DANCE MUSIC: Chopin's Scherzo No. 2 in Bb minor, Op. 31

DANCE MUSIC: Chopin’s Scherzo No. 2 in B-flat minor, Op. 31

Chopin composed a total of six scherzos. This scherzo was composed and published in 1837. Like nearly all of his dance music, his scherzos are in ¾ meter and ternary form. One source says that Chopin often requested his students to play the opening, which evokes the image of a funeral home. I find this very interesting—how can dance music be associated with death? The word scherzo means “joke” in Italian, and in music, a scherzo is usually carried out in a playful manner. Immediately upon listening to Scherzo No. 2, one hears a definite seriousness and somber atmosphere in the opening. This scherzo sounds rather dark and dramatic—does this piece seem like a joke? I think this is something for the class to think about in regards to the dance music of the nineteenth century.