Hungarian Rhapsody No. 9
The introduction I feel does a wonderful job of mixing the gypsy virtuoso feeling in with a feeling of romance when the dole grazioso section begins. The declamatory passages which begin the piece set the listener up for a feeling of excitement of which Liszt always seems to deliver, and I would imagine that if a composer ever began a dull piece in such an exciting fashion the audience would feel greatly disappointed (like seeing a really exciting movie preview… but then when you finally see the whole movie it turns out to be really bad and nothing more than a waste of time).
The following section sounds like the strumming of a guitar. The embellishments over the top make me think of a band of musicians where the guitarists keep the chord progression moving while the violinists take turns showing there improvisational talent. The allegretto section represents a sound I greatly enjoy, which is the sound of a chord progression that is rhythmically exciting but doesn’t really go anywhere but V and I. This section ends up being very similar to the slow section in that the accompaniment simply keeps going while the embellishments alter and become more complex in texture. The stringendo chromatic octaves before the finale are striking similar to the 6th Rhapsody. The existence of a finale is surprising, not only because it is much longer than I expected, but also because it displays Liszt’s intentions to think of the rhapsodies in multiple movements, rather than simply through-composed virtuosic works.
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 13
The first half of this work seems to epitomize for me the meaning of slow virtuosity. The work has a haunting and almost frightening quality, in which it seems Liszt uses the runs to symbolize feelings of a stormy and arguable nature. It becomes evident at the vivace repeated section that this work is similar in form to rhapsody no. 12 which begins with a long slow section and uses the middle section to increase excitement and change character. Difficulties present in the end are similar to the difficulties of the 12th rhapsody (repeated notes, chords, octaves, leaps). This could certainly be due to the success the 12th rhapsody had, and this being the succeeding composition Liszt could have used many of the same methods as in the previous one.
Wagner Tannhauser Overture
Liszt seemed to use just about every virtuosic trick at his disposal for this work. It is a good thing the work begins slowly because otherwise it could be too intense to listen to in its entirety. The slow interruptions which will occur later in the work add to the “heavenly length” but are necessary in the separation of ideas. Liszt starts off with a technique that is one of my favorites of his, being the use of leaps with repetition to create a sort of illusion of reverberation and/or echoing sounds. Liszt will use the high register to great effect, creating that magical visual response to his music. These high-register flutters remind me greatly of a Disney. Liszt also uses the technique from the first movement of the “Tempest” sonata to a new extreme. These two-note slurs with the repeated note provide a feeling of great shimmering quality when combined with these innovative harmonies. It is exciting to note that Liszt had to use three staves within this work to fit all the virtuosity in. I think people underestimate the skill required to create a composition using all these devices, even though it is for “showing off”. The craftsmanship is obviously genuine and effective. God forbid any classical music be appealing to a non-musician listener.
Verdi Rigoletto Paraphrase
I listened to Cziffra’s recording of both of these transcriptions, and I originally thought they would just be too fast and too intense. On the contrary they are REALLY good, and the way that he uses the intro of Rigoletto to evoke these magical sounds is extremely inspirational. The change of mood from the original statement of the theme to the next section is really interesting in the way that Liszt uses the content of the music to mold this universe of sounds that one would never associate with opera. But, taking that back, I would say that Liszt’s flourishes are there when we watch the opera, but they are a mixture of what we see, what we hear, and what we feel. It is as if Liszt took all these elements of music and life and turned them all into a musical response, in which all elements of this
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Dance and Program Music
Liszt Mephisto Waltz No. 1
The beginning of this piece, up until the un poco meno mosso section, is extremely inventive in Liszt’s use of orchestral tools as special effects for piano. The use of quintal harmonies harkens back to Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. Liszt’s use of intervallically leaping and transposing octaves also reminds me of the chromatic sounds of Wagner. The swift tempo and thick textures make Liszt’s use of rests strategically brilliant in terms of suspension and excitement. In the next section Liszt uses rising fourths and falling fifths within a cantabile section which is exotic and charming in its use of dissonance and rhythmic syncopation. The presto section with the thirds and trills serves as an excellent transition, not into new harmonic material, but into similar material with an all new accompaniment and overall air of excitement. Liszt’s use of three staves to employ his “three-handed” techniques is extremely innovative in terms of a composer’s use of notation to inspire correct voicing, not relying on the inherent knowledge of the interpreter as his predecessors would have. His use of syncopations and chromatics, as well as swiftly altering registers, gives the music a feeling of turmoil that seems to invoke the heart to change beats while listening. You can see Liszt’s use of roaring arpeggios with exotic harmonies as a means of showing off Thalberg’s famed techniques but with greater ingenuity. The chromatic median chords which bring the piece to a close are extremely far removed from any of the music we have yet listened to, showing off Liszt’s ability to make functional use of previously non-functioning harmonies.
Chopin Scherzo No. 2
The beginning of this piece probably makes just as much importance of the harmonies as with the rests. Chopin will use the motivic material here to weave the entire piece together through various moods and textures. At the con anime section Chopin creates a melody with similar contour to the original motive, displayed in its use of three note stepwise movement followed by a leap. The left hand in this section is deceptively difficult and requires a great deal of melodic shaping to keep the levels balanced. Chopin writes out the repeat for this apparent sonata form. For the sostenuto theme Chopin once again makes use of the original motive, in this way this work is a new take on sonata form by using related motives for both the A and B themes. With the next part Chopin ingeniously weaves the exact same motive together in three ways with a quarter note version in the soprano, a triplet eighth-note version in the alto, and a half note version in the bass, with an accompanimental figure in the tenor. The E major arpeggio section, though lovely, is hard to see as having to do with any of the other harmonic material, unless Chopin was using it as an entry point for the arpeggiated figure, with which he will weave the development section. The development is a thick and complicated mixture of components from throughout the piece. The recap is nearly identical to the beginning except that the B-flat note is now held at the end of the original motive. The coda is a brilliant and virtuosic ending filled with arpeggios, chords, and large leaps.
Brahms Ballade Op. 10, No. 1
The beginning of this ballade is very much like a dark and ominous hymn song. At the allegro the character changes into a triumphant and heroic account. When the original theme reenters it now has this heroic quality but as the “battle-drums” slowly fade away the mood worsens again. The ending is interesting in its use of the 1st section but with a only slightly embellished accompaniment. I recall Nicole Agostino mentioning that the triplets in the bass symbolized the dripping of blood, and I can definitely hear this within the music now.
Tchaikovski The Seasons, Op. 37b
November- I don’t have much to say about this piece… to be honest it’s a bit too happy-sounding for my tastes. It sounds a little bit like a cowboy song to me. The use of the sixteenth-note figure at the end is interestingly harmonically to me in the way that it combines the folksy melody with the sounds of chromatic swirling.
December – The use of December as a waltz is interesting to me. I wonder what Tchaikovski was thinking in terms of musical portrayal with a winter month. To me it does not really sound as though his winter was in a place where it snowed frequently.
Liszt Dante Sonata from Years of Pilgrimage, Year 2
Liszt makes great use of the tritone interval at the start of this piece to display a descent into hell. All throughout the piece he uses these techniques of thick textures which descend and ascend, I would imagine this is to symbolize difficult attempt to escape the hellish entities. The use of repeated chords and octaves as lamenting figures is wonderful in its depiction of fear, it almost makes you feel as though you yourself are shaking at the sight of the terrible imagery. The technical devices in this piece in no way make me feel as though the piece is primarily about showing off virtuosity, but rather about depicting larger than life visual images that require larger than life technique. It is in works like this where Franz Liszt begins transitioning from the german story-telling composition into the french picture-painting composition. Liszt uses the form to tell the story, but he uses the timbres and the acrobatics of the piano to cause a visual response to what is happening in the music.
