Chopin Étude Op. 25, No. 11
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| Étude No. 23 | |
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| Composition by Frédéric Chopin | |
| Alternate name: | Winter Wind |
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| Form: | Étude |
| Key/Time signature: | A minor, 2/2 |
| Tempo | Lento; Allegro con brio |
| Date of composition: | 1836 |
| Composition number: | Op. 25 No. 11 |
Étude Op. 25, No. 11 (or 'Winter Wind') is a solo piano work composed by Frédéric Chopin in 1836. It was first published along with the other études in opus 25 in 1837, in France, Germany, and England. The first French edition indicates a common time time signature, but the manuscript and the first German edition both feature cut time.[1] The first four measures that characterize the melody were added just before publication at the advice of Charles A. Hoffmann, a friend.[2]
[edit] Structure
The Winter Wind is an étude for developing stamina, dexterity, and technique - essential skills for any concert pianist. The étude begins with a piano introduction of the main melody. The first theme follows, comprising of tumultuous cascades of semiquaver-tuplets and a leaping figure for the left hand. The second theme is a brief respite in the Parallel key, C Major, which shortly segues into a repetition of the first theme. The étude finishes with a short development into a fortissimo coda, and ends with one final statement of the theme.
- Étude Op. 25 No. 11 (file info) — play in browser (beta)
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[edit] Technique
As an étude stands, the Winter Wind is an epic study of right hand dexterity and left hand flexibility. Both hands play an important role throughout the piece; the melody is sung through the heavy left hand, and the right hand contributes the étude's namesake with rapid scales and arpeggios. This study must be navigated with polyphonic mindset, treating both hands as separate melodies that work together, in a duet for one performer.
One dissertation stresses the importance of implied melodic structure throughout the right-hand figures. Meaning, the following passage (measure 10, 11):
Should be played thus:
accentuating those notes indicated by additional quaver tails. This serves to emphasize the underlying quartal rhythm to further accentuate the march-like theme of the left-hand.[2] Although this analysis may be sound, the performance of this without the aforementioned implications detracts nothing from the rhythmic undulations of the chromatic scales.
[edit] Notes
List of compositions by Frédéric Chopin • About the Chopin Études |
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