. In the English-speaking world, the B major nocturne is named the ‘Tuberose’, an exotic greenhouse flower. James Huneker explains the reason: “the chief tune has charm, a fruity charm’, and its return in the reprise ‘is faint with a sick, rich odor”.

Nocturnes, Op. 9 (Chopin)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

No. 1 in B minor#

One of the better known nocturnes, this piece has a rhythmic freedom that came to characterize Chopin’s later work. The left hand has an unbroken sequence of eighth notes in simple arpeggios throughout the entire piece, while the right hand moves with freedom, occasionally in patterns of seven, eleven, twenty, and twenty-two in the form of polyrhythms. The piece is 85 measures long and in meter. It is written in ternary form; after the primary theme, the secondary theme starts in measure 19, followed by a modified version of the primary theme in measure 70. The opening section moves into a contrasting middle section in the same key signature, which flows back to the opening material in a transitional passage where the melody floats above seventeen consecutive bars of D major chords. The reprise of the first section grows out of this, ending with a Picardy third.

Other Dances

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Production#

Other Dances was made as a pièce d’occasion for James Lipton’s “The Star Spangled Gala”, which benefited the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. Robbins had previously donated part of his profits from the musical Fiddler on the Roof to the library’s dance collection. It is set to Frédéric Chopin’s music, including four mazurkas and one waltz, the latter previously used in Fokine’s Les Sylphides. Robbins had previously used Chopin’s works in The Concert, Dances at a Gathering, and its follow-up, In the Night.

Piano Concerto No. 1 (Chopin)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Influences#

The piano concerto is dedicated to Friedrich Kalkbrenner, a pianist and composer whose playing Chopin admired. Another influence is apparently Johann Nepomuk Hummel. Harold C. Schonberg, in The Great Pianists, writes “…the openings of the Hummel A minor and Chopin E minor concertos are too close to be coincidental”. While composing it, Chopin wrote to his friend Tytus Woyciechowski, saying “Here you doubtless observe my tendency to do wrong against my will. As something has involuntarily crept into my head through my eyes, I love to indulge it, even though it may be all wrong”. This sight may have been the well-known soprano Konstancja Gładkowska, believed by some to be the “ideal” behind the Larghetto from Chopin’s Second Piano Concerto, although some believe Chopin may have been referring to Woyciechowski.

Piano Concerto No. 2 (Chopin)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Music#

The work contains the three movements typical of instrumental concertos of the period: A typical performance lasts around 30 to 35 minutes.

I. Maestoso#

The opening theme is shown.

II. Larghetto#

A work of “undescribable beauty”, this nocturnal movement is said to have been inspired by Chopin’s distant idolization of Konstancja Gładkowska or of Tytus Woyciechowski. The main theme (the “A” section) is introduced by the piano after an orchestral introduction and is later repeated twice and again, at measure 82 (the start of the coda), is enhanced by the sublime entrance of the bassoon in canon, followed by the bassoon transitioning to a counter-melody.

Piano Sonata No. 1 (Chopin)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Structure#

The sonata has four movements: The first movement is in sonata form. Only in the aspect of key relations does this movement break from tradition; the second group of themes is based in C minor as much as is the first, so that the dramatic contrast of key which Cedric Thorpe-Davie among others identify as the heart of sonata form is lost. Furthermore, the recapitulation begins in the remote key of B minor, with the second theme appearing in G minor. The second movement is the only minuet that Chopin is known to have written. The central trio is in E minor, the tonic’s parallel minor. The third movement is in time, which is very unusual for pieces of that era. The third beat of each five-beat bar carries a secondary accent, which is marked explicitly in certain bars. In other places, it can be inferred, and in still other places Chopin seems to defy this convention and not expect this. James Huneker, in his introduction to the 1895 American publication of the Mikuli edition of the work, calls this unusual characteristic a “failed novelty.” The last movement is a virtuosic finale in C minor and sonata-rondo form. The most difficult and most effective movement of the sonata, it, among the finales of Chopin’s piano sonatas, takes the longest to perform.

