Étude Op. 10, No. 4 (Chopin) - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Étude Op. 10, No. 4, in C-sharp minor, is a study for solo

Solo (music)

In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...

Piano

The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...

composed by Frédéric Chopin

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"....

in 1830. It was first published in 1833 in France

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

, Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

, and England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

as the fourth piece of his Études Op. 10
Études (Chopin)
The Études by Frédéric Chopin are three sets of solo studies for the piano, There are twenty-seven overall, comprising two separate collections of twelve, numbered Opus 10 and 25, and a set of three without opus number.-Composition:...

. This passionate study, a very fast Presto con fuoco
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...

, features continuous sixteenth notes (semiquavers), in perpetuum mobile

Perpetuum mobile

Perpetuum mobile , moto perpetuo , mouvement perpétuel , movimiento perpetuo , literally meaning "perpetual motion", means two distinct things:#pieces of music, or parts of pieces, characterised by a continuous steady stream of notes, usually at a...

fashion involving both hands.

Structure and stylistic traits

Like all of Chopin’s other études this work is in A-B-A form

Ternary form

Ternary form, sometimes called song form, is a three-part musical form, usually schematicized as A-B-A. The first and third parts are musically identical, or very nearly so, while the second part in some way provides a contrast with them...

though the B section does not represent a contrasting and independent middle section in the manner of a trio

Ternary form

.. The entire piece is based on the same semiquaver motif, which springs from its opening strong sforzato accent to rapidly increase its volume and compass until ending abruptly on a strong sforzato climax. . Musicologist Hugo Leichtentritt

Hugo Leichtentritt

Hugo Leichtentritt was a German-Jewish musicologist and composer who spent much of his life in the USA. Composer Erich Walter Sternberg was one of his pupils.-Literary works:*R...

(1874–1951) presents a graphic curve which illustrates the aggressive character of the motive expanding from second

Interval (music)

In music theory, an interval is a combination of two notes, or the ratio between their frequencies. Two-note combinations are also called dyads...

to eleventh

Interval (music)

In music theory, an interval is a combination of two notes, or the ratio between their frequencies. Two-note combinations are also called dyads...

in less than three bars. Remarkable is the plenitude of crescendi, accents and sforzati with hardly any diminuendo signs.
Leichtentritt compares the manner in which the motif is developed, especially the 4-bar alternations of left and right hand in the rendition of the theme, to certain Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...

preludes

Prelude (music)

A prelude is a short piece of music, the form of which may vary from piece to piece. The prelude can be thought of as a preface. It may stand on its own or introduce another work...

, or to the Gigue
Gigue
The gigue or giga is a lively baroque dance originating from the British jig. It was imported into France in the mid-17th century and usually appears at the end of a suite...

of Bach’s English Suite No. 6. In the B section these alternating sequences are shortened to two bars and the frequency of sforzati and accents rises.
Leichtentritt believes that in fast tempo the sforzati climaxes in bars 16 - 45 can be perceived as a coherent contour line. Again, as in the C major étude

Étude Op. 10, No. 1 (Chopin)

Étude Op. 10, No.1 in C major is a study for solo piano composed by Frédéric Chopin in 1829. It was first published in 1833 in France, Germany, and England as the first piece of his Études Op. 10. This study in reach and arpeggios focuses on stretching the fingers of the right hand...

, Chopin achieves powerful sound effects with arpeggios in tenths

Interval (music)

In music theory, an interval is a combination of two notes, or the ratio between their frequencies. Two-note combinations are also called dyads...

on diminished seventh chords

Diminished seventh chord

A diminished seventh chord is a four note chord that comprises a diminished triad plus the interval of a diminished seventh above the root. Thus it is , or enharmonically , of any major scale; for example, C diminished-seventh would be , or enharmonically...

. After the climax, ff, con forza (45 - 47), a more transparent bridge leads to the return of the A section which recapitulates the first two eight-bar periods

Period (music)

In music, a period is a group of phrases consisting usually of at least one antecedent phrase and one consequent phrase totaling about 8 measures in length . Generally, the antecedent ends in a weaker and the consequent in a stronger cadence; often, the antecedent ends in a half cadence while the...

extending the cadence

Cadence (music)

In Western musical theory, a cadence is, "a melodic or harmonic configuration that creates a sense of repose or resolution [finality or pause]." A harmonic cadence is a progression of two chords that concludes a phrase, section, or piece of music...

by four extra bars, increasing to fff and preparing the raging Coda

Coda (music)

Coda is a term used in music in a number of different senses, primarily to designate a passage that brings a piece to an end. Technically, it is an expanded cadence...

