Étude Op. 10, No. 12 (Chopin)
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Étude Op. 10, No. 12 in C minor known as The Revolutionary Étude, is a solo piano work by Frédéric Chopin written circa 1831. It is the 12th of his first set of etudes - "Douze Grandes Etudes" dedicated to "son ami Franz Liszt" (his friend Franz Liszt). The two sets of Études, Opus 10 and 25, are known collectively as the Chopin Études, although Chopin also contributed three other lesser known études (the Trois Nouvelles Études).
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[edit] History
The étude appeared around the same time as the November Uprising in 1831. Chopin was unable to have a strong participating role because of his poor health, and allegedly he poured his emotions on the matter into many pieces that he composed at that time - the Revolutionary Étude standing out as the most famous example. Upon conclusion of Poland's failed revolution against Russia, he cried "All this has caused me much pain. Who could have foreseen it!"[1]
Unlike études of prior periods (works designed to emphasize and develop particular aspects of musical technique, cf the much feared but essential School of Velocity, or the Five Finger Exercises by Hanon) the romantic études of composers such as Chopin and Liszt are fully developed musical concert pieces, but still continue to represent a goal of developing stronger techniques.
[edit] Technique
In the case of The Revolutionary Étude, the technique required in the opening bars is playing an extremely fast, long and loud descending harmonic minor scale mainly in the left hand. The length and the repetition of these rapid passages distinguishes The Revolutionary from other études.
Although the greatest challenge lies with the relentless left hand semiquavers, the right hand is also challenged by the cross-rhythms which are used with increasing sophistication to handle the same theme in various successive parallel passages.
The left hand technique involved in this piece involves evenly played semiquavers throughout. The structure is of the strophic coda form (A A'). The opening broken chords (diminished chord with an added passing note) and downward passages transition into the main appassionato melody. The octave melody's dotted rhythms and the continuous accompaniment creates tension. At the end of the A' section, the coda provides somewhat of a rest from that tension and then the work recalls the opening in a final descending sweep leading to the final closing chords, in C major.[2]
[edit] Influences
The end of the Etude alludes to Beethoven's last piano sonata, written in the same key - a piece Chopin is known to have greatly admired (compare bars 77-81 in the Etude to bars 150-152 in the first movement of Beethoven's sonata).
[edit] Adaptations
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- The group Renaissance used the piece on their 1972 Album Prologue as the introduction to the title track. The composition is credited to Michael Dunford, but the introduction was more likely a contribution by pianist John Tout.
- A 1989 adaptation by composer Zack Laurence saw the piece used as the theme tune for the ITV adventure game show "Interceptor" where it was given a modern disco feel and renamed "Rock Revolution"
- Nineteenth-century pianist Alexander Dreyschock learned to play the left-hand semiquaver passages in octaves, which observers of his concerts say he could play in the correct tempo. It is reported that after Dreyschock decided to learn how to do this, he worked sixteen hours per day until he had overcome the technical problems.[3]
- In the fighting game The King of Fighters 2003, music relating to one of the bosses, Adel, borrows portions of the étude; in fact, his stage music features part of the étude itself, diegetically played on the piano by his sister Rose. The title of this theme is The Revolutionary Étude - RII (革命のエチュード〜RⅡ kakumei no echūdo ā tsū?).
- The Japanese composer Tsunku borrowed parts of The Revolutionary Étude as the theme for the song Jiriri Kiteru, which he wrote for the group Berryz Koubou.
- Also, in Richie Ray and Bobby Cruz's "Sonido bestial" (Beastly Sound), in the song's first piano solo, is a slow-motion version of Étude Op. 10, No. 12, played twice.
- "The Revolutionary Étude" is performed in full by Russian pianist Stanislav Bunin in the video game Eternal Sonata, which is a game that was inspired virtually in full by Chopin's musical work. From the same game, the song "Scrap and Build Ourselves", played during the final battle against Chopin himself, is also an adaptation of the Revolutionary Étude.
- An electronic arrangement of the Etude can be found in the rhythm game DDRMAX2 Dance Dance Revolution 7thMix and some newer versions. The song itself is called Kakumei and was remixed by Naoki and DJ Taka
- The piece is also featured in the Kiniro no Corda anime series in episode 17, where it is played by character Ryoutarou Tsuchiura.
[edit] References
- ^ Niecks, Frederick. Frederic Chopin as a Man and Musician. 1902, page 98.
- ^ Kamien, Roger. Music : An Appreciation. Mcgraw-Hill College; 3rd edition (August 1, 1997), page 231, 232. ISBN 0070365210
- ^ Schoenberg, Harold C., The Great Pianists
[edit] External links
- The Ultimate Chopin Etudes Discography from Eternal Chopin Etudes Space
- Study Guide, Recordings and Sheet Music from Chopin Music
- Mutopia Project - A public domain engraving of the score using GNU LilyPond, available in several formats.
- Études Op.10 was available at the International Music Score Library Project.
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