The beginning of this piece, up until the un poco meno mosso section, is extremely inventive in Liszt’s use of orchestral tools as special effects for piano. The use of quintal harmonies harkens back to Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. Liszt’s use of intervallically leaping and transposing octaves also reminds me of the chromatic sounds of Wagner. The swift tempo and thick textures make Liszt’s use of rests strategically brilliant in terms of suspension and excitement. In the next section Liszt uses rising fourths and falling fifths within a cantabile section which is exotic and charming in its use of dissonance and rhythmic syncopation. The presto section with the thirds and trills serves as an excellent transition, not into new harmonic material, but into similar material with an all new accompaniment and overall air of excitement. Liszt’s use of three staves to employ his “three-handed” techniques is extremely innovative in terms of a composer’s use of notation to inspire correct voicing, not relying on the inherent knowledge of the interpreter as his predecessors would have. His use of syncopations and chromatics, as well as swiftly altering registers, gives the music a feeling of turmoil that seems to invoke the heart to change beats while listening. You can see Liszt’s use of roaring arpeggios with exotic harmonies as a means of showing off Thalberg’s famed techniques but with greater ingenuity. The chromatic median chords which bring the piece to a close are extremely far removed from any of the music we have yet listened to, showing off Liszt’s ability to make functional use of previously non-functioning harmonies.
Chopin Scherzo No. 2
The beginning of this piece probably makes just as much importance of the harmonies as with the rests. Chopin will use the motivic material here to weave the entire piece together through various moods and textures. At the con anime section Chopin creates a melody with similar contour to the original motive, displayed in its use of three note stepwise movement followed by a leap. The left hand in this section is deceptively difficult and requires a great deal of melodic shaping to keep the levels balanced. Chopin writes out the repeat for this apparent sonata form. For the sostenuto theme Chopin once again makes use of the original motive, in this way this work is a new take on sonata form by using related motives for both the A and B themes. With the next part Chopin ingeniously weaves the exact same motive together in three ways with a quarter note version in the soprano, a triplet eighth-note version in the alto, and a half note version in the bass, with an accompanimental figure in the tenor. The E major arpeggio section, though lovely, is hard to see as having to do with any of the other harmonic material, unless Chopin was using it as an entry point for the arpeggiated figure, with which he will weave the development section. The development is a thick and complicated mixture of components from throughout the piece. The recap is nearly identical to the beginning except that the B-flat note is now held at the end of the original motive. The coda is a brilliant and virtuosic ending filled with arpeggios, chords, and large leaps.
Brahms Ballade Op. 10, No. 1
The beginning of this ballade is very much like a dark and ominous hymn song. At the allegro the character changes into a triumphant and heroic account. When the original theme reenters it now has this heroic quality but as the “battle-drums” slowly fade away the mood worsens again. The ending is interesting in its use of the 1st section but with a only slightly embellished accompaniment. I recall Nicole Agostino mentioning that the triplets in the bass symbolized the dripping of blood, and I can definitely hear this within the music now.
Tchaikovski The Seasons, Op. 37b
November- I don’t have much to say about this piece… to be honest it’s a bit too happy-sounding for my tastes. It sounds a little bit like a cowboy song to me. The use of the sixteenth-note figure at the end is interestingly harmonically to me in the way that it combines the folksy melody with the sounds of chromatic swirling.
December – The use of December as a waltz is interesting to me. I wonder what Tchaikovski was thinking in terms of musical portrayal with a winter month. To me it does not really sound as though his winter was in a place where it snowed frequently.
Liszt Dante Sonata from Years of Pilgrimage, Year 2
Liszt makes great use of the tritone interval at the start of this piece to display a descent into hell. All throughout the piece he uses these techniques of thick textures which descend and ascend, I would imagine this is to symbolize difficult attempt to escape the hellish entities. The use of repeated chords and octaves as lamenting figures is wonderful in its depiction of fear, it almost makes you feel as though you yourself are shaking at the sight of the terrible imagery. The technical devices in this piece in no way make me feel as though the piece is primarily about showing off virtuosity, but rather about depicting larger than life visual images that require larger than life technique. It is in works like this where Franz Liszt begins transitioning from the german story-telling composition into the french picture-painting composition. Liszt uses the form to tell the story, but he uses the timbres and the acrobatics of the piano to cause a visual response to what is happening in the music.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Virtuoso Composers
Thalberg – Fantasy on Rossini’s “Moses” Op. 33
There are some elements to this composition that I find quite beautiful, notably in the Andante in ¾ time. I enjoy his use of an extremely slow moving melody, set to a lovely and melancholy accompanimental chord progression. The semplice section is wonderful as well. It seems to me that Thalberg had a better knack for finding the “right-fit” with his overtones than did John Field. The virtuosity at the end definitely reminds me of the devices of Franz Liszt in pieces like Vallee d’Obermann and La Campanella. His use of the “three-hand” effect in the big arpeggio section toward the end is very impressive, but I imagine that it could become a bit more dull than Franz Liszt’s use of it, only because Thalberg always seems to stay with the pure arpeggio without adding any mystical non-chord tones into it. This makes it seem a bit too improvisatory, and it tends to drag on for a while. It seems a bit like someone with a great technique was just making up different accompaniments on the spot without putting a great deal of emphasis on craftsmanship.
Charles Valentin Alkan - Le Festin d'Esope, Op. 39, No. 12
I really enjoy the theme of this apparent variation set. The first variation strikes me by surprise with its stunning use of non-chord tones. I am realizing that more than the other composers here Alkan makes use of special harmonic effects which must have been quite innovative. These special effects seem similar to the techniques employed by Berlioz and Wagner. I enjoy that Alkan cares as much about atmosphere as he does virtuosity, and I am glad that the techniques are used to create an atmosphere rather than an air of arrogance.
Henri Herz - Variations on 'Non piu mesta' from Rossini's La Cenerentola, Op. 60
I feel like this set of variations is a bit more similar in compositional ingenuity to Handel’s variations than to Mendelssohn’s. The techniques used are beginning to seem a bit overused and obviously flashy. After listening to all the pieces on this list I find that I would have been able to predict the “new works” very easily if I would have lived during that time. It doesn’t seem to me like Herz does enough with the actual harmonies, but rather makes every varied aspect all about the accompaniment.
Louis Gottschalk - Tremolo, Op. 58
This piece is instantly different than what I expected, considering that the ever-constant technique employed is a repeated note rather than a traditional tremolo, which is what I expected. This piece seems to make stronger use of folk harmonies rather than classical ones. These sounds are the types that I associate with a tarantella (hopefully my expectations are right). The techniques displayed are indeed extremely impressive, and because of the fun nature of the music I do not find myself becoming bored by the music at all. The techniques used here are actually similar to a Billy Joel song “angry young man” (sorry to be that guy).
Carl Tausig - Ungarische Zigeunerweisen (Hungarian Gypsy Melodies)
I really enjoy the opening of this piece. It definitely sets the mood as one of mischief and mystery. I enjoy Tausig’s subtle use of sixths and octaves in a manner that is difficult without showing off, as opposed to Thalberg. The techniques used in the trilling section are quite inventive. I also find a great deal of originality in his use of the lower register as a grumbling stormy invocation. I don’t believe that we have seen an example of this yet within the pieces we have studied in class. Within the schnell section one can definitely hear the sounds of native Hungary, and the sounds are much more similar to the Hungarian dances of Liszt than I expected. In the bizarre scale passages that follow I hear elements akin to La Campanella as well as some of the virtuosic figurations of Rachmaninoff where the melody is embedded in the quick finger work. The ending, though sounding extremely difficult, does not quite serve justice to the climactic end of the piece. I believe that Chopin’s ballades find a much more exciting use of virtuosity when closing off a large piece, this one seems to drag on a bit until the composer was able to find a good ending point.
There are some elements to this composition that I find quite beautiful, notably in the Andante in ¾ time. I enjoy his use of an extremely slow moving melody, set to a lovely and melancholy accompanimental chord progression. The semplice section is wonderful as well. It seems to me that Thalberg had a better knack for finding the “right-fit” with his overtones than did John Field. The virtuosity at the end definitely reminds me of the devices of Franz Liszt in pieces like Vallee d’Obermann and La Campanella. His use of the “three-hand” effect in the big arpeggio section toward the end is very impressive, but I imagine that it could become a bit more dull than Franz Liszt’s use of it, only because Thalberg always seems to stay with the pure arpeggio without adding any mystical non-chord tones into it. This makes it seem a bit too improvisatory, and it tends to drag on for a while. It seems a bit like someone with a great technique was just making up different accompaniments on the spot without putting a great deal of emphasis on craftsmanship.
