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Topic: Is Chopin's Op.2 Variations an immature and limited Chopin piece? (Read 2577 times)

kevonthegreatpianist

Sr. Member
Posts: 487

Is Chopin's Op.2 Variations an immature and limited Chopin piece?

on: December 03, 2016, 05:05:48 PM

I sometimes listen to this piece and something about it seems very off. It's a very difficult and dramatic piece, but I feel this piece isn't up to its max. Comments?

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I made an account and hadn't used it in a year. Welcome back, kevon.

mjames

PS Silver Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 2555

Re: Is Chopin's Op.2 Variations an immature and limited Chopin piece?

Reply #1 on: December 03, 2016, 05:46:46 PM

If it was written by some obscure composer that no one gives a sh*t about, the "I prefer to listen to unknown composers" crowd would praise it as a work of genius. The thing is, if you compare it to his later works, it pales it comparison, but for its time (late 1820s) it is a remarkable, musical, and radical concertante piece. The variations are imbued with an energetic and imaginative pianistic writing style that no one at that time could rival. The adagio and finale polonaise-like variations are just fantastic. Any 'mature', adult pianist-composer like John Field, Kalkbrenner, or Hummel from that era would have killed and sacrificed their families to have written at least one work like the op. 2. 'Immature' for us because of say the fact that we are not only out of touch with the era and its respective values, but also the fact that we have Chopin's entire catalog at our disposal and 150+ years of music too.

In the eyes of his contemporaries? Far from immature. In fact, Schumann called it a work of genius in his own review. Clara Wieck-Schumann herself a great up and coming concert pianist, expressed nothing but joy and excitement after examining the newly-published work.

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kevonthegreatpianist

Sr. Member
Posts: 487

Re: Is Chopin's Op.2 Variations an immature and limited Chopin piece?

Reply #2 on: December 04, 2016, 04:38:19 AM

Quote from: mjames on December 03, 2016, 05:46:46 PM

The variations are imbued with an energetic and imaginative pianistic writing style that no one at that time could rival. The adagio and finale polonaise-like variations are just fantastic.

I feel like this is enhanced Beethoven though. It sounds very similar.

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I made an account and hadn't used it in a year. Welcome back, kevon.

frege

Newbie
Posts: 5

Re: Is Chopin's Op.2 Variations an immature and limited Chopin piece?

Reply #3 on: December 13, 2016, 11:09:59 PM

This is the piece that caused Robert Schumann to say "Hats off, gentlemen! A genius!". I think it's a really fun piece and is exceptional given Chopin's age. Of course it's not as deep as his later works but that's to be expected and I think when listened to with the context in mind, it's great

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chopinawesome

Full Member
Posts: 226

Re: Is Chopin's Op.2 Variations an immature and limited Chopin piece?

Reply #4 on: December 14, 2016, 04:50:03 AM

It is actually pretty interesting

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Beethoven Op 2/2
Chopin Op 20, maybe op 47/38
Debussy Etude 7
Grieg Op 16
Want to do:
Chopin Concerti 1 and 2
Beethoven Waldstein
Ravel Miroirs

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