Piano Sonata No. 2 (Chopin)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Historical background#

The Piano Sonata No. 2 was written during a time where the sonata lost its overpowering dominance. While the sonatas of Beethoven and Mozart comprised a considerable portion of their compositional output, this is not true of the next generation of composers: Franz Liszt only wrote two sonatas among his dozens of instrumental compositions, Robert Schumann seven (eight if including the Fantasie in C, Op. 17), and Felix Mendelssohn thirteen. Besides the Piano Sonata No. 2, Chopin wrote only three other sonatas: the Piano Sonata in C minor (Op. posth. 4), written at the age of eighteen; the Piano Sonata No. 3 in B minor (Op. 58); and the Sonata for Piano and Cello in G minor (Op. 65). The compositional origins of the Piano Sonata No. 2, the first mature piano sonata Chopin wrote, are centred on its third movement (Marche funèbre), a funeral march which many scholars indicate was written in 1837. However, Jeffrey Kallberg believes that such indications are because of an autograph manuscript of eight bars of music in D major marked Lento cantabile, apparently written as a gift to an unnamed recipient. The manuscript, which is dated 28 November 1837, would later become part of the trio of the Marche funèbre. However, Kallberg suggests this manuscript may have been intended as the beginning of an earlier attempt of a different slow movement instead of being part of the Marche funèbre, writing that “it would have been unusual for Chopin to make a gift of a manuscript that, if it did not contain an entire piece, did not at least quote the beginning of it”, as almost all of his other presentation manuscripts did. He also suggests that a four-hand arrangement by Julian Fontana of the Marche funèbre may be connected with an abandoned piano sonata for four hands that Chopin wrote in 1835, originally to be published as his Op. 28 (which was instead appropriated to the 24 Preludes, Op. 28), therefore raising the possibility that the movement may actually date from 1835 instead of the generally accepted 1837. Some time after writing the Marche funèbre, Chopin composed the other movements, completing the entire sonata by 1839. In a letter on 8 August 1839, addressed to Fontana, Chopin wrote: Haslinger’s unauthorised dissemination of Chopin’s early C minor sonata (he had gone as far as engraving the work and allowing it to circulate, against the composer’s wishes) may have increased the pressure Chopin had to publish a piano sonata, which may explain why Chopin added the other movements to the Marche funèbre to produce a sonata. and published in May 1840 in London, Leipzig, and Paris. The work was not furnished with a dedication.

Piano Sonata No. 3 (Chopin)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Analysis#

The sonata consists of four movements, a similar structure to the second sonata, with a lyrical largo rather than a funeral march. Unlike the composer’s first and second sonatas, the work ends in a major key.

I. Allegro maestoso#

9–13 minutes The first movement, marked Allegro maestoso, is in a modified sonata form in B minor and time. It starts with a downward arching phrase marked (forte) followed by a sequence of chords to establish the tonic key of B minor. The transition section offers various variants of the basic motive, from a march in B major to the combination of three thematic layers at the end of the transition section. It is then followed by the second theme in the relative major, D major. The melody from the second theme, placed over an Alberti bass pattern, bears a resemblance to Chopin’s Nocturne Op.27 No.2. The second theme is found in the transition section in bars 23–24, where it is treated as a canon between the soprano and contralto voices. This exposition is quite long compared to other sonatas, and it may be for this reason many pianists choose to omit the repetition. Motives from the principal theme emerge in the development and is developed extensively through the use of counterpoint. Only a small section of the second theme appears in the development, so that the second theme can later be used to begin the recapitulation. This leads to the omission of the principal theme in the recapitulation, leaving only the second theme in B major to end the movement.

Piano Trio (Chopin)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Structure#

The composition has four movements: Of interest is the fact that the second theme of the first movement stays in the tonic (there is no modulation to the relative major), and that the third movement sounds uncharacteristically Beethovenian for Chopin (most probably because this is a work by a young composer still trying to find his original musical ideas). A typical performance lasts approximately 25–27 minutes, if the exposition repeat in the first movement is not taken — otherwise, such a performance can often be 2 to 3 minutes longer. It is the only work by Chopin that features the violin (excluding orchestral parts) — an instrument to which he was somewhat indifferent, as reflected in the relative lack of sophistication of the violin parts. In a letter to his friend Tytus Woyciechowski dated 31 August 1830, Chopin speculates whether he should have written the violin line for viola, believing that the viola’s timbre would “accord better with the cello”. Emanuel Ax is of the opinion that it is perhaps fortunate that Chopin scored the work for a standard piano trio, since so few trios with viola exist.