Charles Valentin Alkan - Le Festin d'Esope, Op. 39, No. 12
I really enjoy the theme of this apparent variation set. The first variation strikes me by surprise with its stunning use of non-chord tones. I am realizing that more than the other composers here Alkan makes use of special harmonic effects which must have been quite innovative. These special effects seem similar to the techniques employed by Berlioz and Wagner. I enjoy that Alkan cares as much about atmosphere as he does virtuosity, and I am glad that the techniques are used to create an atmosphere rather than an air of arrogance.
Henri Herz - Variations on 'Non piu mesta' from Rossini's La Cenerentola, Op. 60
I feel like this set of variations is a bit more similar in compositional ingenuity to Handel’s variations than to Mendelssohn’s. The techniques used are beginning to seem a bit overused and obviously flashy. After listening to all the pieces on this list I find that I would have been able to predict the “new works” very easily if I would have lived during that time. It doesn’t seem to me like Herz does enough with the actual harmonies, but rather makes every varied aspect all about the accompaniment.
Louis Gottschalk - Tremolo, Op. 58
This piece is instantly different than what I expected, considering that the ever-constant technique employed is a repeated note rather than a traditional tremolo, which is what I expected. This piece seems to make stronger use of folk harmonies rather than classical ones. These sounds are the types that I associate with a tarantella (hopefully my expectations are right). The techniques displayed are indeed extremely impressive, and because of the fun nature of the music I do not find myself becoming bored by the music at all. The techniques used here are actually similar to a Billy Joel song “angry young man” (sorry to be that guy).
Carl Tausig - Ungarische Zigeunerweisen (Hungarian Gypsy Melodies)
I really enjoy the opening of this piece. It definitely sets the mood as one of mischief and mystery. I enjoy Tausig’s subtle use of sixths and octaves in a manner that is difficult without showing off, as opposed to Thalberg. The techniques used in the trilling section are quite inventive. I also find a great deal of originality in his use of the lower register as a grumbling stormy invocation. I don’t believe that we have seen an example of this yet within the pieces we have studied in class. Within the schnell section one can definitely hear the sounds of native Hungary, and the sounds are much more similar to the Hungarian dances of Liszt than I expected. In the bizarre scale passages that follow I hear elements akin to La Campanella as well as some of the virtuosic figurations of Rachmaninoff where the melody is embedded in the quick finger work. The ending, though sounding extremely difficult, does not quite serve justice to the climactic end of the piece. I believe that Chopin’s ballades find a much more exciting use of virtuosity when closing off a large piece, this one seems to drag on a bit until the composer was able to find a good ending point.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Chopin Ballades 2, 4, and Sonata No. 3
Ballade No. 2, Op. 38
This ballade for me is all about reconciliation of opposites. The beginning hymn tune is a lovely and unexpected start to this work. Chopin borrows a little trick from Franz Liszt with his use of a mystical arpeggio as transitional material to a far removed section. The second section is all about passion and intensity. There really is not any hard evidence of a tangible melody, but rather an implied one created by the torrent of rushing sounds. In the agitato section Chopin utilizes the technique of repeated chords as a vehicle for extreme conflict. In all reality this figuration probably originated with the infamous first movement chords from Beethoven’s Les Adieux sonata. His choice to end this with the slow style of the beginning serves to bring this story to a cyclic close.
Ballade No. 4, Op. 52
Chopin’s use of an introduction is interesting here. The intro carries with it a melody that could have functioned perfectly as a 1st theme, however Chopin inserts a furmata at its end and carries on with a totally new idea. The 1st theme lasts a good while and takes on a few characteristics of a variation style while intensifies towards the next section. We come briefly to another hymn tune much like the 1st ballade. We then reach some transitional material made up of elements of theme 1. Throughout the third section we encounter a tremendous collection of virtuosic accompaniments designed to give a slow moving melody a feeling of anxiousness, excitement, and torment. Chopin is very kind to insert the slow descending chords as a breath before the tremendously difficult closing section. Here Chopin found a near perfect combination of most of the pianists most difficult techniques (octaves, thirds, chromatic scales, and large leaps).
Sonata in B minor Op. 58
I. Allegro maestoso
Now that I am thinking about it this is a rare occasion to see Chopin composing in Common Time. The most surprising thing to me is the length of this first movement. I am usually used to seeing Chopin compose with a 12 minute maximum. Chopin approaches the composition of this movement similarly to the way Schubert composed, meaning that he was concerned primarily with the weaving of a beautiful melody with a beautiful accompaniment and less with length. This movement seems more improvisatory to me than the majority of works I have heard by Chopin.
II. Scherzo: Molto vivace
The style of the first section here could have been used in any large work (Ballades, Scherzi) of Chopin. The technique used is very similar to the middle section of the B-flat minor Scherzo. The second section seems to be a sorrowfully beautiful song which is concerned not with technique but rather with tone and register.
III. Largo
This may be the first time I have ever heard a loud beginning to a slow movement. Chopin displays his prowess over singing melodies within this movement. His accompaniment evolves into a steady ripple which carries the melody from one place to the next. Chopin’s use of the natural and dissonant sounds of the intervals on the piano seems to cause the listener to drop any other thoughts aside and completely absorb the beauties within the sound and melody.
IV. Finale: Presto non tanto
The intro of this movement is similar in character to the 3rd movement. I believe that Chopin is composing similarly to Schumann in this instance, considering that the majority of this movement is conceived from a sort of perpetual motion. Mostly this movement is about sparkle and movement, lyrically speaking there is not nearly as much to say about this movement as the others.
This ballade for me is all about reconciliation of opposites. The beginning hymn tune is a lovely and unexpected start to this work. Chopin borrows a little trick from Franz Liszt with his use of a mystical arpeggio as transitional material to a far removed section. The second section is all about passion and intensity. There really is not any hard evidence of a tangible melody, but rather an implied one created by the torrent of rushing sounds. In the agitato section Chopin utilizes the technique of repeated chords as a vehicle for extreme conflict. In all reality this figuration probably originated with the infamous first movement chords from Beethoven’s Les Adieux sonata. His choice to end this with the slow style of the beginning serves to bring this story to a cyclic close.
Ballade No. 4, Op. 52
Chopin’s use of an introduction is interesting here. The intro carries with it a melody that could have functioned perfectly as a 1st theme, however Chopin inserts a furmata at its end and carries on with a totally new idea. The 1st theme lasts a good while and takes on a few characteristics of a variation style while intensifies towards the next section. We come briefly to another hymn tune much like the 1st ballade. We then reach some transitional material made up of elements of theme 1. Throughout the third section we encounter a tremendous collection of virtuosic accompaniments designed to give a slow moving melody a feeling of anxiousness, excitement, and torment. Chopin is very kind to insert the slow descending chords as a breath before the tremendously difficult closing section. Here Chopin found a near perfect combination of most of the pianists most difficult techniques (octaves, thirds, chromatic scales, and large leaps).
Sonata in B minor Op. 58
I. Allegro maestoso
Now that I am thinking about it this is a rare occasion to see Chopin composing in Common Time. The most surprising thing to me is the length of this first movement. I am usually used to seeing Chopin compose with a 12 minute maximum. Chopin approaches the composition of this movement similarly to the way Schubert composed, meaning that he was concerned primarily with the weaving of a beautiful melody with a beautiful accompaniment and less with length. This movement seems more improvisatory to me than the majority of works I have heard by Chopin.
II. Scherzo: Molto vivace
The style of the first section here could have been used in any large work (Ballades, Scherzi) of Chopin. The technique used is very similar to the middle section of the B-flat minor Scherzo. The second section seems to be a sorrowfully beautiful song which is concerned not with technique but rather with tone and register.
III. Largo
This may be the first time I have ever heard a loud beginning to a slow movement. Chopin displays his prowess over singing melodies within this movement. His accompaniment evolves into a steady ripple which carries the melody from one place to the next. Chopin’s use of the natural and dissonant sounds of the intervals on the piano seems to cause the listener to drop any other thoughts aside and completely absorb the beauties within the sound and melody.
