Description
Coming straight after the gloom of the A minor second prelude, this one opens out into something like a bright country scene. It is No. 3 of Chopin's 24 Preludes, Op. 28, a set that alternates major and minor, and that drop between neighbours is part of the effect of hearing the set whole.
Cut time in G major: the left hand carries fast, unbroken figuration while the right sings a short melody lightly above it. The two roles are entirely separated, and almost all the motion is in the left hand. Over 660 notes fall within about a minute.
Work on the left hand comes first — running fast figuration evenly and at a volume that does not obstruct the melody. Practise it alone until every note sounds for the same length at the same weight. The right hand needs no great singing; placing it lightly is enough. How the final left-hand run to the top is rounded off is the moment the piece is remembered by.
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.
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