Perhaps the most well-known of Chopin's preludes is this prelude in E minor. Chopin requested that it should be played at his funeral, and even a casual listener can see why. It's a very sad, mournful piece that sounds not unlike a funeral dirge. With its minor key, descending chords and the fact that it's intended to "die away" as per Chopin's notation, it conveys an almost overwhelming sense of despair. It's a short, depressing yet beautiful piece that sounds like it was all but meant for a funeral.
Chopin's set of 24 preludes were first published in 1839 and dedicated to the composer Joseph Christoph Kessler. They received quite some criticism for their brief length and lack of any traditional structure; they were seen as more like sketches or brief notes as opposed to fully-formed ideas. However, there were also some, more forward-looking contemporaries, among them Robert Schumann, who admired them intensely.
I learnt this gorgeous Prelude two years ago, but I don't like as it sounds under my playing, very far from the delicate, clear, warm and round sounds that I hear in the records I have. As I play it sounds rustic, harsh, rough. The teacher I had at that time used to say the problem was lack of musicality, but was unable of helping me to amend it. Specially I'm dissatisfied with the left hand. I play without rubato, renewing pedal syncopatedly for every harmonic change, and using only a light pedal touch, since no pedal or deep pedalling is worst. What could be wrong? Maybe the touch, or the rythm or anyelse? I have a studio upright piano. I'll be grateful for suggestions.
How is the turn, with a double-sharp below it, between the A and the G in Chopin's Prelude Op. 28 #4 played? I've never seen a turn with a double sharp before.
I'm playing the piano for about 4 months now and I like it a lot. But I'm not taking lessons, so I'm trying to learn it by myself. Anyway, since I'm not that good in reading notes, I have a question about a part of Chopin's Prelude op 28 no. 4. In one of the parts (see screenshot), I'm hearing something else than how I play it, when I hear a recording of it. When I hear a recording of it, I hear more notes in that part and when I play that part on the piano myself, it doesn't sound like how it's played on the recording. It probably has something to do with the word "Stretto" but since I don't know what that means, it's kinda hard for me to understand.
i am starting to learn Chopin's prelude n°4. I have a good edition, but with very few fingerings indicated... Can you point out to a (free) score to download, with good and complete fingerings (specially for all those LH chords).
I am not coming back to my piano classes until march, and i do not want to use bad fingerings
Comments and crits highly appreciated, and also your own interpretations (i.e. crescendos/diminuendos, more expression etc etc), I'd love to hear them! Henrah
I did this today at school. I dont play this fast as others do. Umm the file was kinda too big for this website, so i had to convert it with this program, it made the vid out of sync with the audio and cuts the vid short about 15 seconds.But i think necessary part of the piece is covered. Comments and/or advice on how to improve is greatly appreciated
I was a little bored so I played chopin the way noone ever did:) I played both guitars, first accoustic background with some poor old guitar and then solo with my new fender:) Just to cheer you up
Oh yes, this prelude totally rocks.. It is so *** depressing.. I hear like someone crying when playing this(on piano offcourse).. Every note one tear.. so cool
Made recordings of the two easiest preludes. My piano sounds awful so please try to ignore how bad it sounds!
In particular Id like comments on the interps. I tried to really up the tension and drama with No4 without going over the top. I think I rushed the stretto passage unfortunately, it sounds too quick. But other than that Im pretty happy with it.
No20 I find a difficult one to work with. Other than the tempo and dynamics there is little to play with it seems! If I could improve on this I think its in the voicing. I have trouble bringing out melody lines above chords. You can hear it a bit, but not as well as you should during the p and pp sections.
Another prelude I recorded yesterday. I have much less practice with this one, and I'm only coming to terms with it now. I have some difficulty in making the LH sound right,whether it be tempo or dynamic wise. Also, there's a passage marked 'stretto'. I'm not sure what this means, but I've been assuming it must mean 'rigorous', 'somewhat fast'. I had never paid much attention to it, until I heard some recordings in the forum and noticed people slowed down here. I'm not sure, I play it as I've always tried to play it, which is trying to keep the rhythm. Anyhow, that's why I'm posting it here. To learn, and to hear suggestions for improvement.Oh, and I'm going to check that 'stretto' now anyway.
hi, I just came across this post, where a user called Bernhard gives some very interesting explanations on how to analyze this piece: http://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,10402.msg107105.html#msg107105 he also state that harmonic analysis is a dead end, but unfortunately the thread stops before he gives us the "real" way of analyzing it. Anyone knows if this thread is continued elsewhere? What was it, that he was about to reveal? Many thanks, Guy.
I just started this piece (Chopin Prelude Opus 28 No 4) today and i'm a little stuck. In measure 16 there is a stop (I think that's what it is called) I have no experience in reading stops and don't know what to play. So the main point of the topic is how do you read stops (or whatever they're called)
"All of my students are members of Pianostreet and many of my teacher colleagues have joined as well.
It is an excellent resource for students and teachers alike and there is very rarely any need to visit another website or music store in search of sheet music."
"As a frequent user of pianostreet.com I find it easy to navigate, great value for money and very professional. The pieces are all well-graded and the audio is really useful, especially for pieces not heard before. I have recommended the site to many of my friends who play the piano. Keep up the good work."
"Wonderful service! [...] I have no reservation in recommending it as a “must” to all pianists, both teachers
and students, amateur and professional." Read full review >>
Dr. Robert J Keane, pianist
Australia
"I was in Poland the past summer to give 2 concerts. At the last minute they requested some Chopin, which I had not brought with me. So, I google-searched for classical downloads and found your site. I was able to print out excellent editions of the pieces I needed within minutes. To find the scores locally would have been inpossible as it was a smaller town, the nearest music store 45 minutes away."
"Piano Street has been a wonderful tool to me as both a pianist and a piano teacher. I can browse the collection for pieces I want to play and/or have my students play. The difficulty rating system that Piano Street uses enables me to search by difficulty level for pieces at my students' various playing levels. It is helpful that many of the scores include an audio clip of the piece being played. I have recommended to my advanced students that they also join Piano Street since getting sheet music from there is a much less expensive alternative to ordering and paying for the music.
Steve D. Allen, Ph.D.
Owner/Piano Teacher, Allen Music Studio
Houston, Texas Read full letter >>
Frédéric Chopin - Preludes :
Piano score: PS Instructive - all parts (184 kB) 
Prelude Op. 28 No. 4 - FREE SAMPLE (mp3 file) 
)