IV. Finale: Presto non tanto
The intro of this movement is similar in character to the 3rd movement. I believe that Chopin is composing similarly to Schumann in this instance, considering that the majority of this movement is conceived from a sort of perpetual motion. Mostly this movement is about sparkle and movement, lyrically speaking there is not nearly as much to say about this movement as the others.
Chopin Mazurkas
Mazurkas Op. 17
No. 1 in B-flat major: This mazurka is filled with bombastic intensity brought on by thick textures with swift and unexpected changes in register. The B section displays one of my favorite romantic-style traits which is that when the texture changes suddenly the composer will give several measures with only the bass highlighted so that you have time to prepare for something new. This is similar to the section in the Polonaise Op. 53 with the left hand octaves.
No. 2 in E minor: This piece is interesting to me in its combination of a nocturne like sound which changes suddenly to a mischievous dance. It seems almost like a faery-tale which begins sweetly in the countryside and unexpectedly becomes devilish.
No. 3 in A-flat major: This mazurka reminds me a bit of the A-flat Ballade, not only because of its key but because of the opening melodic material. One of the more interesting facts about this nocturne is its modulation to the key associated with the tritone. The melodic content is much more simple and repetitive within this mazurka than in the others. I would say that this piece is more motivically driven.
No. 4 in A minor: The polyphony used in this mazurka is haunting and touching. The repeated chord style makes this sound to me like the E minor prelude. I find Chopin’s limited use of the “boom-chic” bass to be interesting. He utilizes it in several brief moments when the “mazurka sound” is given a limited presence.
Mazurkas Op. 59
No. 1 in A minor: The rhythmic instability of the beginning, caused by only partially including downbeats in the bass mixed with subdivisions on the 1st and 3rd beats, creates a feeling of extreme uneasiness within this Mazurka. The section in A major begins like a hymn tune, as if it would be a peaceful release from the first section. However, the involvement of chromatic polyphony reinstates the agitated sorrow of this piece. I enjoy Chopin’s method of beginning the chromatic scale in the right hand and then taking it over with the left hand once the tune re-enters. This serves to join the accompaniment and the melody as if they were of equal importance.
No. 2 in A-flat major: This mazurka is far more stable than the previous one. The aspect of this piece which grabs my attention is Chopin’s complete departure from smooth voice-leading rules. I would think that this habit of changing registers by drastic intervallic leaps would have more to do with the idea that Chopin is using multiple voices to carry out single ideas. In the way that instrumental sections of an orchestra can have large leaps within their parts and still their timbres will not interfere with, but rather aid the instruments carrying the melody.
No. 3 in F-sharp minor: The use of the triplet on the first beat gives this mazurka, though in a minor key, a light and peppy feel. As if this were a piece of mischief rather than sorrow. The second section contains constantly evolving rhythms which supply the music with great and unpredictable excitement. In this mazurka Chopin displays great talent in combining transparent textures with highly complex ones, which do not obstruct flow despite the short and condensed nature of the composition.
No. 1 in B-flat major: This mazurka is filled with bombastic intensity brought on by thick textures with swift and unexpected changes in register. The B section displays one of my favorite romantic-style traits which is that when the texture changes suddenly the composer will give several measures with only the bass highlighted so that you have time to prepare for something new. This is similar to the section in the Polonaise Op. 53 with the left hand octaves.
No. 2 in E minor: This piece is interesting to me in its combination of a nocturne like sound which changes suddenly to a mischievous dance. It seems almost like a faery-tale which begins sweetly in the countryside and unexpectedly becomes devilish.
No. 3 in A-flat major: This mazurka reminds me a bit of the A-flat Ballade, not only because of its key but because of the opening melodic material. One of the more interesting facts about this nocturne is its modulation to the key associated with the tritone. The melodic content is much more simple and repetitive within this mazurka than in the others. I would say that this piece is more motivically driven.
No. 4 in A minor: The polyphony used in this mazurka is haunting and touching. The repeated chord style makes this sound to me like the E minor prelude. I find Chopin’s limited use of the “boom-chic” bass to be interesting. He utilizes it in several brief moments when the “mazurka sound” is given a limited presence.
Mazurkas Op. 59
No. 1 in A minor: The rhythmic instability of the beginning, caused by only partially including downbeats in the bass mixed with subdivisions on the 1st and 3rd beats, creates a feeling of extreme uneasiness within this Mazurka. The section in A major begins like a hymn tune, as if it would be a peaceful release from the first section. However, the involvement of chromatic polyphony reinstates the agitated sorrow of this piece. I enjoy Chopin’s method of beginning the chromatic scale in the right hand and then taking it over with the left hand once the tune re-enters. This serves to join the accompaniment and the melody as if they were of equal importance.
No. 2 in A-flat major: This mazurka is far more stable than the previous one. The aspect of this piece which grabs my attention is Chopin’s complete departure from smooth voice-leading rules. I would think that this habit of changing registers by drastic intervallic leaps would have more to do with the idea that Chopin is using multiple voices to carry out single ideas. In the way that instrumental sections of an orchestra can have large leaps within their parts and still their timbres will not interfere with, but rather aid the instruments carrying the melody.
No. 3 in F-sharp minor: The use of the triplet on the first beat gives this mazurka, though in a minor key, a light and peppy feel. As if this were a piece of mischief rather than sorrow. The second section contains constantly evolving rhythms which supply the music with great and unpredictable excitement. In this mazurka Chopin displays great talent in combining transparent textures with highly complex ones, which do not obstruct flow despite the short and condensed nature of the composition.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Chopin, Week 5
Chopin
Polonaise Op. 53
The introduction of this polonaise is so strikingly declamatory that it becomes hard to not view the contents to come as being nothing less than genius. It reminds me of Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique, whose name establishes an expectation that serves to heighten the entire work. Chopin’s use of dominant 7 chords is unique, but also his choice to harmonize the chromatic scales with major triads. This gives the romantic chromatic scale a new appeal that separates it from the classical predecessors.
The main theme is interesting to me in terms of rhythmic duration. The presence of the rising “so-do” interval in the bass octaves makes the motivic units seem to be centered on the 3rd beat rather than the first. Chopin intensifies the rhythmic variety with his use of two-note slurs in the bass that tend to syncopate the accompaniment. The presence of the trills and rolled-chords give the piece a festive folk-music sound. The use of the octave-spanning three note chords in the melody are similar to the Hungarian Rhapsodies of Franz Liszt, which leads me to believe that the roots of this harmonic stacking derive from folk practice.
I feel that Chopin’s habit of writing out the repeat was well-founded considering that in modern performances people tend to omit repeats within works that contain them, this would not be possible in the works of Chopin. The presence of the Phrygian half-step in the section of measures 57-65 gives the music a sound similar to a toreador song.
Chopin’s use of the tritone as a new key for the C section (measure 81) is quite striking. This section sounds very similar to Franz Liszts Orage, as well as his Funerailles. These stepwise bass octaves function fantastically as a way for the accompaniment to remain harmonically uneventful while supporting the melody with a strong force of vibration. This accompaniment also functions as a great vehicle towards accelerandi and crescendos.
I am convinced by the end of this piece, which is seemingly a rondo, that Chopin sometimes disliked the idea of ending music in a conventional manor.
Here are a few pieces I can think of by Chopin which end oddly…
1) This one.
2) The Revolutionary Etude
3) The Ballade in G minor
4) The f minor Fantasy
It seems in pieces like this that there is a perfectly normal ending, followed by several measures of an extremely strange and often chromatically formed chord progression.
Polonaise Op.61
The mystical arpeggiations of the opening, which outline the overtones which we discussed in class, seem very similar to me to the Fantasy Op.49. The A section is a melancholy song, and with the existence of so many chromatic descensions it feels as though this is on the even darker side of melancholy, anger as opposed to sorrow.
At the a tempo, around the 6th page, Chopin manifests an accompaniment that seems to almost suspend the melody in a timeless and spaceless atmosphere. Throughout the work we see a bit more of the fantasy than of the polonaise. Where as the Op. 53 seemed like a dramatic virtuoso show, this piece seems to be more of a song cycle of sorts. I would say that the polonaise title probably lends itself more to the rhythms and the nationalism than the overall feeling.
