Description
Over 1,500 notes in under two minutes make this the most densely written of Chopin's 24 Preludes, Op. 28; it is the eighth. Chopin finished the collection during the winter of 1838–39 on Majorca, when his health was at its worst, and readings that connect that situation to the urgency of this piece are long-standing.
In F-sharp minor and common time, the right hand turns thirty-second-note figuration without pause, with a melody in longer values embedded inside it. The left hand never rests either, so three layers — melody, ornament and bass — run at once across a span of nearly five octaves, and the tension never slackens.
Having to separate melody from ornament within one hand is what makes it advanced. Played at a single weight, all that is heard is a mist of notes. Lift the melodic notes with finger weight and let the rest run lightly. The reliable order is to extract the melody alone and be able to sing it before taking the speed up.
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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