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Romantic · prelude

Prelude in Op. 28, No. 24

Frédéric Chopin · Level 10, estimated · With Maestro

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The short answer

A prelude in a collection shaped over several years. Prelude in Op. 28, No. 24 is a prelude by Frédéric Chopin from the Romantic era. PlayPiano puts it at Level 10, an estimate.

On this page
  • prelude
  • Romantic
  • stormy

History

PTNA's account places the beginnings of some Op. 28 preludes around 1836 and reports completion of the collection in Mallorca in 1838. The autograph collection was sent to Paris in January 1839, and publication followed in 1839. This is a history of the set, not evidence that every prelude began on the island.

Sources

What to listen for

  1. Lower movement prepares a decorated song

    The broken lower pattern starts before the upper melody. Hear its continuing foundation under the trills and compressed flourishes.

  2. Changing song phrases prepare an octave recall

    The later melodic sequence develops toward a broader return. Follow its singing direction through the quick ornamented responses.

  3. Octave replies intensify the descent

    Wider responses and descending figures increase the motion. Hear their larger fall through the stronger chordal sound.

  4. The final sweep leaves three low attacks

    The last falling flourish ends above while three low D notes continue. Listen to those final lower responses instead of stopping at the upper silence.

How to practise it

Let the long melodic entries rise above the repeating five-attack bass pattern.

  1. Count the initial upper silence and sing A/F/D before playing; hold D while listening to the lower motion.
  2. Practise the four-sixteenths-plus-eighth contour slowly, then add the held inner A without shortening its written duration.

How hard is it

Level 10, estimated

Dramatic bass patterns, rapid runs and powerful closing gestures require advanced stamina and control.

About this piece

Interpretive sketch of Frédéric Chopin, an illustration and not a verified likeness
An illustration, not a portrait
Collection
The prelude gallery
Licence
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0
Source
mutopiaproject.org
Credit
“Prélude 24” by F. F. Chopin (1810 to 1849). Mutopia edition maintained by Knute Snortum. Source: https://www.mutopiaproject.org/cgibin/piece-info.cgi?id=2221. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/. Changes to the supplied file: none; any later conversion or edit must be disclosed separately.

More by Frédéric Chopin

  1. Prelude in A major, Op. 28 No. 7Level 5, estimatedWith Maestro
  2. Nocturne in E-flat major, Op. 9 No. 2Level 7, estimatedWith Maestro
  3. Ballade No. 4 in F minor, Op. 52Level 10, estimatedWith Maestro

With Maestro

Play it, slow it down, hear where you land

Let the long melodic entries rise above the repeating five-attack bass pattern.

Practise it in PlayPiano