At the finale it seems that Chopin throws all the virtuosity and bravura that he can at the absolute last minute. The texture become joyously thick and the registers span in both ways to the extremes of their capacities. But at its very last the piece returns to its soft and song-like nature with the piannisimo trills. I would think the the loud chord at its very end is nothing more than a signal to the audience to clap.
Barcarolle Op. 60
A barcarolle, being a song sung by Venetian gondoliers, carries with it certain expectations as to how the music will embody the vision and spirit of the scene. Chopin accomplishes the setting of a boat upon water with a slowly rising and rapidly falling bass voice. Later in the piece the waters become more sormy as the bass moves to a two note rise and fall pattern, similar to the boat bouncing against the wake set forth by another larger boat.
Chopin also adds a shimmering quality to the music by inserting layered trills, as well as setting swiftly moving parts at piannisimo levels in a higher octave. In many ways this piece is similar to a nocturne, in the way that the melody moves fluidly through various rhythms and song-like intervals while the bass remains constantly supportive but non-interfering.
Fantasy Op. 49
By the very first measures of the piece it becomes clear that this will be a work rich with romantic 19th century attributes. The combination therein of nationalism with mysticism and broader dynamics of emotions. This is what makes this work different from the fantasies of Mozart for example. The mixture of worldy images with otherworldy destinations. The entrance of the arpeggios after the march introduction almost feels like the musical equivalent of a persons hearing news that causes all their priorities to resort. The piece uses this fantasy idea as a manor of evolution from the sad to the sublime.
At the piu mosso march return we see the same medium from the introduction but this time from a different point of view. If the introduction were a sombre march to war then this would be its triumphant victory march, after the fact. This piece for me seems as though it could have had all the attributes of a typically sorrowful Chopin piece, however, I feel that in this music we see those heroic qualities similar to the musical evolutions of Beethoven. This piece for me is certainly a triumph through struggle. I would not be surprised to think that this music embodied Chopin’s feelings about the difficult political situation in Poland. For me this is a piece about taking dark thoughts and seeing them through to joyous expectations.
Polonaise Op. 53
The introduction of this polonaise is so strikingly declamatory that it becomes hard to not view the contents to come as being nothing less than genius. It reminds me of Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique, whose name establishes an expectation that serves to heighten the entire work. Chopin’s use of dominant 7 chords is unique, but also his choice to harmonize the chromatic scales with major triads. This gives the romantic chromatic scale a new appeal that separates it from the classical predecessors.
The main theme is interesting to me in terms of rhythmic duration. The presence of the rising “so-do” interval in the bass octaves makes the motivic units seem to be centered on the 3rd beat rather than the first. Chopin intensifies the rhythmic variety with his use of two-note slurs in the bass that tend to syncopate the accompaniment. The presence of the trills and rolled-chords give the piece a festive folk-music sound. The use of the octave-spanning three note chords in the melody are similar to the Hungarian Rhapsodies of Franz Liszt, which leads me to believe that the roots of this harmonic stacking derive from folk practice.
I feel that Chopin’s habit of writing out the repeat was well-founded considering that in modern performances people tend to omit repeats within works that contain them, this would not be possible in the works of Chopin. The presence of the Phrygian half-step in the section of measures 57-65 gives the music a sound similar to a toreador song.
Chopin’s use of the tritone as a new key for the C section (measure 81) is quite striking. This section sounds very similar to Franz Liszts Orage, as well as his Funerailles. These stepwise bass octaves function fantastically as a way for the accompaniment to remain harmonically uneventful while supporting the melody with a strong force of vibration. This accompaniment also functions as a great vehicle towards accelerandi and crescendos.
I am convinced by the end of this piece, which is seemingly a rondo, that Chopin sometimes disliked the idea of ending music in a conventional manor.
Here are a few pieces I can think of by Chopin which end oddly…
1) This one.
2) The Revolutionary Etude
3) The Ballade in G minor
4) The f minor Fantasy
It seems in pieces like this that there is a perfectly normal ending, followed by several measures of an extremely strange and often chromatically formed chord progression.
Polonaise Op.61
The mystical arpeggiations of the opening, which outline the overtones which we discussed in class, seem very similar to me to the Fantasy Op.49. The A section is a melancholy song, and with the existence of so many chromatic descensions it feels as though this is on the even darker side of melancholy, anger as opposed to sorrow.
At the a tempo, around the 6th page, Chopin manifests an accompaniment that seems to almost suspend the melody in a timeless and spaceless atmosphere. Throughout the work we see a bit more of the fantasy than of the polonaise. Where as the Op. 53 seemed like a dramatic virtuoso show, this piece seems to be more of a song cycle of sorts. I would say that the polonaise title probably lends itself more to the rhythms and the nationalism than the overall feeling.
At the finale it seems that Chopin throws all the virtuosity and bravura that he can at the absolute last minute. The texture become joyously thick and the registers span in both ways to the extremes of their capacities. But at its very last the piece returns to its soft and song-like nature with the piannisimo trills. I would think the the loud chord at its very end is nothing more than a signal to the audience to clap.
Barcarolle Op. 60
A barcarolle, being a song sung by Venetian gondoliers, carries with it certain expectations as to how the music will embody the vision and spirit of the scene. Chopin accomplishes the setting of a boat upon water with a slowly rising and rapidly falling bass voice. Later in the piece the waters become more sormy as the bass moves to a two note rise and fall pattern, similar to the boat bouncing against the wake set forth by another larger boat.
Chopin also adds a shimmering quality to the music by inserting layered trills, as well as setting swiftly moving parts at piannisimo levels in a higher octave. In many ways this piece is similar to a nocturne, in the way that the melody moves fluidly through various rhythms and song-like intervals while the bass remains constantly supportive but non-interfering.
Fantasy Op. 49
By the very first measures of the piece it becomes clear that this will be a work rich with romantic 19th century attributes. The combination therein of nationalism with mysticism and broader dynamics of emotions. This is what makes this work different from the fantasies of Mozart for example. The mixture of worldy images with otherworldy destinations. The entrance of the arpeggios after the march introduction almost feels like the musical equivalent of a persons hearing news that causes all their priorities to resort. The piece uses this fantasy idea as a manor of evolution from the sad to the sublime.
At the piu mosso march return we see the same medium from the introduction but this time from a different point of view. If the introduction were a sombre march to war then this would be its triumphant victory march, after the fact. This piece for me seems as though it could have had all the attributes of a typically sorrowful Chopin piece, however, I feel that in this music we see those heroic qualities similar to the musical evolutions of Beethoven. This piece for me is certainly a triumph through struggle. I would not be surprised to think that this music embodied Chopin’s feelings about the difficult political situation in Poland. For me this is a piece about taking dark thoughts and seeing them through to joyous expectations.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Week 4 - Chopin Preludes, Etudes, and Mazurkas
Chopin
24 Preludes, Op. 28
1. Agitato – C major
This prelude is very much in the style of the figuration preludes of J.S. Bach. This is a fitting, though short, introduction to the set, seeing as how Chopin modeled the idea of both the form of his preludes and their relationships of major to minor. The only difference being that Chopin moves to the relative minor where Bach moved to the parallel minor.
2. Lento – A minor
This is a very somber piece that is characterized by a difficult left hand accompaniment supporting an extremely exposed lyrical melody. The end of this piece is unique in its forshadowing of the 9th prelude in E major. This ending serves to tie the works together so as to establish them as a unified set and not as a collection.
3. Vivace – G major
In many ways this is an etude for the left hand. Chopin makes use of a simple and joyful melody. The melody moves at a moderate tempo and the quickened left-hand serves to bring more excitement to the character than a slow accompaniment could accomplish.
4. Largo – E minor
This is the prelude that I have no doubt heard played the most. It seems that in most cases this becomes an etude on rubato. The rubato is necessitated here because the melody mostly functions only on the 4th and 1st beats of each bar. In order to maintain a sustained singing-voice the decay time must be shortened between.
5. Molto allegro – D major
We see here another figuration prelude similarly composed like the first. The figure is altered and is slightly more difficult here. This style is important not only to Chopin’s influences of J.S. Bach but also to the compositional style that makes his etudes so effective.
6. Lento assai – B minor
Sometimes referred to as the “Cello Prelude” this work has a beautifully lyrical left hand melody. In some ways this functions as the mirror image of the E minor prelude. The interest here is in shaping the left-hand effectively while maintining a steady and independent right hand.
