Étude Op. 10, No. 2 (Chopin)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Étude Op.10, No.2 in A minor is a technical study composed by Frédéric Chopin for the piano. This étude is an exercise in developing the weaker fingers of the right hand by indicating a rapid chromatic scale to be played with the third, fourth, and fifth fingers. The thumb and index finger are made to play accompanying chords, leaving the work of playing the chromatic melody to the third, fourth and fifth fingers. This fingering Chopin indicated himself note by note for almost 800 notes.
[edit] Structure
The melody consists of a rapid chromatic scale played by the outer right-hand fingers, accompanied by chord attacks. Like most of his other études, Chopin divided this work into three sections: the first subject, second subject, and the Recapitulation in the simple ternary form A-B-A. The music starts with the melody in A minor, and a motif played by the left hand. As the chordal harmony develops, the key changes into C major, and progresses into a climax with an A harmonic minor scale. The first theme is then restated in the Coda, which finishes the music with a rising and falling scale into a Picardy ending. This etude is one of the most technically challenging of the set.[citation needed]
Chopin demands that the chromatic scale be played sempre legato (always legato), a direction mentioned seven times throughout the score. This contrasts with the staccato chords played as accompaniment.
The original manuscripts for Opus 10 have an alla breve for No.2, but Chopin seems to have changed this when they were first published. The first French, German, and English editions have common time.[1]
[edit] Notes
- ^ Palmer, W: Chopin Etudes for the Piano, page 10. Alfred Publishing Co., Inc., 1992
[edit] External links
- The Ultimate Chopin Etudes Discography from Eternal Chopin Etudes Space
- Study Guide, Recordings and Sheet Music from Chopin Music
- Find an entry on this piece and hear a performance by pianist Xiaofeng Wu at the Chopin Project site
- Études Op.10 was available at the International Music Score Library Project.
- Sheet music available in .pdf or LilyPond format, from Mutopia.
|
||||||||||||||