Polish songs (Chopin)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Background#

Chopin wrote these songs at various times, from perhaps as early as 1827 when he was 17, to 1847, two years before his death. Only two of them were published in his lifetime (Życzenie and Wojak were published in Kyiv in 1837 and 1839 respectively). In 1857 the 17 then known songs were collected for publication by Julian Fontana as Op. 74, but they were not arranged in chronological order of composition within that opus. Due to censorship restrictions, he was only able to publish 16 of them initially. These appeared in Warsaw as Zbiór śpiewów polskich Fryderyka Chopina (A Collection of Polish Songs by Frédéric Chopin), published by Gebethner & Wolff; and in Berlin as 16 Polnische Lieder, published by A M Schlesinger. The 17th song, Śpiew z mogiłki (Hymn from the Tomb) was published separately in Berlin with a French title, Chant du tombeau. A further two songs were published in 1910. Some references now include all 19 published songs in Op. 74. Chopin is known to have written a number of other songs that are now lost. Some extant songs have been attributed to Chopin but are now considered spurious or doubtful.

Polonaise in A-flat major, Op. 53

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Origin of the sobriquet ‘Heroic’#

George Sand, Chopin’s longtime lover and companion, responded vigorously to the Revolutions of 1848 as did many intellectuals of the day. When the 1848 Revolution began in France, women had fewer rights than men. Sand believed women’s rights were necessary for progress. Around this time, Sand started her own newspaper which was published in a workers’ co-operative. This allowed her to publish more political essays, expressing her strongly felt convictions. In one of these, for example, she wrote, “I cannot believe in any republic that starts a revolution by killing its own proletariat.” On hearing Chopin’s Polonaise, Sand was left with a deep symbolic impression which she communicated to Chopin in their private correspondence. In one of their letters, she wrote passionately, " (“The inspiration! The force! The vigour! There is no doubt that such a spirit must be present in the French Revolution. From now on this polonaise should be a symbol, a heroic symbol”). In spite of Chopin’s reluctance to bestow descriptive names on his music, music scholars and concert pianists have nevertheless associated the grand architecture of the music with this sobriquet, “Heroic.”

Polonaise in F-sharp minor, Op. 44 (Chopin)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

External links#

- Polonaise Op. 44 on YouTube, performed by Anna Fedorova.

Polonaise-Fantaisie (Chopin)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

External links#

*Autograph manuscript in the National Library of Poland *

Polonaises (Chopin)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Polonaises for solo piano#

Chopin wrote at least 23 polonaises for piano solo. Of these: * 7, including the Polonaise-Fantaisie, were published in his lifetime * 3 were published posthumously with opus numbers * 6 were published posthumously without opus numbers * at least 7 are lost.

List of polonaises by Chopin#

These are for solo piano unless otherwise indicated.

Polonaises Op. 40 (Chopin)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

No. 1 in A major#

Nicknamed the Military Polonaise, this piece is in expanded ternary form with the structure (A–A–B–A-B–A)(C–C–D–C-D–C)(A–B–A), where the A and B sections and C and D sections are repeated as a group, and the original theme returning at the end without repeats. The beginning opens with an A major chord and continues in a typical polonaise rhythm. The key then changes into D major in the middle of the polonaise for a trio section, after which the opening is repeated with no changes except disregarding the repeat signs. The piece is almost entirely played forte or louder. During the September 1939 German invasion of Poland at the outset of World War II, Polskie Radio broadcast this piece daily as nationalistic protest, and to rally the Polish people. The beginning of this piece is used as the interval signal for Polskie Radio. It is used in the opening and closing credits of the film classic To Be or Not to Be (1942). This piece is played in the famous scene in the Polish film Ashes and Diamonds at the end of an all-night party celebrating the end of the war. In Season 3, episode 2 of Rectify, the closing credits roll to the A major Polonaise after Teddy is shown stalking Tawny, his estranged wife.

Polonaises, Op. posth. (Chopin)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

KK IIa No. 1: Polonaise in G minor (1817)#

Polonaise in G minor was either the first or second of Chopin’s Polonaises, the other one being Polonaise in B major. The piece was written in 1817, when he was only seven and was dedicated to Lady Wiktoria Skarbek, the wife of his godfather. The piece consists of two main parts; a minor dance section which lasts 12 measures, and major section, which consists of a variation of the first dance along with a trio. This goes on for 26 measures, by which it then repeats to the minor dance section.