7. Andantino – A major
This is the shortest prelude and arguably the easiest. This is remnant of Schumann’s ability of creating a self-sustaining fragment which contains enough interest to communicate its content in the smallest of forms.
8. Molto agitato – F-sharp minor
We return again to the figuration-style etude. The difficulty here is maintaining a convincing melody in the thumb while keeping the difficult left-hand and upper right-hand patterns at only a sparkling ornamental level.
9. Largo – E major
The arrival at this prelude is a sweet one, especially after being set up with the ending of the 2nd prelude. The rhythm’s and timbres of this prelude are similar to the Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven, which is fitting given that E major is the relative major to the originals c-sharp minor.
10. Molto allegro – C-sharp minor
A very quick prelude indeed… Here we see Chopin’s ability to make his most out of simple scales.
11. Vivace – B major
This is a remarkably beautiful prelude. The upper notes contain not only the melody but also the ornamental accompaniment. In this way Chopin is able to create a masked yet transparent line.
12. Presto – G-sharp minor
This would be an excellent piece to study before beginning work on the Tempest Sonata. The two note groupings here necessitate a strong command of arm weight and a firm yet relaxed attack.
13. Lento – F-sharp major
This is obviously composed in Chopin’s accomplished Nocturne-style. The left hand is a flowing accompaniment that carries the melody through like an un-diminishing voice. In many ways the B section here is similar to the “Raindrop Prelude”.
14. Allegro – E-flat minor
Here we see an extremely difficult study in unison playing. Even the slightest unevenness of sound pierces the texture. This would be a good piece to study before attempting the last movement of the “Funeral Sonata”.
15. Sostenuto – D-flat major ("Raindrop Prelude")
Not much remains to be said of this prelude. There is simplicity in beauty here and Chopin does all he can to let the melody display its perfection. The repeated notes are most likely there in order to showcase Chopin’s beauty of design in his ability to eliminate the percussive nature of the piano. The repeated notes create an illusion that the piano can spin sounds out like any stringed instrument could.
16. Presto con fuoco – B-flat minor
The first instinct here is to assume that this is nothing more than a study of scrambled right-hand scales. I know it to be true, however, that the real difficulty is the left-hand’s leaping pattern. This combination of a leaping hand with a flowing hand requires the performer to be very comfortable with their mind hand control and independence of extremities.
17. Allegretto – A-flat major
If this were an etude it would have to be one in melodically projecting the outer fingers while maintaining proper musical control over the thick inner harmonies. I would liken this to pieces like Liszt’s Vallee d’Obermann and Scriabin’s etude in c-sharp minor.
18. Molto allegro – F minor
Here we see another example of the Chopin scrambled scales. He inserts chromatic leading tones to almost randomized degrees of the scale. The ending here is very unexpected, without the leading tone it is difficult to feel that the piece ends on tonic.
19. Vivace – E-flat major
Another figuration prelude appears here. The style is very similar to the B major prelude.
20. Largo – C minor
This prelude is very familiar to me, and as funny as it is when I played this in my home many years ago my dad thought I was practicing a Barry Manalow song… apparently he ripped it off. The issue here is the proper voicing and dynamic control of chordal playing.
21. Cantabile – B-flat major
This prelude, like the 2nd, makes use of a very unusual left hand accompanimental pattern. Chopin uses the left hand to voice all the evolving chromatic harmonies that one would usually need two hands or even an orchestra.
22. Molto agitato – G minor
This is certainly a quick study in left-hand octaves. The duration and simplicity of the texture requires the pianist to have ample control over the left hand, or else the performance will be quite worthless.
23. Moderato – F major
Chopin uses a delicate and inventive approach to the use of arpeggios as melodic content. The distance of the melody from the accompaniment gives this piece a light and flowing feeling… like water.
24. Allegro appassionato – D minor
From experience I feel that this prelude is a study in left-hand stretching, as well as rhythmic independence when the left-hand must keep or expand rhythm when the right-hand gets a freely flowing scale, arpeggio, or double-note scale. The three D’s at the end serve as a fantastic ending to the set.
Chopin
12 Etudes, Op. 10
No. 1: Étude in C major
This is a fantastic etude on right-hand arpeggios. I became a fan of this piece when I first saw Ashkenazy’s performance of it on youtube. Chopin makes the arpeggios more difficult by spanning them up a tenth and over awkward black-key terrain. This requires that one have freedom of arm and body movement to allow the hand to stretch without injury or awkward sound.
No. 2: Étude in A minor
This, in my opinion, is the most difficult of the Op. 10 set. The difficulty lies in the necessity of the pinky, 4th finger, and occasionally the 3rd to manage never-ending chromatic scales while performing the accompanying staccato chords with the bottom of the hand.
No. 3: Étude in E major
I had heard it said that Chopin felt this to have been the most beautiful melody he ever composed. I could not think of a better way to study melodic projection than with a melody that you desire to hear so badly that the study begins to become nothing but rewarding with every ounce of melodic content you achieve. This Etude is the first in the set to alter accompaniments within the piece. Chopin feels that sixths and tritons can also be difficult settings for achieving melodic projection.
No. 4: Étude in C-sharp minor
This is one of the only etudes which focus on both hands equally. Chopin spares no difficulty here and requires both hands to play swift and crowded hand positions over all settings of keyboard terrain. The diminished arpeggios in the B section are of great difficulty. He adds to his study of 4th and 5th finger technique at the finale of this etude.
No. 5: Étude in G-flat major "Black Key"
This etude requires the right hand to play all over the black keys. This causes the melody to take on the form of a pentatonic scale. Consequently this makes this piece sound very “cowboy-like” to me. Though the popular consensus is that this is one of the easier etudes, it is true that studying this etude GREATLY increases security with black-key playing.
No. 6: Étude in E-flat minor
This etude is interesting in that it is mostly an etude on handling difficult harmonies. The existence of non-chord tones in the accompanying figure necessitates very little use of the pedal. This causes the player to strive for strong legato playing without any aid from the dampers.
No. 7: Étude in C major
The issue here is one of polyphonic playing within one hand. The figures with the right hand require a great deal of finger independence, with even enough control to control the dynamic ranges therein.
No. 8: Étude in F major
The contents of this etude are very similar to the prelude in B-flat minor. The right hand is required to flow without end through varying scales, while the left hand takes control of a melody that occurs in no way by a flowing motion. This juxtaposition of leaps with stepwise movement once again requires the performer to have a strong command of right-hand security.
No. 9: Étude in F minor
Like the D minor prelude this etude works as an excellent study for left-hand reach. The melody in the right-hand necessitates a strong enough rhythmic constitution that the hands will be able to play in unison even on the weaker beats.
No. 10: Étude in A-flat major
There is a combination of difficulties within this etude. One of them would certainly be an ability to play swift and never resting broken chords while maintaining both musical shape and proper rhythmic emphasis. The other issue would be the two note slurs occurring between the 2nd and 1st fingers of the right-hand.
No. 11: Étude in E-flat major
This etude is obviously a study in rolled chords. Chopin makes these chords more difficult by increasing the intervals to sizes that necessitate larger gestures of the upper-arm. The presence of the melody would also require the performer to have a well thought out approach to pedaling.
No. 12: Étude in C minor "Revolutionary"
This study for the left-hand is one of the better known of Chopin’s etudes. The left-hand is given many difficult figurations which require great control of technique and flowing musicality. The right-hand later serves to inject some further difficulty into the piece by means of difficult rhythms being superimposed over the swirling left-hand.
12 Etudes, Op. 25
No. 1: Étude in A-flat major "Aeolian Harp"
This etude was said to have been a favorite of Chopin’s. The difficulty here is once again melodic projection but in a far removed setting from the etude in E major. The arpeggios require the hand to change positions away from the melody notes but return with enough control to keep the phrasing moving appropriately.
No. 2: Étude in F minor "Bees"
This etude presents a study in rhythmic security. The right-hand is in 4 whereas the left-hand is in 6. This requires enough control to move the rhythmic groupings without relying on strong unison beats. Obviously the chromatically changing scales in the right hand would also be an area of specific difficulty.
