In 1834, Frédéric Chopin wrote an Andante Spianato in G Major, for piano solo, which he added to the start of the Grande Polonaise Brillante in E-Flat Major and joined the two parts with a fanfare-like sequence.
Mazurka Op. 59 No. 1 in A Minor is the opening piece of Mazurkas Op. 59, a set of three Mazurkas for solo piano by Frédéric Chopin. The set was composed and published in 1845.
Chopin’s Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23, dates to sketches Chopin made in 1831 during his eight-month stay in Vienna. It was completed in 1835 after his move to Paris.
The third Prelude, in G major, returns to volatility. It belongs to the category of ‘etudal’ preludes, characterised by a quick tempo, lightness and mobility. It develops a single textural idea.
Chopin’s 24 Preludes Op. 28, are a set of short pieces for the piano, one in each of the twenty-four keys, originally published in 1839. Chopin’s Prelude No 16 in B-Flat Minor, Presto con fuoco, is certainly the most difficult of the set.
The Piano Concerto No. 2 was composed by Frédéric Chopin in 1829. Chopin wrote the piece before he had finished his formal education, at around 20 years of age. It was first performed on 17 March 1830, in Warsaw, Poland, with the composer as soloist.
Chopin’s Ballade No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 52, was composed in 1842 in Paris and Nohant and revised in 1843. The work was dedicated to Baroness Rothschild, wife of Nathaniel de Rothschild.
Chopin’s Prelude No. 4 in E Minor is one of the 24 preludes opus 28 for piano. By Chopin’s request, this piece was played at his own funeral, along with Mozart’s Requiem.
The Prelude No 15 in D-Flat Major, nicknamed “Raindrop”, strikes one at first as an oasis of peace and calm. However, the transition from the bright key of D-Flat Major to the tenebrous C sharp minor brings dark, gloomy, disturbing sonorities.