Prelude No. 26 (Chopin)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

History#

What is known about the circumstances under which the piece was composed comes from the manuscript copy given to Pierre Wolff which is currently held by the US Library of Congress. This manuscript indicates that the piece is dedicated to Wolff, and that it was completed in July 1834. Wolff eventually gave the manuscript to a student, Aline Forget whose family retained the manuscript until 1962, when it was sold to the Spokane Conservatory. Mieczysław Tomaszewski in his description of the piece for the Frederick Chopin Institute speculates, without providing a source that the composition may have been intended for the Op. 28 Preludes and was rejected by the composer in favour of the prelude that became Op. 28, No. 17. First publication took place in 1918 in the magazine ‘Pages d’Art’. The first public performance, by pianist E. R. Blanchet took place on April 9, 1919 with publication by Henn of Geneva following shortly after. While the manuscript is untitled, the work as initially published as the ‘Prélude inédit’ (Eng: Unknown Prelude) and the piece is generally regarded as the 26th Prelude on modern recordings.

Prelude, Op. 28, No. 1 (Chopin)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Analysis#

Marked Agitato (“agitated”) and in the key of C major, this prelude is in time. This prelude lasts from about 40 seconds to one minute and is a mere 34 bars (or measures) long. This prelude consists of 8-bar phrases with a coda in the end of the piece and consists of arpeggios with four-part harmony. From bars 16–20, a stretto is listed in the English and French first editions of the piece, which means increase the tempo in the piece, though this is not written in the Italian first edition. Throughout the piece, the piece shifts out of C major but doesn’t modulate to a different key. According to Marilyn Anne Meier, an Australian concert pianist, the prelude should be played “…by playing the semiquavers intensely legato, not articulated and separated. "

Prelude, Op. 28, No. 15 (Chopin)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Composition#

Some of Op. 28 was written during Chopin’s and George Sand’s stay at a monastery in Valldemossa, Mallorca in 1838. In her Histoire de ma vie (Story of My Life), Sand related how one evening she and her son Maurice, returning from Palma during a heavy rainstorm, found a distraught Chopin, who exclaimed, “Ah! I knew well that you were dead.” While playing his piano he had a dream: He saw himself drowned in a lake. Heavy drops of icy water fell in a regular rhythm on his breast, and when I made him listen to the sound of the drops of water indeed falling in rhythm on the roof, he denied having heard it. He was even angry that I should interpret this in terms of imitative sounds. He protested with all his might—and he was right to—against the childishness of such aural imitations. His genius was filled with the mysterious sounds of nature, but transformed into sublime equivalents in musical thought, and not through slavish imitation of the actual external sounds. Sand did not say which prelude Chopin played for her on that occasion, but most music critics assume it was no. 15, because of the repeating A, with its suggestion of the “gentle patter” of rain. However, Peter Dayan points out that Sand accepted Chopin’s protest that the prelude was not an imitation of the sound of raindrops but a translation of nature’s harmonies within Chopin’s “génie”. Frederick Niecks says that in the prelude’s middle section there “rises before one’s mind the cloistered court of the monastery of Valldemossa, and a procession of monks chanting lugubrious prayers, and carrying in the dark hours of night their departed brother to his last resting-place.”

Prelude, Op. 28, No. 20 (Chopin)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Bar 3 ambiguity#