No. 3: Étude in F major
This could either be considered an etude in trills or in leaps. I believe it is a combination of both and focuses on pieces with these types of difficulties, such as the “Les Adieux” Sonata by Beethoven, which in its final movement has a trill which moves to a distant interval in a similar way.
No. 4: Étude in A minor "Paganini"
This would certainly be an etude in leaping left hand figures. The placing of the chord on the weaker beat makes it even more difficult because the performer must have enough control to secure all the notes after the leap without awkwardly accenting the chord in a way that will draw the listener to believe that it is the on beat.
No. 5: Étude in E minor
This etude combines several difficult techniques into one.
1) Under-turning the 2nd finger to the thumb.
2) Rolling the left hand.
3) Maintaining bass-balance without smooth pedaled harmonies.
The B section turns this primarily into a left hand melodic study, while the right-hand is given difficult harmonized arpeggios which must remain un-obstructive to the melody.
No. 6: Étude in G-sharp minor
This is the infamously difficult study in thirds. The left hand is not of great technical importance here, other than to supply a stable melody and accompaniment to the step-wise, and often chromatic, construction of the right-hand.
No. 7: Étude in C-sharp minor "Cello"
This etude is a study in left-hand melodic shaping. The left-hand is required to play both harmonic notes and accompanimental notes, requiring that it be firm in its musical independence. This etude is a combination of aspects from the B-minor prelude, the “Revolutionary” prelude, and Scriabin’s etude for left hand.
No. 8: Étude in D-flat major
This etude is simply a study of the extremely difficult practice of moving from the fourth finger to the fifth. The lower voices in the right-hand increase difficulty by requiring that the hand to be spread and set in a secure position. This is similar to the A minor etude, but now the bottom voice is matched to the top rhythmically.
No. 9: Étude in G-flat major "Butterfly"
This etude, like the G-flat, sounds like a cowboy song to me. It combines the difficulty of moving from 4-2 fingerings to octave 1-5’s with the awkward “boom-chic” accompaniment in the left-hand.
No. 10: Étude in B minor
This is quite simply a study in right-hand octaves with varying styles (fast and furious, slow and melodic).
No. 11: Étude in A minor "Winter Wind"
This is a study in the playing of broken intervals at extremely fast tempos. The melody is given to the left-hand, making this similar to etudes like the 1st in C major. The performer will require here a strong command of a rotation technique. The primary difficult is the inconsistencies in interval size.
No. 12: Étude in C minor “Ocean”
This is a study which requires both hands to master the technique. The study is of arpeggios which double the top note with the starting note of the next position. This requires a lot of use of body movement, as well as an ability to secure the bottom melody notes without losing melodic contour.
3 Nouvelles Etudes,
No. 1: Étude in F minor
This etude is in 4’s against 3’s. The difficulty here is to allow the rhythms to sound free and secure while maintaining proper rhythmic distance. A merely percussive “pass the golden butter” will prevent the beauty of the music from being communicated.
No. 2: Étude in D-flat major
This is another multi-voice study. The right hand must maintain separation of a flowing upper-note melody with a staccato lower voice accompaniment. The left-hand must maintain a soft springy bass while also correctly voicing the chord which occurs in the tenor range.
No. 3: Étude in A-flat major
This is an etude for 2’s against 3’s, as well as for proper chord-voicing with a melody note on the top. The observance of slurs, as difficult as they may be, is important for maintaining melodic shape and integrity.
24 Preludes, Op. 28
1. Agitato – C major
This prelude is very much in the style of the figuration preludes of J.S. Bach. This is a fitting, though short, introduction to the set, seeing as how Chopin modeled the idea of both the form of his preludes and their relationships of major to minor. The only difference being that Chopin moves to the relative minor where Bach moved to the parallel minor.
2. Lento – A minor
This is a very somber piece that is characterized by a difficult left hand accompaniment supporting an extremely exposed lyrical melody. The end of this piece is unique in its forshadowing of the 9th prelude in E major. This ending serves to tie the works together so as to establish them as a unified set and not as a collection.
3. Vivace – G major
In many ways this is an etude for the left hand. Chopin makes use of a simple and joyful melody. The melody moves at a moderate tempo and the quickened left-hand serves to bring more excitement to the character than a slow accompaniment could accomplish.
4. Largo – E minor
This is the prelude that I have no doubt heard played the most. It seems that in most cases this becomes an etude on rubato. The rubato is necessitated here because the melody mostly functions only on the 4th and 1st beats of each bar. In order to maintain a sustained singing-voice the decay time must be shortened between.
5. Molto allegro – D major
We see here another figuration prelude similarly composed like the first. The figure is altered and is slightly more difficult here. This style is important not only to Chopin’s influences of J.S. Bach but also to the compositional style that makes his etudes so effective.
6. Lento assai – B minor
Sometimes referred to as the “Cello Prelude” this work has a beautifully lyrical left hand melody. In some ways this functions as the mirror image of the E minor prelude. The interest here is in shaping the left-hand effectively while maintining a steady and independent right hand.
7. Andantino – A major
This is the shortest prelude and arguably the easiest. This is remnant of Schumann’s ability of creating a self-sustaining fragment which contains enough interest to communicate its content in the smallest of forms.
8. Molto agitato – F-sharp minor
We return again to the figuration-style etude. The difficulty here is maintaining a convincing melody in the thumb while keeping the difficult left-hand and upper right-hand patterns at only a sparkling ornamental level.
9. Largo – E major
The arrival at this prelude is a sweet one, especially after being set up with the ending of the 2nd prelude. The rhythm’s and timbres of this prelude are similar to the Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven, which is fitting given that E major is the relative major to the originals c-sharp minor.
10. Molto allegro – C-sharp minor
A very quick prelude indeed… Here we see Chopin’s ability to make his most out of simple scales.
11. Vivace – B major
This is a remarkably beautiful prelude. The upper notes contain not only the melody but also the ornamental accompaniment. In this way Chopin is able to create a masked yet transparent line.
12. Presto – G-sharp minor
This would be an excellent piece to study before beginning work on the Tempest Sonata. The two note groupings here necessitate a strong command of arm weight and a firm yet relaxed attack.
13. Lento – F-sharp major
This is obviously composed in Chopin’s accomplished Nocturne-style. The left hand is a flowing accompaniment that carries the melody through like an un-diminishing voice. In many ways the B section here is similar to the “Raindrop Prelude”.
14. Allegro – E-flat minor
Here we see an extremely difficult study in unison playing. Even the slightest unevenness of sound pierces the texture. This would be a good piece to study before attempting the last movement of the “Funeral Sonata”.
15. Sostenuto – D-flat major ("Raindrop Prelude")
Not much remains to be said of this prelude. There is simplicity in beauty here and Chopin does all he can to let the melody display its perfection. The repeated notes are most likely there in order to showcase Chopin’s beauty of design in his ability to eliminate the percussive nature of the piano. The repeated notes create an illusion that the piano can spin sounds out like any stringed instrument could.
16. Presto con fuoco – B-flat minor
The first instinct here is to assume that this is nothing more than a study of scrambled right-hand scales. I know it to be true, however, that the real difficulty is the left-hand’s leaping pattern. This combination of a leaping hand with a flowing hand requires the performer to be very comfortable with their mind hand control and independence of extremities.
17. Allegretto – A-flat major
If this were an etude it would have to be one in melodically projecting the outer fingers while maintaining proper musical control over the thick inner harmonies. I would liken this to pieces like Liszt’s Vallee d’Obermann and Scriabin’s etude in c-sharp minor.
18. Molto allegro – F minor
Here we see another example of the Chopin scrambled scales. He inserts chromatic leading tones to almost randomized degrees of the scale. The ending here is very unexpected, without the leading tone it is difficult to feel that the piece ends on tonic.
19. Vivace – E-flat major
Another figuration prelude appears here. The style is very similar to the B major prelude.
20. Largo – C minor
This prelude is very familiar to me, and as funny as it is when I played this in my home many years ago my dad thought I was practicing a Barry Manalow song… apparently he ripped it off. The issue here is the proper voicing and dynamic control of chordal playing.
21. Cantabile – B-flat major
This prelude, like the 2nd, makes use of a very unusual left hand accompanimental pattern. Chopin uses the left hand to voice all the evolving chromatic harmonies that one would usually need two hands or even an orchestra.
