Chopin 1st lesson
Transcript of Chopin 1st lesson
Chopin
• What is the time signature?• Can you describe the dynamics?• Is this in a major or minor key?• Which instruments are being used?
Prelude no. 15 in Db majorThe ‘raindrop’ prelude
Chopin
Section B question
• In the Year 10 exam this will be one of the section B questions
• For section B, you will not hear any extracts• You will be asked to describe features of the
music in essay form
• Today: learn key facts• Next lesson: practise a section B question
Chopin – Prelude no. 15 in Db major
• This is known as the ‘raindrop’ prelude• Why?• The piece is written for piano• It is in ternary form: ABA• There is also a short coda at the end
Section A (bars 1-27) Db majorSection B (28-75) C# minorSection A (76-81) Db majorCoda (81-89) Db major
Db and C# are the same note. The word is
‘enharmonic’Db major is the tonic note (first note in the scale). C# minor is the
tonic minor
Chopin – Prelude no. 15 in Db major
Section A - What to notice in the opening bars
P – the dynamics are soft (piano)
Repeated Ab in the left hand. This is called a ‘pedal’
First 3 notes outline a Db triad
Sostenuto - sustained Ascending melodyCrescendo and diminuendo
Septuplet (an ornament which has been written out in full)
Ornament: acciaccatura
Chopin – Prelude no. 15 in Db major
Section A - continued
P – the dynamics are still soft (piano)
OrnamentMelody moves by step
Still Db major
Briefly changes to Ab minor
Chopin – Prelude no. 15 in Db major
Section B – Key changes to C# minor
Sotto voce – in an undertone
Key has changed to the tonic minor: C# minor
The pedal note is played in the right hand and is now G#
Section B continued• The melody is now played in the bass part • In bar 35, Chopin starts to build up the texture by doubling the
‘raindrop’ in octaves.• Dynamics: build gradually until bar 43 where the music drops
down to p. It then builds up to ff (fortissimo) in bar 56. There are accents used in bars 40-43 and 56-59. This is quite a contrast to Section A which was p all the way through and no accents.
• In bars 60-63 the melody is similar to the start of Section B but the note lengths have been augmented (made longer). This feels slow and heavy.
• Although this section is in C# minor, Chopin explores other keys: G# minor and F# minor.
• The last four quavers of bar 75 prepare for the key change back to Db.
• After section B, the opening bars of section A are played again. This is followed by a coda.
Chopin – Prelude no. 15 in Db major
The Ab pedal (or dominant pedal)
This Bb is f (played loudly) and is the highest note in the piece
No left hand for two bars
The music becomes quieter . The final marking is pp