In many printed scores (for example “Chopin Masterpieces for Solo Piano”, Dover Publications Ltd 1998), the last E of bar 3 in the right hand has no flat accidental to cancel the natural accidental of the previous E in the same bar. Therefore, this second E should also be played as E. However, most performances contradict the printed score, playing an E. Alfred Cortot in 1926 and 1933 recordings, Arthur Rubinstein’s mono recording of the entire set of Op. 28 on RCA, Emil Gilels recording from 1953 (”Emil Gilels Legacy Vol. 9” on Doremi), Maurizio Pollini’s 1975 recording for Deutsche Grammophon, and Louis Lortie’s 1998 recording for Chandos are some of the recordings where the E is played as natural. It is sometimes argued that the E should remain as an E, as in the following bar (bar 4), the final chord is a major chord (G major), and since bar 4 acts as a harmonic sequence from bar 3 ending on the dominant, its final chord should theoretically also be major, resulting in the E in the C major chord remaining natural. This sequence from bar 3 to bar 4 is apparent due to the almost-identical chord structure (the only difference being the cadence) in different tonal centres—bar 3 in C major/minor and bar 4 in G major (the dominant). The fourth chord in bar 3 being major would match the fourth chord in bar 4 if the E were natural, meaning the chord would be C major. On the contrary, it may have been intended by Chopin for the E to be an E, despite not sharing the same tonal quality of the proceeding bar. It is rumoured that Polish scores show the flat accidentally and that all other versions are incorrect due to a type-setting error. On page 64 of Chopin, An Introduction to His Piano Works (2005), Willard A. Palmer notes that “Chopin is supposed to have added a flat sign before the E in a copy belonging to one of his pupils. It does not appear in the Autograph or the original editions.” Musicologist Jean-Jacques Eigeldinger posits that Chopin intended to include the flat accidental, citing both manuscripts with the accidental (Jane Stirling’s, George Sand’s, Cheremetieff’s) and Auguste Franchomme’s transcriptions of the prelude for other instruments, all of which include the flat or its transposed equivalent.

Prelude, Op. 28, No. 4 (Chopin)

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Name#

Hans von Bülow called the prelude “suffocation”, due to its sense of despair. In fact, Chopin’s last dynamic marking in the piece is smorzando, which means “dying away”. But the prelude may have once been given a title. According to George Sand’s daughter Solange, who stayed with the composer at the monastery in Mallorca when the preludes were written, “My mother gave a title to each of Chopin’s wonderful Preludes; these titles have been preserved on a score he gave to us.” That titled score is lost. But Solange did record the names of the preludes, apparently without assigning the names to the prelude numbers. It is believed that the title “Quelles larmes au fond du cloître humide?” (“What tears are shed from the depths of the damp monastery?”) corresponds to Prelude No. 4.

Preludes (Chopin)

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24 Preludes, Op. 28#

Chopin’s 24 Preludes, Op. 28, are a set of short pieces for the piano, one in each of the twenty-four keys, originally published in 1839. Chopin wrote them between 1835 and 1839, mostly in Paris, but partially at Valldemossa, Mallorca, where he spent the winter of 1838–39 and where he, George Sand, and her children went to escape the damp Paris weather. In Majorca, Chopin had a copy of Bach’s The Well-Tempered Clavier, and as in each of Bach’s two sets of preludes and fugues, his Op. 28 set comprises a complete cycle of the major and minor keys, albeit with a different ordering. Most of his préludes were already finished before setting foot on Majorca, however, he did finalize them there, as referenced by him in his letters to Pleyel: “I have finished my préludes here on your little piano…” The manuscript, which Chopin carefully prepared for publication, carries a dedication to the German pianist and composer Joseph Christoph Kessler. The French and English editions (Catelin, Wessel) were dedicated to the piano-maker and publisher Camille Pleyel, who had commissioned the work for 2,000 francs (). The German edition (Breitkopf & Härtel) was dedicated to Kessler, who ten years earlier had dedicated his own set of 24 Preludes, Op. 31, to Chopin. Whereas the term “prelude” had hitherto been used to describe an introductory piece, Chopin’s pieces stand as self-contained units, each conveying a specific idea or emotion. He thus imparted new meaning to a genre title that at the time was often associated with improvisatory “preluding”. Whereas Bach had arranged his collection of 48 preludes and fugues according to keys separated by rising semitones, Chopin’s chosen key sequence is a circle of fifths, with each major key being followed by its relative minor, and so on (i.e. C major, A minor, G major, E minor, etc.). Since this sequence of related keys is much closer to common harmonic practice, it is thought that Chopin might have conceived the cycle as a single performance entity for continuous recital. Nowadays, the complete set of Op. 28 preludes has become repertory fare, and many concert pianists have recorded the entire set, beginning with Ferruccio Busoni in 1915, when making piano rolls for the Duo-Art label. Alfred Cortot was the next pianist to record the complete preludes in 1926. As with his other works, Chopin did not himself attach names or descriptions to any of the Op. 28 preludes, in contrast to many of Robert Schumann’s and Franz Liszt’s pieces.

