Jefferson Hunter

SLCC MUSIC 1010

2nd Period

Chopin (1810-1848) was born in Poland. His father was French and his mother was Polish. At age six he passed up his teacher and by age seven he was composing his own work. While attending Warsaw Conservatory, under Wilhelm Wurfel, Chopin published his first piece at age 15, Rondo Op. 1. At age 19 he had his first professional performance in Vienna. Chopin moved to Paris to avoid a conflict with the Russians in Poland. Most of Chopin’s compositions were written in Paris. In 1832 many publishers became aware of Chopin after a performance with Friedrich Kalkbrenner. Kalkbrenner was very famous and was known as “the King of Piano” at the time. In 1833 Chopin and Liszt performed together and became friends with many other composers. While in Paris, Chopin was diagnosed with tuberculosis. In 1835 Chopin started hemoptysis (coughing of the blood). Chopin fell in love with Maria Wodzinski who he proposed to but couldn’t marry because her parents said he wasn’t in good enough health. Chopin was devastated and retreated to the Spanish Island of Majorca with George Sand, whom he never married but late lived with in France. Chopin then moved back to Paris during the later part of his life where he then passed away.

Chopin’s hands were rather small. In order to play the notes envisioned in his head he created new techniques for the piano. However, in the beginning of their use, piano performers couldn’t complete such demanding techniques. People in Chopin’s day would constantly tell his teachers that his techniques were unorthodox and he needed to change his ways. It can be noted that these attacks on Chopin’s form started early in life because he produced this nocturne when he was only in his late teens. Despite such criticism, Chopin persevered and revolutionized piano. Chopin’s acute and refined techniques can be found all around the world today.

Section A

Section B Section C

Section A

Section B Section C

0:00 The left hand starts with an arpeggio sequence

PianoHomophonicMinor

0:04 The right hand comes in with the melody. (Melody A)

0:20 A new phrase begins but the same left hand right hand pattern continues

0:35 A new phrase begins played in octaves in the right hand.

0:56 Cadence occurs and the melody goes from octaves to a eighth notes playing over a held half note while dynamically building (Melody B)

1:15 The melody and harmony die down dynamically

1:31 Chopin starts to mess with major and minor, playing a few major chords and changing up the melody. (Melody C)

Major/minor

1:52 The right hand chords come in much stronger.

2:07 The melody which was in the beginning (Melody A) is repeated with added trills

2:24 Quick note runs fill in around the original melody

2:40 The previous phrase which had octaves is repeated but played with more notes

2:58 The melody continues to be similar but played with bigger chords and less notes (Melody B)

3:17 Chopin takes the same melody used when manipulating major and minor and puts it in a new key (Melody C)

3:34 The previous phrase is repeated but with tied chords

3:55 The melody changes into a concluding motif

4:10 Final chord resonates Major

For this nocturne, like many of Chopin’s nocturnes, Chopin used new techniques to display his melodies and harmonies. A critique of this song said, “The fingers could then elaborate over a bass not which could be held on the pedal without dwindling too rapidly.” It can be said that Chopin took advantage of this piece to develop his writing for the left hand. According to Eigendinger “ it is this extension of suppleness that underlies the accompanying voice.” This song, along with many of Chopin’s works, was discriminated in the early years of its publishing date. However, this piece has been given astounding notice especially for its feel and emotional mood.

Section A

Section B

Section A

Section A Section C Section A

Section B

Section A

Conclusion

0:00 Section A begins with the left hand playing a low minor chords and the right hand answering back with the much higher melody.

Minor PianoHomophonic/ Polyphonic (LH going in and out of harmony and melody)

0:38 The left hand and right continue to communicate back and forth between the melody and bass notes, however, the B themed melody comes in.

1:06 A dramatic change in dynamics occur when the assumed cadence would have occurred.

1:15 The melody of section A returns but it is enriched.

1:33 The A melody changes from its previous ending, finishing off with a Picardy 3rd.

1:54 With the previous section ending in a Picardy 3rd, section continues in Major. This sections becomes more homophonic, contrasting from the previous section.

Major

2:26 Section C occurs with a new melody.

2:55 Chromatic runs in the left hand interrupt the C section melody.

3:00 Both hands come together and become much more present. The dynamics build as the chromatic runs become more frequent, moving to the right hand.

Mostly monophonic

3:37 The A melody comes in but instead of the left hand playing bold, heavy chords it plays repeated and much softer chords.

Mostly Homophonic

4:03 The B melody comes back in but is busier than the first time.

4:23 After section A’s opening phrase is played the melody is quickly changed to a conclusion. Dissonant chords are resolved.

4:58 A concluding phrase passes through the left to right hand as the closing theme diminishes.

5:20 The song ends with chords played in between long rests.

The Opus 25 series of etudes had 12 numbers. This was Chopin’s second set of etudes, the previous one being Opus 10, which also had 12 numbers. This specific etude has the nick name “The Aeolian Harp” given by Schumann. It is a piano solo written in A-flat major. It was composed in 1836, and in 1837 it was published.

Section A

Section A

Section B

Section B

0:00 Both hands play sixteenth notes as triplets together. Melody A starts with the first note of every triplet group which is played louder to make more clear.

Piano

Major

HomophonicSimple Triple but played with loose rhythm

0:20 The Melody A is repeated.

0:32 Melody A changes to a 2 on 3 rhythm

0:40 Melody B comes in continuing with the two on three rhythm

0:59 Melody B goes up much to a higher octave continuing a new melody

1:25 Melody A comes back in with a little variation than the beginning

1:46 Arpeggios go up and down the piano and conclude with a rolled chord.

Internet-http://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=34380.0http://www.chopinmusic.net/works/nocturnes/http://www.forte-piano-pianissimo.com/ChopintheTeacher.htmlhttp://www.musicaneo.com/composers/biography/346_frederic_chopin.htmlhttp://www.ourchopin.com/biography.html http://artseditor.com/html/opinions/0710_composers.shtml

Books- Chopin Selected Works for Piano: Book 1 Compiled by Keith Snell