Chopin's 24 Preludes, Op. 28

Chopin’s 24 Preludes, Op. 28 consists of a set of short pieces for the piano. They were published in 1839, right after Chopin’s visit with George Sand on the island of Majorca in Spain. It appears that Bach exerted some influence on Chopin. Similar to Bach’s preludes in the Well-Tempered Clavier, Chopin’s 24 Preludes, Op. 28 are written in all of the major and minor keys. In comparison to Bach’s preludes, which were arranged chromatically, Chopin arranged the keys in a circle of fifths: C major, its relative minor of A minor, G major, its relative minor of E minor, and so forth, until the final prelude reaches the key of D minor.

What is interesting about these preludes is that none of them is particularly long; in fact, they are all less than 90 measures. By examining Chopin’s other works, such as his polonaises and sonatas, we may observe his composition style, which is typically long and formal. It seems that both the length and expressive power of each prelude is diminished. Perhaps Chopin intended to convey the emotion on a smaller scale.

PRELUDE Nos. 1-3
The first prelude is marked by its brevity and its sixteenth-note figuration in triplet rhythm. The following prelude, which conveys a sense of uneasiness, immediately creates a contrast with fixed four-note chords played in the accompaniment. The third prelude consists of running sixteenth notes in bass, which keeps the piece moving.

PRELUDE No. 4
The next prelude, No. 4, is one of my favorites. Like the former preludes, it is short. However, its brevity is what makes it so outstanding. The melody sounds tormented because of a chordal accompaniment that creates a sighing effect. It makes me feel as if my grief-stricken heart is being twisted. In fact, some sources say that Chopin asked that this piece be played at his funeral. It must have been written when a dramatic event impacted his life. Perhaps his relationship with George Sand or Countess Delfina Potocka, which whom Chopin was romantically linked, was in turmoil.

PRELUDE Nos. 5-8
Prelude No. 5 is high-spirited. Prelude No. 6 in B minor resembles the fourth in that the left-hand melody displays a somber, despairing mood. The seventh creates an air of confusion. The melody’s somewhat disconcerting elegance is due to its dance-like rhythm, which was written in the style of a mazurka. Prelude No. 8 simply appears challenging to play. It features a continuous, thirty-second figuration for the right hand with a rhythmic pattern of sixteen notes that alternate with the eighth notes for the left hand. This piece offers excellent opportunities for practice because it uses various rhythms. It is definitely difficult to keep the rhythm consistently steady.

PRELUDE Nos. 9-12
Prelude No. 9 somehow evokes a powerful sense of grandeur. Although the right hand consistently maintains its rhythm, it is the left hand that keeps the piece moving. Prelude No. 10 lasts just 32 seconds! The right hand alternates triplet and non-triplet sixteenth notes while the left hand concentrates on arpeggiated chords. Besides the fact that the next prelude is nothing short of invigorating, there is not much else to say about it. However, the chromatic movement in the outer voice of Prelude No. 12 demands attention after a somewhat bland configuration of a constant eighth-note rhythmic pattern in the preceding prelude.

PRELUDE Nos. 13-15
The thirteenth prelude evokes a peaceful atmosphere. The chordal accompaniment is reminiscent of Prelude No. 4, except that its melody is longer and more fluid and the mood is enlightening. Prelude No. 14 calls to mind Prelude No. 1 because of its similar textural uniformity. The next is Prelude No. 15, “Raindrop,” which is a personal favorite. Its repetitive ABA form calls to mind its title. The emotion conveyed in this prelude is powerful. When I attempt to express my reaction to this prelude, I am simply overcome by the rapid beating of my heart. Prelude No. 16 draws attention through the use of accented six chords that set the stage before giving way to the right hand’s fast, intense passages that are challenging to play.

PRELUDE Nos. 17-20
Prelude No. 17 in AB major consists of an AB pedal. A few words to describe this piece are that it is lovely, pleasant, and wonderful to listen to, but it is not tranquil. There is still a slight spark of excitement. Prelude No. 18 employs a few polyrhythms; thus, it is another promising piece for me to learn. Prelude No. 19, like Prelude No. 12, has a similar rhythmic pattern of continuous eighth-note motion. Prelude No. 20 is similar to Prelude No. 9, in that both evoke a majestic mood through their schemes of chords and dotted rhythm.

PRELUDE Nos. 21-24
Prelude No. 21 features a continuously doubled eighth–note pattern that moves in a chromatic motion. Initially played relentlessly by the left hand, it is later transferred to the right hand. Prelude No. 22 provides an excellent opportunity to practice playing both chords and octaves. It is at this point that I have begun to think that some of these preludes resemble miniature etudes since some are technically demanding and have recurring patterns. Prelude No. 23 feels tranquil. In the last prelude, it seems that the right hand is constantly forced to produce powerful, declarative melodies through the use of trills, scales, octaves, descending chromatic scales in thirds, repeated chords, and arpeggios. The thunderous conclusion to this piece closes on the three unaccompanied and accented lowest D notes on the piano.

I enjoy listening to these pieces...but I still can't believe these short pieces add up to approxmately 37 min.