Scherzo No. 1 (Chopin)

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Structure#

This first Scherzo takes A-B-A-Coda form and begins with two chords in fortissimo. At tremendous speed, a series of dramatic outbursts in the B minor tonic follows. Near the center of the piece, the music leads into a slower section in B major; finally one hears a tangible melody in the middle register, surrounded by accompaniment in both the left and upper right hands. Chopin quotes here from an old Polish Christmas song (Lulajże, Jezuniu / Sleep, little Jesus); the tempo in this section is marked Molto più lento. The B major area dissolves as the harmony mysteriously changes character via secondary dominants. The two chords from the beginning reappear, superimposed over vestiges of the middle section. Then the beginning presto repeats itself in the familiar minor tonic. The lead-in to the dramatic, virtuosic coda is similar to the approach toward the Molto più lento, but slightly different (as it is with Chopin’s Second and Third Scherzi). This final section incorporates dizzying arpeggiated flights up and down almost the entire keyboard, suspended by a climactic series of nine ten-note chords (E diminished seventh (with diminished third) over a dominant (F#) bass pedal). After the resolution and a rapid chromatic ascent over four octaves in both hands, the piece comes to a resolute conclusion via a bold triple-forte (fff) altered plagal cadence (C#m7b5/B - Bm) that strongly resembles an “Amen” ending to a hymn. In his rendition of the Scherzo No. 1, Vladimir Horowitz famously duplicated the chromatic scale near the ending into interlocking octaves, a technique he often used as his signature on other pieces. The interlocking octaves were meant to be played at the same speed as the original chromatic scale. Franz Liszt was reputedly the first to play it this way. Theodor Kullak in his 1882 edition added the comment: “most virtuosos execute this scale in octaves”.

Scherzo No. 2 (Chopin)

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Structure#

The beginning is marked Presto and opens in B minor. However, most of the work is written in D major. The opening to the piece consists of two arpeggiated pianissimo chords, and after a moment’s pause, goes into a set of fortissimo chords, before returning to the quiet arpeggiated chords. The piece then goes to an arpeggio section which leads to the con anima. Then, the middle section appears in A major. After the middle section ends (modulating in B minor), the first section reappears with a coda.

Scherzo No. 3 (Chopin)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Structure#

The piece begins in the key of C minor, then moves to D major, and returns to C minor, concluding with a Picardy third. The composition opens with an almost Lisztian introduction, leading to a subject in octaves of pent-up energy. The key changes to D major, with a chorale-like subject, interspersed with delicate falling arpeggios. Louis Kentner thinks of it as “a Wagnerian melody of astonishing beauty, recalling the sound of tubas, harps and all the apocalyptic orchestra of Valhalla.” It begins with an introduction progressing into the fierce main theme. This is particularly difficult to perform, due to the technique needed to accurately and quickly execute the running octave patterns. The scherzo then moves into a transition section that leads back to the main theme. The following, singing style (cantabile) section is in D major. The main theme and its sequences begin with strong chords that hold the melody followed by a downward flutter of notes. There follows a brief section consisting of a series of arpeggi. The elements of this lyrical section repeat themselves a few times and the piece then moves back into the main theme.

Scherzos (Chopin)

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Pieces#

The four scherzos are: * The Scherzo No. 1 in B minor, Op. 20, was published in 1835. As to its genesis dates, nothing more is surely known. * The Scherzo No. 2 in B minor, Op. 31, was composed between 1835 and 1837 in Paris. * The Scherzo No. 3 in C minor, Op. 39, was composed 1838–1839, begun in the Valldemossa Charterhouse, Mallorca. * The Scherzo No. 4 in E major, Op. 54, was presumably composed in the summers of 1842 and 1843 in Nohant.

Tarantelle (Chopin)

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The Concert (ballet)

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Original cast#

Tanaquil LeClercq
Todd Bolender
Yvonne Mounsey
Robert Barnett
Wilma Curley
John Mandia
Shaun O’Brien
Patricia Savoia
Richard Thomas

Other companies (selected)#

The Australian Ballet, premiered May 10th, 1979. Revived 1987, 2008.
Boston Ballet
Houston Ballet
Pacific Northwest Ballet
Paris Opera Ballet
Perm Opera and Ballet Theatre, premiered April 13th 2007.
The Royal Ballet, premiered March 4th, 1975. Revived 1976, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2007, 2014, 2018.
Stanislavski and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Academic Music Theatre, premiered July 10th, 2010.
Vienna State Ballet
San Francisco Ballet

