Consequently, Chopin most often displayed his pianistic talents for his aristocratic friends in the more intimate setting of Parisian salons.Ĭhopin wrote the b-flat minor scherzo in 1837, and it has become one of his most well known works. Chopin was a pianist of high caliber - by some accounts comparable to Liszt - but this did not diminish his dislike for giving public performances. Having already earned early fame in his beloved Poland, he moved while still young to Vienna and then to Paris. 31 Frédéric ChopinĪs compared to the other composers on today's program, Frederic Chopin was perhaps the most well known composer/pianist of his day. Energetic and placing several of the scherzo’s motivic ideas in close proximity, the coda brings the scherzo to an exciting close. At the conclusion of the scherzo’s reprise, a sudden change back into A major for eight measures signals the arrival of the coda. Like the scherzo, the trio is also repeated and upon its close leads into a transitory passage, built upon the prior F-sharp minor tune, and soon the return of the Scherzo. The triplet flourishes that underlie this theme eventually lead the music to a beautiful and graceful passage of arpeggios over a descending bass line in E major.

A somber tune in F-sharp minor follows the sustained opening and becomes the centerpiece of the trio. In sharp contrast, the trio begins with sostenuto chords with the faint reminiscent sounds of the Scherzo’s melody hidden within. For this reason, it is better to consider D-flat major, instead of B-flat minor, as the key of the Scherzo. As is typical of Chopin, the introduction and melody are repeated again with variation.įollowing a flourishing close in D-flat major, the trio section shifts to the key of A major. The melody gradually unfolds over a lush harmonic accompaniment in the left hand. Establishing firmly the key of D-flat major as the prevailing tonic, elegant passagework leads to the Scherzo’s beautiful con anima melody. This introductory passage, vacillating between the keys of B-flat minor, D-flat major and F minor, and ending in the latter, breaks off in anticipation of the arrival of the scherzo’s main theme. Colossal fortissimo chords then sound in resounding response. It begins with a short motif based around the notes of the B-flat minor triad ending questioningly on its fifth. Chopin composed his second of four scherzos for the piano in 1837.

Classical piano song e-flat minor run