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Topic: Revolutionary Etude: Why the name?  (Read 8490 times)

Offline ail

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Revolutionary Etude: Why the name?
on: May 29, 2006, 01:53:13 PM
Hi all,

I'm curious to know why is this Etude called Revolutionary. Not that I play it, but I'd like to someday, and one thing I like is to know something about a piece before I learn it.  Unfortunately I never find enough information in the net about the pieces I want, so I simply decided to ask here.

Ail
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Offline walking_encyclopedia

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Re: Revolutionary Etude: Why the name?
Reply #1 on: May 29, 2006, 07:06:39 PM
I'm curious to know why is this Etude called Revolutionary.

chopin is supposed to have wrote this etude in a rage after hearing about the russion overthrow of warsaw. this story probably has more base in fiction than fact, but at least the name is slightly more credible than some of the stupid names that people have tacked on the end of chopin pieces, which i think trivializes the music.

examples are the 'winter wind etude' (25/11) or the 'butterfly etude' (25/9) or of course the 'raindrop prelude'  ::) (28/15)

some of the names are okay, like the 'black keys' etude (12/5), because obviously its played on black keys, or the 'etude in thirds' or the 'etude in sixths' (25/6 and 25/8)

chopin didn't supply any of these names, in fact he protested when 28/15 was referred to as the 'raindrop prelude'.

but honestly who sticks these stupid names on poor defenseless chopin pieces? like the 'ocean etude' (25/12). I could just as easily name it the 'toilet flushing etude' it would make just as much sense.

to me, just call the 'revolutionary etude' the 'etude in c minor, op. 10 no. 12'

that's what chopin would have done.

Offline avetma

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Re: Revolutionary Etude: Why the name?
Reply #2 on: May 29, 2006, 07:37:58 PM
chopin is supposed to have wrote this etude in a rage after hearing about the russion overthrow of warsaw. this story probably has more base in fiction than fact, but at least the name is slightly more credible than some of the stupid names that people have tacked on the end of chopin pieces, which i think trivializes the music.

examples are the 'winter wind etude' (25/11) or the 'butterfly etude' (25/9) or of course the 'raindrop prelude'  ::) (28/15)

some of the names are okay, like the 'black keys' etude (12/5), because obviously its played on black keys, or the 'etude in thirds' or the 'etude in sixths' (25/6 and 25/8)

chopin didn't supply any of these names, in fact he protested when 28/15 was referred to as the 'raindrop prelude'.

but honestly who sticks these stupid names on poor defenseless chopin pieces? like the 'ocean etude' (25/12). I could just as easily name it the 'toilet flushing etude' it would make just as much sense.

to me, just call the 'revolutionary etude' the 'etude in c minor, op. 10 no. 12'

that's what chopin would have done.

"Raindrop prelude" has a story behind. From chopins time. So, it's not 'another stupid name'.

Offline gymnopedist

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Re: Revolutionary Etude: Why the name?
Reply #3 on: May 29, 2006, 08:55:59 PM
"Raindrop prelude" has a story behind. From chopins time. So, it's not 'another stupid name'.
That story was made up by George Sand. Chopin never referred to it as the "raindrop" prelude.
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Offline ada

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Re: Revolutionary Etude: Why the name?
Reply #4 on: May 29, 2006, 11:21:01 PM


but honestly who sticks these stupid names on poor defenseless chopin pieces? like the 'ocean etude' (25/12). I could just as easily name it the 'toilet flushing etude' it would make just as much sense.



HAHAHA LOL  :D ;D
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Offline anda

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Re: Revolutionary Etude: Why the name?
Reply #5 on: May 30, 2006, 05:47:02 AM

examples are the 'winter wind etude' (25/11) or the 'butterfly etude' (25/9) or of course the 'raindrop prelude'  ::) (28/15)

i've also heard a name for op.10 no.8 - "the soldier and the spring" (as in water spring, i'm not sure on english translation)

 ;D

Offline sinspawnammes

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Re: Revolutionary Etude: Why the name?
Reply #6 on: June 01, 2006, 03:25:34 PM
Only exemplifies George Sand's evilness.  Why is her name George, btw?

Offline Bob

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Re: Revolutionary Etude: Why the name?
Reply #7 on: June 01, 2006, 07:04:44 PM
Why is her name George, btw?

Pen name.  Probably to avoid any bias.

"Her first novel, Rose et Blanche (1831) was written in collaboration with Jules Sandeau, from whom she allegedly took her pen name, Sand."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Sand
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