References#

Repertory Week, NYCB, Winter season, 2008 repertory, week 1
Playbill, NYCB, Thursday, January 3, 2008
Playbill, NYCB, Wednesday and Friday, June 4 and 6th, 2008

Reviews#

NY Times, John Martin, March 7, 1956
NY Times, Anna Kisselgoff, November 26, 1983
NY Times, Jennifer Dunning, May 15, 2001
NY Times, Alastair Macaulay, January 5, 2008

Trois nouvelles études

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Études#

The first of the Trois nouvelles études is an intimate piece in F minor. It develops students’ facility with 3-on-4 polyrhythms. # The key of the second étude is A major sits atop a series of chords in the right hand with a simple bass in the left hand. It develops students’ facility with 2-on-3 polyrhythms. # The third and last étude, in D major, is the most technically challenging in this collection. It develops independence of voices and articulation in the right hand, with the upper melodic line quite legato over a staccato alto accompaniment. Some of the reaches required between the alto and soprano lines may be difficult for pianists with smaller hands.#

External links#

Chopin, Trois Nouvelles Études, B. 130 Sheet music (with introductory note) at Musopen
Details, Carnegie Hall Data Lab
No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 played by Alfred Cortot on YouTube
No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 played by Claudio Arrau on YouTube

Variations for Flute and Piano in E major (Chopin)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Background#

The theme for the variations is the final rondo, “Non più mesta accanto al fuoco”, from Gioachino Rossini’s 1817 opera La Cenerentola. The idea for the composition is believed to have arisen after the opera’s Warsaw premiere on 29 August 1829. The work is associated with Józef Cichocki, an amateur flautist and friend of Chopin, who likely initiated the project. The only surviving source is a manuscript written by an unknown copyist. Its provenance is well-documented: it was owned by Chopin’s school friend , who gave it to Adam Münchheimer, a founder of the Warsaw Music Society. This lineage, along with mentions by Chopin biographer linking the work to Chopin and Cichocki, led to its initial acceptance into the Chopin canon.

Variations on "Là ci darem la mano"

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Structure#

The work is in the key of B major throughout, except for the Adagio of Variation 5, which is in the parallel minor key. * Introduction: Largo—Poco piu mosso, common time * Thema: Allegretto, * Variation 1: Brillante, * Variation 2: Veloce, ma accuratamente, * Variation 3: Sempre sostenuto, * Variation 4: Con bravura, * Variation 5: ** Adagio, B minor, common time ** Coda: Alla Polacca, .

Chopin and the orchestra#

Variations on “Là ci darem la mano” was Chopin’s first work for piano with orchestra. In his early career he wrote two piano concertos and three other concertante pieces, but always remained relatively indifferent to the orchestral elements of these works, often using the orchestra as a mere accompaniment to the much more brilliant piano part. Chopin often played the variations without accompaniment, and he later abandoned the orchestra almost entirely in his compositions, though he was working on a third concerto in 1834, and in 1841 he published the Allegro de concert, speculated to be the piano part of the first movement of the unfinished concerto.

Waltz in A minor (Chopin, rediscovered 2024)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Authentication#

The manuscript, measuring 130 x 102 , was discovered by museum staff in 2019, during the cataloguing of a bequest by Arthur Satz, who had purchased it from the wife of amateur pianist and former director of the New York School of Interior Design Augustus Sherrill Whiton Jr. More particularly, the paper may be contrasted with that of Chopin’s Warsaw scores, with their “greenish tint”, corresponding instead to that of his early years in Paris. The penmanship also matches that of Chopin, including its small size and the unusual bass clef, although his friend Julian Fontana drew this clef similarly, leading to some past confusion between their manuscripts. This extends to the “Valse” written at the top, although the name “Chopin” is in another hand. Musicologist Jeffrey Kallberg assisted with the authentication on musical grounds, as opposed to the score having been merely copied out by Chopin. Artur Szklener, Director of the Fryderyk Chopin Institute, has noted “features of the brilliant style” consistent with Chopin’s activity in the first half of the 1830s, and suggested that the manuscript’s neatness argues against it having been co-written with a student during a lesson, while highlighting the absence of dedication and signature, as might be expected of a gift of a manuscript of this type. He regards the manuscript as more likely a “sketch of the first musical thought”, “a trace of Chopin’s activity in the pianistic community”, than a complete work, and does not believe it ranks as his twentieth waltz, while accepting that the ornamentation of the melody and accompaniment’s “shifting seconds” are hallmarks of Chopin.

