Description
The roughest writing in the collection, marked molto agitato, packed into only about fifty seconds. It is the twenty-second of the 24 Preludes, Op. 28.
The left hand takes a figure that storms up and down the bass in octaves while the right answers by hammering chords, in G minor and 6/8. It is the left hand that sings and the right that supplies weight as accompaniment — the reverse of the usual arrangement. The writing spans more than five octaves.
The stamina and accuracy to keep left-hand octaves going at speed are what make it advanced. A locked wrist gives out within a few bars, so practise while checking that the arm stays free. Sound the right-hand chords with arm weight rather than striking. It is short, and it takes concentration to reach the end without losing either volume or momentum.
A set of 24 short pieces Chopin composed in 1838-39, covering all 24 keys, each with its own distinct character — a poetic cycle for piano.
Browse all songs in 24 Preludes Op.28 →Sheet Music
Sheet music provided by Mutopia Project
About the Composer
Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849)
Frederic Chopin was born in Poland and made his career in Paris, remaining unusual among great composers for writing almost exclusively for piano. He poured his longing for his homeland into mazurkas and polonaises, while his ballades and etudes combine poetic melody with harmonic innovation. This site includes the "Revolutionary" and other etudes, Ballades No. 1 and No. 4, nocturnes, and the Preludes, Op. 28.
View all works by Chopin →