Étude Op. 25, No. 4 (Chopin)
Encyclopedia
Étude Op. 25, No. 4 in A minor
is a technical study composed by Frédéric Chopin
. It is marked Agitato at the head. The technique explored in this piece is the performance of off-beat staccato
chords set against a regular on-beat bass. This is an example of syncopation
. The left hand leaps intervals of up to a tenth (octave plus a third) between the bass and the lowest note of the following chord (and back): this requires a very strong left hand 5th finger. Very often, the performer is required to hold the uppermost note of the right hand in legato
while continuing to play the rest of the chord in that hand (and in the left hand) as staccato: this requires a very strong right hand 5th finger. The ending is marked Lento
and pianissimo
and the chords are all on beat in stark contrast with the rest of the piece.
A minor
A minor is a minor scale based on A, consisting of the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. The harmonic minor scale raises the G to G...
is a technical study 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"....
. It is marked Agitato at the head. The technique explored in this piece is the performance of off-beat staccato
Staccato
Staccato is a form of musical articulation. In modern notation it signifies a note of shortened duration and separated from the note that may follow by silence...
chords set against a regular on-beat bass. This is an example of syncopation
Syncopation
In music, syncopation includes a variety of rhythms which are in some way unexpected in that they deviate from the strict succession of regularly spaced strong and weak but also powerful beats in a meter . These include a stress on a normally unstressed beat or a rest where one would normally be...
. The left hand leaps intervals of up to a tenth (octave plus a third) between the bass and the lowest note of the following chord (and back): this requires a very strong left hand 5th finger. Very often, the performer is required to hold the uppermost note of the right hand in legato
Legato
In musical notation the Italian word legato indicates that musical notes are played or sung smoothly and connected. That is, in transitioning from note to note, there should be no intervening silence...
while continuing to play the rest of the chord in that hand (and in the left hand) as staccato: this requires a very strong right hand 5th finger. The ending is marked Lento
Lento
Lento is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France on the island of Corsica.It shares the canton of Alto-di-Casaconi with Monte, Volpajola, Campile, Olmo, Prunelli-di-Casacconi, Campitello, Ortiporio, Canavaggia, Bigorno, Scolca, Crocicchia and Penta-Acquatella.-Population:-References:*...
and pianissimo
Pianissimo
Pianissimo is an Italian word, meaning "very soft". It can mean:*Pianissimo, refers to the volume of a soft sound or soft note.*Pianissimo Peche, a brand of Japanese cigarettes made by Japan Tobacco....
and the chords are all on beat in stark contrast with the rest of the piece.