Why does Chopin...

[barnowl]

...go from A flat in 4 chords and then to G# in the next 4? See inside bigger circle. (I guess, this question is raised by every newbie who faces this piece for the first time. So why should I be any less stupid?   

Second question:

Please tell me what notes to hit for the ornament in the smaller circle. There's an x in E, and above that a flattened backward "S" rotated 90 degrees, and above that the finngering: 4312, and above that a slur, an indication, presumably. to play it legato. The attachment is terrible, but there's nothing I can do about it.


And if you have any other thoughts on playing this ornament and/or the entire piece, for that matter, please post them. For example, is the fingering etched in stone? I'd have to work very hard to get the prescribed fingering down pat, but maybe that'd be good for me.

Third question:

Do you know any jokes about Chopin's unabated hilarity?

Last question:

Can someone please tell me how to attach something here which must then be opened by the reader? I think some folks here do this, but how they do it is a mystery to me.

[faustsaccomplice]

Hey barnowl,

First question:
The e minor prelude is a great example of Chopin's mastery of chromaticism.  The slowly descending harmonies lend to the depressed or mournful feel of the work... ok, not getting into the meat of this... he is writing seventh chords here.  For a seventh chord built on f, the third (or next note up in the chord) is a, whether the a be flat sharp or natural, it will be a something.  So as Chopin works his way downward in this progression, he arrives at E as the bass, so now the third must be g something. 
Hypothetically speaking, has he made the e bass note an f-flat instead, the third would have remained a-flat.

Second question:  the backward S is a turn.  You play the note above whatever is written, then the note, then the note below, then the note again.  To clarify, in thie case, the turn connects a-sharp to high g-sharp.  It is played: b-a#-g##-a#-hight g#.  The g in the turn is double sharp because Chopin wrote the double sharp below the turn.  If it would have been above, then the upper note, the b, would have been double sharp. 

Hope this answers these questions.   Let me know if you need clarification.

The fingering in NEVER written in stone. 
Take your time with the ornament, but give it urgency.

[barnowl]

Thank you very much, Faust's Accomplice.

Your answer is a little beyond me (the G#-Ab part). It has become all too obvious to me that I must study music theory. I have a book, but I've been lazy about it. If I studied it I wouldn't be asking dumb questions. So, I'd better get cracking.

For the turn, I will listen to the recording from our Sheet Music site, with your answer and the sheet music in hand. Then, I'll try to work it out on the keyboard. I am ashamed to ask, but...G## would be A?

The fingering...

I was hoping you'd say what you did. I know nothing about Chopin, and wondered if with his music, absolutely everything must be just so. Thank God, for the latitude. I need it.

One pleasant surprise in all this...

When I came to the ending, I thought at first I'd never get those last three chords right. But then I broke it down for LH and RH. It seems that the Left Hand's easy, if you just play B-B, then B-F#-B, then E-E, and let the Right Hand do the heavy lifting.

I laughed out loud at my first look at these chords, especially the slurs, telling me "Legato!" At first blush it seemed utterly impossible. But with a little effort, I am now able to play the three of them smoothly. Well, n-n-n-nearly, anyway.

I'll get there.

Thanks, once again, FA.

[faustsaccomplice]

Just remember that the chords are legato from the pedal. 

G double sharp is like A, yes.

I'll bet you can play all of the notes in those chords at the end.

[barnowl]

Thank you once again, Faust's Accomplice. 

You're a very fine person.

[hiline]

Should I pedal throughout the piece? Thanks in advance.

[gonzalo]

Barnowl, this doesn't exactly deal with your problem , but it's good advice anyway.IT's by Bernhard:

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,4016.msg36601.html#msg36601
(directions for interpretation of no. 4)

Take care,
Gonzalo

[barnowl]

Gonzalo,

That was incredibly thoughtful of you!

I bookmarked Bernhard's advice and will refer to it
often. It is exactly what I needed. I'm sure our
resident sage knows how much I appreciate his
cogent observations.

Thank you both.

Come to think of it, I owe HiLine my thanks as well.
If he hadn't asked, I'd never have thought to. (My gut
tells me HiLine's a he. If I'm worng, I apologize)

[lagin]

Should I pedal throughout the piece? Thanks in advance.

Yes, and make sure you change your pedal EVERY time the harmony changes or else it will sound very mushy.

Layman's terms = when left hand chords are simply being repeated, just worry about listening to your right hand as far as listening to when a pedal change is needed.  Every time there is a different chord introduced in the LEFT hand, however, a smooth pedal change is required. 

[hiline]

Yes, and make sure you change your pedal EVERY time the harmony changes or else it will sound very mushy.

Layman's terms = when left hand chords are simply being repeated, just worry about listening to your right hand as far as listening to when a pedal change is needed.  Every time there is a different chord introduced in the LEFT hand, however, a smooth pedal change is required. 

Thank you lagin. My sheet music indicates that pedalling is not always needed. 
barnowl, of course you don't need to apologize me.  And you don't need to thank me either because I need advice on this piece too.