, con più fuoco possibile (as fiery as possible).
Chopin scholar Simon Finlow observes that a very similar passage occurs a decade before Chopin in the Rondo

Rondo

Rondo, and its French equivalent rondeau, is a word that has been used in music in a number of ways, most often in reference to a musical form, but also to a character-type that is distinct from the form...

of Hummel’s

Johann Nepomuk Hummel

Johann Nepomuk Hummel or Jan Nepomuk Hummel was an Austrian composer and virtuoso pianist. His music reflects the transition from the Classical to the Romantic musical era.- Life :...

Piano Concerto No. 2

Piano Concerto No. 2 (Hummel)

Johann Nepomuk Hummel's Piano Concerto No. 2 Op. 85 in A minor was written in 1816 and published in Vienna in 1821 . Unlike his earlier piano concerti, which closely followed the model of Mozart's, the A minor concerto, like the B minor Concerto Op...

Op. 85. In Hummel though the purpose of the semiquaver figure is to "decorate a chromatic sequence" whereas in Chopin the figure "embodies a motivic structure that permeates the entire composition" and reaches a "dramatic apotheosis

Apotheosis

Apotheosis is the glorification of a subject to divine level. The term has meanings in theology, where it refers to a belief, and in art, where it refers to a genre.In theology, the term apotheosis refers to the idea that an individual has been raised to godlike stature...

" in the Coda. Another remarkable trait is the upbeat character of the motif likewise permeating the entire piece. Like in the first two études of Op. 10 a rough copy autograph

Autograph

An autograph is a document transcribed entirely in the handwriting of its author, as opposed to a typeset document or one written by an amanuensis or a copyist; the meaning overlaps with that of the word holograph.Autograph also refers to a person's artistic signature...

reads cut time (alla breve), further supported by the metronome

Metronome

A metronome is any device that produces regular, metrical ticks — settable in beats per minute. These ticks represent a fixed, regular aural pulse; some metronomes also include synchronized visual motion...

mark MM 88 referring to half note

Half note

In music, a half note or minim is a note played for half the duration of a whole note and twice the duration of a quarter note...

s (rather than MM 176 referring to quarter note

Quarter note

A quarter note or crotchet is a note played for one quarter of the duration of a whole note . Often people will say that a crotchet is one beat, however, this is not always correct, as the beat is indicated by the time signature of the music; a quarter note may or may not be the beat...

s).

Character

American music critic

Music criticism

See also Music journalism for reporting on classical and popular music in the media.The Oxford Companion to Music defines music criticism as 'the intellectual activity of formulating judgments on the value and degree of excellence of individual works of music, or whole groups or genres'. In this...

James Huneker

James Gibbons Huneker was an American music writer and critic.Huneker was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He studied piano in Europe under Leopold Doutreleau and audited the Paris piano class of Frédéric Chopin's pupil Georges Mathias. He came to New York City in 1885 and remained there...

(1857–1921) believes that "despite its dark key color" this étude "bubbles with life and spurts flame." German

Germany

pianist and composer Theodor Kullak

Theodor Kullak

Theodor Kullak was a German pianist, composer, and teacher.-Background:Kullak was born in Krotoschin in the Grand Duchy of Posen, in Wielkopolska - western part of Poland taken during the second partition of Poland by Kingdom of Prussia. He began his piano studies as a pupil of Albrecht Agthe in...

(1818–1882) calls it a "bravura study for velocity and lightness in both hands. Accentuation fiery!" Leichtentritt calls the piece a "magnificent tone-painting’’ [prachtvolles Tongemälde] and "elemental sound experience" [elementares Klangerlebnis]:
Chopin scholar Robert Collet believes that the study "has more than a hint of something elemental, demoniacal and even sinister." Italian

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

composer and editor Alfredo Casella

Alfredo Casella

Alfredo Casella was an Italian composer, pianist and conductor.- Life and career :Casella was born in Turin; his family included many musicians; his grandfather, a friend of Paganini's, was first cello in the San Carlo Theatre in Lisbon and eventually was soloist in the Royal Chapel in Turin...

(1883 – 1947) states: "The piece should be finished with extreme impetuosity and without any relaxing, almost like a body hurled with great velocity [suddenly dashing] against an unexpected obstacle."