Waltz in A minor, Op. posth. (Chopin)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Structure and analysis#

This waltz is structured as a single movement in rondo form marked Allegretto. Robert Cummings described the piece as showing both sadness and hope. The first theme consists of sixteen measures in four phrases with slight variation, using a simple sad melody decorated by ornaments. The second theme is eight measures long, being repeated. It is more lively, punctuated by a brisk ascending arpeggio, yet it still has a certain sadness. The next section consists of sixteen measures and is repeated. It replaces a Trio in a typical waltz, starting with the main theme again before modulating to A major, featuring a joyful melody. The piece ends with a return of the first three phrases of the main theme, before concluding with a short coda in A minor.

Waltz in C-sharp minor, Op. 64, No. 2 (Chopin)

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External links#

Hear a performance of the piece at The Chopin Project site
Listen on YouTube (Classical Scores)

Waltz in E minor (Chopin)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Structure#

This E minor waltz is in a modified rondo form as “Introduction–A–B–A–B–A–C–A’–coda”. The “C” is in E major with temporary modulations to G-sharp minor.

External links#

- , Iskra Mantcheva *

Waltzes (Chopin)

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Waltzes, Op. 34 (Chopin)

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No. 1 in A major#

Being among the longest of Chopin’s waltzes, this waltz is in A major. The piece is introduced with a fanfare before modulating to D major for a dreamy middle section. The A material is succeeded by a coda, which leads to the end of the piece. This waltz was dedicated to Josefina von Thun-Hohenstein.

No. 2 in A minor#

This waltz is a sorrowful, slow waltz in A minor. Although it was the first to be written out of the three, the waltz was the second to be published. The Fryderyk Chopin Institute believes this piece was composed in 1831.

Waltzes, Op. 69 (Chopin)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

No. 1 in A major#

The Waltz in A major, Op. 69, is a waltz composed by Frédéric Chopin in 1835. It was posthumously published by his friend Julian Fontana in 1855, six years after the composer’s death. This autographed copy Pour M lle Marie, given to her in Dresden, Germany, in September 1835 is now lost. Another autographed version of the piece he dedicated in 1837 to . A third autograph, held by the Bibliothèque nationale de France, Chopin dedicated 1842 to Mademoiselle Charlotte de Rothschild. but it has not been substantiated by any known autograph. : \language english \layout \context \PianoStaff \accidentalStyle piano-cautionary \new PianoStaff af2–) \new Dynamics \time 3/4 \tempo “Lento” 4 = 138 \partial 4 s4\p s2. s2.> s4! s2\ s2.\cresc s2.> s2.*2\f s2.\ s4! s4\ s2.> s2.! s2.> s4\p s2^“riten.” \new Staff \clef bass \key af \major r4 q r q r q r q r q r q \ f2. e ef df d ef » ef,4 af, q q r r q r r q r q \ f2. e ef df d ef » ef,4 af, » The waltz is in A major, with a time signature of . The tempo is marked at tempo di valse, or a waltz tempo. The beginning theme, marked con espressione, is melancholic and nostalgic, and reaches a small high point with a fast flourish. The second part is marked sempre delicatissimo, or con anima in other versions. It is somewhat more cheerful than the previous theme, but soon gives way to the same first theme. After a second rendition of the first theme is a third theme, marked as dolce, the most playful theme. It leads to another theme with a series of ascending double-stops. This fourth theme is marked poco a poco crescendo, with other editions adding ed appassionato. This leads back to the third, playful theme, and returns to the beginning with a da capo al fin.

Waltzes, Op. 70 (Chopin)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

No. 1 in G major#

The Waltz Op. 70, No. 1, in G major was composed in 1832.

No. 2 in F minor#

: The waltz Op. 70, No. 2, in F minor was composed in 1842. The Chopin commentator Wilhelm von Lenz wrote: “Although he never had the waltzes of Op. 70 published, Chopin valued them highly, at least the one in F minor. I often heard him play it, and how incomparably! This nostalgic piece could be entitled Melanconia.”