Fantaisie in F minor (Chopin)
Encyclopedia
Frédéric Chopin
's Fantaisie in F minor, Op. 49, is a single-movement work for the piano, composed in 1841, when he was 31 years old.
, and takes from it certain salient elements, such as unpredictability (sudden changes in volume and key), contrasts of texture, rhythm, and the use of formal invention, that is, the form of the piece will not easily be placed into any pre-conceived or well-known patterns (such as "Sonata
"), and will give the impression of an improvisatory style.
To illustrate, one may examine the opening section and the music that follows it. The work opens with a dark, march-like section of some length, which never re-appears. We are, however, introduced to a "motive," or "musical idea," of a descending scale of four notes which provides something of a thread throughout the work. This opening section is firmly entrenched (with some deviation) in the key of F minor and its rhythmic regularity will provide contrast for what immediately follows, which is a wildly unpredictable and "free" almost improvisatory section, moving quickly through temporary key areas, creating a sense of mystery and instability.
Frédéric Chopin
Frédéric François Chopin was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist. He is considered one of the great masters of Romantic music and has been called "the poet of the piano"....
's Fantaisie in F minor, Op. 49, is a single-movement work for the piano, composed in 1841, when he was 31 years old.
Musical form
This work belongs to the Fantasy formFantasia (music)
The fantasia is a musical composition with its roots in the art of improvisation. Because of this, it seldom approximates the textbook rules of any strict musical form ....
, and takes from it certain salient elements, such as unpredictability (sudden changes in volume and key), contrasts of texture, rhythm, and the use of formal invention, that is, the form of the piece will not easily be placed into any pre-conceived or well-known patterns (such as "Sonata
Sonata form
Sonata form is a large-scale musical structure used widely since the middle of the 18th century . While it is typically used in the first movement of multi-movement pieces, it is sometimes used in subsequent movements as well—particularly the final movement...
"), and will give the impression of an improvisatory style.
To illustrate, one may examine the opening section and the music that follows it. The work opens with a dark, march-like section of some length, which never re-appears. We are, however, introduced to a "motive," or "musical idea," of a descending scale of four notes which provides something of a thread throughout the work. This opening section is firmly entrenched (with some deviation) in the key of F minor and its rhythmic regularity will provide contrast for what immediately follows, which is a wildly unpredictable and "free" almost improvisatory section, moving quickly through temporary key areas, creating a sense of mystery and instability.