Scherzo No. 2 (Chopin)
The Scherzo No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 31 is the second in a series of four Scherzi by Frédéric Chopin . The very popular work, composed in Paris in 1837 , is dedicated to the Comtesse Adèle de Fürstenstein and is one of the highlights of virtuoso piano music of the 19th century .
particularities
The relative length of the scherzo is based on the repetition of the first part and the middle trio . Because this midsection one implementation and recapitulation and coda follow, there is a peculiar synthesis of scherzo and sonata form . In contrast to the classic form, Chopin does not just set topics, but topic groups against each other. Compared to the unleashed first Scherzo in B minor , the work is musically and pianistically more diverse and comes closer to the idea of the Scherzo than its predecessor with a wide range of expressions.
Despite all the structural differences, the piece , which is reminiscent of a waltz fantasy , is linked to Carl Maria von Weber's Rondo invitation to dance . Compared to Wilhelm von Lenz pointed Chopin several times on the particular importance of sinister sotto voce triols the opening figure out which will be played "dig-like" and a charnel house should remember.
To the music
The piece begins with two dark, played by both hands in unison - triplets in the bass, which after a tense pause and a fortissimo b dissonant full grip chords, with a distinct rhythm respond in the upper register. Chopin repeats the interplay, but now lets the answering chords sound in the milder D flat major and leads them back to the dark bass figure via descending F major triads. This thematic block is repeated once and is expressively enhanced by the modulation to F minor .
The second thematic section from bar 47 consists of a spirited episode with eighth notes flying down and up and underlaid with a lively bass figure. After the repetition of this figure, the eighth movement leads over to the third section (bar 65), which, with its beguiling, sweeping melody in D flat major, belongs to a different world of mood. The melody, which rises over several keys , hides an idea of a waltz that lacks the dance character because of the arpeggiated accompanying figure. Chord breaks distributed on both hands lead to the repetition of the first topic.
Like a calm pole to the wild first part, the trio begins in A major ( sostenuto ) from bar 264 pianissimo with a chorale-like chord sequence ( sotto voce ) in the middle register. The long note values shape the meditative character at the beginning of the second part, which looks like a completely new piece of music.
From bar 309 a wistful theme in C sharp minor rises hesitantly , the playful appeal of which lies in the combination of a descending line with a rhythmically succinct five-note figure, which is also played by the right hand and is reminiscent of the unison head theme. Chopin encounters the monotony of the two-bar figure, which consists of only three tones, by shifting it to different pitches, leading it through a few keys, dynamically increasing it and allowing it to transition into a kind of perpetual motion machine in E major . The A major chords that are then reapplied already dynamically (now forte instead of pianissimo) announce the further dramatic development.
After a repetition of this thematic section with a two-bar melody and drive, the abrupt transition into the dramatic development follows, in which the glittering broken eighth-note line initially functions as a dramatic transition and soon the trio's urgent C sharp minor theme moves into the center, which is octaves , chordally is set and dynamized and thus heads towards a pathetic climax.
The first theme section appears again in the recapitulation, in which the vocal theme can unfold again and flows into an energetic coda that lets the work end in a radiant D flat major.
literature
- Tadeusz A. Zieliński: Chopin, His life, his work, his time , Schott, Mainz 2008, pp. 519–524, ISBN 978-3-254-08048-6
Web links
- Scherzo No. 2 op. 31 : Sheet music and audio files in the International Music Score Library Project
Individual evidence
- ^ Tadeusz A. Zieliński, Chopin, His life, his work, his time, Schott, Mainz 2008, p. 520
- ^ So Tadeusz A. Zieliński, Chopin, His life, his work, his time, Schott, Mainz 2008, p. 520
- ↑ So Otto Schumann, Frédéric Chopin, Scherzi, In: Handbuch der Klaviermusik, Heinrichshofen, Wilhelmshaven, 1979, p. 364
- ^ So Tadeusz A. Zieliński, Chopin, His life, his work, his time, Schott, Mainz 2008, p. 520
- ↑ Otto Schumann, Frédéric Chopin, Scherzi, In: Handbuch der Klaviermusik, Heinrichshofen, Wilhelmshaven, 1979, p. 363
- ↑ Otto Schumann, Frédéric Chopin, Scherzi, In: Handbuch der Klaviermusik, Heinrichshofen, Wilhelmshaven, 1979, p. 364
- ^ Tadeusz A. Zieliński, Chopin, His life, his work, his time, Schott, Mainz 2008, p. 523