22. Molto agitato – G minor
This is certainly a quick study in left-hand octaves. The duration and simplicity of the texture requires the pianist to have ample control over the left hand, or else the performance will be quite worthless.
23. Moderato – F major
Chopin uses a delicate and inventive approach to the use of arpeggios as melodic content. The distance of the melody from the accompaniment gives this piece a light and flowing feeling… like water.
24. Allegro appassionato – D minor
From experience I feel that this prelude is a study in left-hand stretching, as well as rhythmic independence when the left-hand must keep or expand rhythm when the right-hand gets a freely flowing scale, arpeggio, or double-note scale. The three D’s at the end serve as a fantastic ending to the set.
Chopin
12 Etudes, Op. 10
No. 1: Étude in C major
This is a fantastic etude on right-hand arpeggios. I became a fan of this piece when I first saw Ashkenazy’s performance of it on youtube. Chopin makes the arpeggios more difficult by spanning them up a tenth and over awkward black-key terrain. This requires that one have freedom of arm and body movement to allow the hand to stretch without injury or awkward sound.
No. 2: Étude in A minor
This, in my opinion, is the most difficult of the Op. 10 set. The difficulty lies in the necessity of the pinky, 4th finger, and occasionally the 3rd to manage never-ending chromatic scales while performing the accompanying staccato chords with the bottom of the hand.
No. 3: Étude in E major
I had heard it said that Chopin felt this to have been the most beautiful melody he ever composed. I could not think of a better way to study melodic projection than with a melody that you desire to hear so badly that the study begins to become nothing but rewarding with every ounce of melodic content you achieve. This Etude is the first in the set to alter accompaniments within the piece. Chopin feels that sixths and tritons can also be difficult settings for achieving melodic projection.
No. 4: Étude in C-sharp minor
This is one of the only etudes which focus on both hands equally. Chopin spares no difficulty here and requires both hands to play swift and crowded hand positions over all settings of keyboard terrain. The diminished arpeggios in the B section are of great difficulty. He adds to his study of 4th and 5th finger technique at the finale of this etude.
No. 5: Étude in G-flat major "Black Key"
This etude requires the right hand to play all over the black keys. This causes the melody to take on the form of a pentatonic scale. Consequently this makes this piece sound very “cowboy-like” to me. Though the popular consensus is that this is one of the easier etudes, it is true that studying this etude GREATLY increases security with black-key playing.
No. 6: Étude in E-flat minor
This etude is interesting in that it is mostly an etude on handling difficult harmonies. The existence of non-chord tones in the accompanying figure necessitates very little use of the pedal. This causes the player to strive for strong legato playing without any aid from the dampers.
No. 7: Étude in C major
The issue here is one of polyphonic playing within one hand. The figures with the right hand require a great deal of finger independence, with even enough control to control the dynamic ranges therein.
No. 8: Étude in F major
The contents of this etude are very similar to the prelude in B-flat minor. The right hand is required to flow without end through varying scales, while the left hand takes control of a melody that occurs in no way by a flowing motion. This juxtaposition of leaps with stepwise movement once again requires the performer to have a strong command of right-hand security.
No. 9: Étude in F minor
Like the D minor prelude this etude works as an excellent study for left-hand reach. The melody in the right-hand necessitates a strong enough rhythmic constitution that the hands will be able to play in unison even on the weaker beats.
No. 10: Étude in A-flat major
There is a combination of difficulties within this etude. One of them would certainly be an ability to play swift and never resting broken chords while maintaining both musical shape and proper rhythmic emphasis. The other issue would be the two note slurs occurring between the 2nd and 1st fingers of the right-hand.
No. 11: Étude in E-flat major
This etude is obviously a study in rolled chords. Chopin makes these chords more difficult by increasing the intervals to sizes that necessitate larger gestures of the upper-arm. The presence of the melody would also require the performer to have a well thought out approach to pedaling.
No. 12: Étude in C minor "Revolutionary"
This study for the left-hand is one of the better known of Chopin’s etudes. The left-hand is given many difficult figurations which require great control of technique and flowing musicality. The right-hand later serves to inject some further difficulty into the piece by means of difficult rhythms being superimposed over the swirling left-hand.
12 Etudes, Op. 25
No. 1: Étude in A-flat major "Aeolian Harp"
This etude was said to have been a favorite of Chopin’s. The difficulty here is once again melodic projection but in a far removed setting from the etude in E major. The arpeggios require the hand to change positions away from the melody notes but return with enough control to keep the phrasing moving appropriately.
No. 2: Étude in F minor "Bees"
This etude presents a study in rhythmic security. The right-hand is in 4 whereas the left-hand is in 6. This requires enough control to move the rhythmic groupings without relying on strong unison beats. Obviously the chromatically changing scales in the right hand would also be an area of specific difficulty.
No. 3: Étude in F major
This could either be considered an etude in trills or in leaps. I believe it is a combination of both and focuses on pieces with these types of difficulties, such as the “Les Adieux” Sonata by Beethoven, which in its final movement has a trill which moves to a distant interval in a similar way.
No. 4: Étude in A minor "Paganini"
This would certainly be an etude in leaping left hand figures. The placing of the chord on the weaker beat makes it even more difficult because the performer must have enough control to secure all the notes after the leap without awkwardly accenting the chord in a way that will draw the listener to believe that it is the on beat.
No. 5: Étude in E minor
This etude combines several difficult techniques into one.
1) Under-turning the 2nd finger to the thumb.
2) Rolling the left hand.
3) Maintaining bass-balance without smooth pedaled harmonies.
The B section turns this primarily into a left hand melodic study, while the right-hand is given difficult harmonized arpeggios which must remain un-obstructive to the melody.
No. 6: Étude in G-sharp minor
This is the infamously difficult study in thirds. The left hand is not of great technical importance here, other than to supply a stable melody and accompaniment to the step-wise, and often chromatic, construction of the right-hand.
No. 7: Étude in C-sharp minor "Cello"
This etude is a study in left-hand melodic shaping. The left-hand is required to play both harmonic notes and accompanimental notes, requiring that it be firm in its musical independence. This etude is a combination of aspects from the B-minor prelude, the “Revolutionary” prelude, and Scriabin’s etude for left hand.
No. 8: Étude in D-flat major
This etude is simply a study of the extremely difficult practice of moving from the fourth finger to the fifth. The lower voices in the right-hand increase difficulty by requiring that the hand to be spread and set in a secure position. This is similar to the A minor etude, but now the bottom voice is matched to the top rhythmically.
No. 9: Étude in G-flat major "Butterfly"
This etude, like the G-flat, sounds like a cowboy song to me. It combines the difficulty of moving from 4-2 fingerings to octave 1-5’s with the awkward “boom-chic” accompaniment in the left-hand.
No. 10: Étude in B minor
This is quite simply a study in right-hand octaves with varying styles (fast and furious, slow and melodic).
No. 11: Étude in A minor "Winter Wind"
This is a study in the playing of broken intervals at extremely fast tempos. The melody is given to the left-hand, making this similar to etudes like the 1st in C major. The performer will require here a strong command of a rotation technique. The primary difficult is the inconsistencies in interval size.
No. 12: Étude in C minor “Ocean”
This is a study which requires both hands to master the technique. The study is of arpeggios which double the top note with the starting note of the next position. This requires a lot of use of body movement, as well as an ability to secure the bottom melody notes without losing melodic contour.
3 Nouvelles Etudes,
No. 1: Étude in F minor
This etude is in 4’s against 3’s. The difficulty here is to allow the rhythms to sound free and secure while maintaining proper rhythmic distance. A merely percussive “pass the golden butter” will prevent the beauty of the music from being communicated.
No. 2: Étude in D-flat major
This is another multi-voice study. The right hand must maintain separation of a flowing upper-note melody with a staccato lower voice accompaniment. The left-hand must maintain a soft springy bass while also correctly voicing the chord which occurs in the tenor range.
No. 3: Étude in A-flat major
This is an etude for 2’s against 3’s, as well as for proper chord-voicing with a melody note on the top. The observance of slurs, as difficult as they may be, is important for maintaining melodic shape and integrity.
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