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Why are Chopin's pieces all calles preludes??

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Topic: Why are Chopin's pieces all calles preludes?? (Read 1321 times)

lousyplayer

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Why are Chopin's pieces all calles preludes??

on: May 10, 2012, 06:14:44 PM

Isn't a prelude something before something else?? so what follows Chopin's preludes?? the nocturnes??

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keyb0ardfweak

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Re: Why are Chopin's pieces all calles preludes??

Reply #1 on: May 10, 2012, 06:35:48 PM

That question has really no answer, no one knows, a prelude to what?The question has never been answered.

However, we know he starts in Cmajor (Op.28 nº1) then in A minor (Op.28nº2) which is the relative minor..
And he does it with the next ones, the 3rd is in Gmajor, so the 4th will be in E minor and etcetcetc.
Having every tonality with its relative minor like Bach did with his WTC

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“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.” Henry Ford

zezhyrule

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Re: Why are Chopin's pieces all calles preludes??

Reply #2 on: May 10, 2012, 06:45:09 PM

Yes, but while Bach progressed chromatically, Chopin went along the circle of fifths. Makes them sound better as a whole imo.

As for why they're called preludes, you could always try google

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Currently learning -

- Bach: P&F in F Minor (WTC 2)
- Chopin: Etude, Op. 25, No. 5
- Beethoven: Sonata, Op. 31, No. 3
- Scriabin: Two Poems, Op. 32
- Debussy: Prelude Bk II No. 3

krajcher

Jr. Member
Posts: 82

Re: Why are Chopin's pieces all calles preludes??

Reply #3 on: May 10, 2012, 06:51:36 PM

Naming them "preludes" Chopin refers to WTC of J.S. Bach.

Chopin adored Bach. He also knew all preludes anf fugues by heart.

https://en.chopin.nifc.pl/chopin/genre/detail/id/13

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ceapaire

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Posts: 33

Re: Why are Chopin's pieces all calles preludes??

Reply #4 on: May 10, 2012, 07:34:43 PM

They're a cycle - each one is a prerequisite of the next, since they're in a circle of 5ths. You could start at any point in the cycle, play through them all and it would all make perfect sense.

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