Technical difficulties

In Schumann’s

Robert Schumann

Robert Schumann, sometimes known as Robert Alexander Schumann, was a German composer, aesthete and influential music critic. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most representative composers of the Romantic era....

NZM

Neue Zeitschrift für Musik

Die Neue Zeitschrift für Musik was a music magazine published in Leipzig, co-founded by Robert Schumann, his teacher and future father-in law Friedrich Wieck, and his close friend Ludwig Schuncke...

article on Pianoforte-Études, NZM (1836), the study is classified under the category "speed and lightness" [Schnelligkeit und Leichtigkeit]. Collet remarks that the procedure of transferring the semiquaver figuration from one hand to the other, common in Bach but rare in Chopin, "makes great demands on the left hand." Chopin [in other works] rarely treats the left hand "as if it were a second right hand." Chopin’s "zig zag" configuration of the semiquaver line hardly allows usage of the standard C-sharp minor scale fingering and invites pianists to use their thumb on black keys, treating them just like white ones. The result is a general absence of finger crossings, thus facilitating a quicker tempo. French

France

pianist Alfred Cortot

Alfred Cortot

Alfred Denis Cortot was a Franco-Swiss pianist and conductor. He is one of the most renowned 20th-century classical musicians, especially valued for his poetic insight in Romantic period piano works, particularly those of Chopin and Schumann.-Early life and education:Born in Nyon, Vaud, in the...

(1877–1962) states that the main difficulty to overcome is "regularity and briskness of attack" and the [very quick] alternation of narrow and wide hand positions. His preliminary exercises commence to address the narrow and wide positions separately.

Many editions cite pedaling, but none appears in the original editions, except at the last four bars (79-82).

Arrangements

Leopold Godowsky’s

Leopold Godowsky

Leopold Godowsky was a famed Polish American pianist, composer, and teacher. One of the most highly regarded performers of his time, he became known for his theories concerning the application of relaxed weight and economy of motion in piano playing, principles later propagated by Godowsky's...

version for the left hand alone in his 53 Studies on Chopin's Études
Studies on Chopin's Etudes
The Studies on Chopin's Études, by Leopold Godowsky, is a set of 53 arrangements of Chopin's études. The Studies on Chopin's Études, by Leopold Godowsky, is a set of 53 arrangements of Chopin's études. The Studies on Chopin's Études, by Leopold Godowsky, is a set of 53 arrangements of Chopin's...

"retains most elements of the model." but presents a challenge to the performer who tries to "retain the full emotional impact of the original."

External links

Analysis of Chopin Etudes at Chopin: the poet of the piano
Chopin Etude Op. 10, No. 4 played by Evgeny Kissin
Evgeny Kissin
Evgeny Igorevitch Kissin is a Russian classical pianist and former child prodigy. He has been a British citizen since 2002. He is especially known for his interpretations of the works of the Romantic repertoire, particularly Frédéric Chopin and Franz Liszt.-Biography:Kissin was born in Moscow to...

(Youtube)
Chopin Etude Op. 10, No. 4 played by Alfred Cortot
Alfred Cortot
Alfred Denis Cortot was a Franco-Swiss pianist and conductor. He is one of the most renowned 20th-century classical musicians, especially valued for his poetic insight in Romantic period piano works, particularly those of Chopin and Schumann.-Early life and education:Born in Nyon, Vaud, in the...

(Youtube)
Chopin Etude Op. 10, No. 4 played by Vladimir Horowitz
Vladimir Horowitz
Vladimir Samoylovich Horowitz was a Russian-American classical virtuoso pianist and minor composer. His technique and use of tone color and the excitement of his playing were legendary. He is widely considered one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century.-Life and early...

(Youtube)
Chopin Etude Op. 10, No. 4 played by Sviatoslav Richter
Sviatoslav Richter
Sviatoslav Teofilovich Richter was a Soviet pianist well known for the depth of his interpretations, virtuoso technique, and vast repertoire. He is widely considered one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century.-Childhood:...

(Youtube)
Chopin-Godowsky - Etude op. 10, No. 4 (for the left hand) played by Marc-André Hamelin
Marc-André Hamelin
Marc-André Hamelin, OC, CQ, is a French Canadian virtuoso pianist and composer.Born in Montreal, Quebec, Marc-André Hamelin began his piano studies at the age of five. His father, a pharmacist by trade who was also a pianist, introduced him to the works of Alkan, Godowsky, and Sorabji when he was...

(Youtube)

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