Piano Sonata No. 2 (Chopin)

1839/40 Frédéric Chopin wrote his second piano sonata op 35 So exciting and enigmatic, heard " the B flat minor " to the greatest dramas of piano music.

Construction

Unusual aspect of this sonata is, among other things, that all movements are in minor.

1st movement: Grave; Doppio movimento, alla breve In the key of open and wide stretched, grave, but already in alla breve, let the four introductory bars the "spirit" of the sentence and the whole sonata recognize. The paired eighth in the first four bars of the Doppio movimento specify the drive of the main theme; agitato, but still quietly and unanimously follows it in eight bars of old classical rules. The gain in octaves and fourths in the cyclic alternation of forte and piano, repeated twice, acts as timid doubts. Syncopated sixth - and seventh chords wipe it aside. In three chords of the storm is the " breathing space " in the wonderful Sostenuto, in the parallel key of D major.

" It is the sharpest possible contrast. With its wide bearing chordal it is one of bestgesteigerten issues of piano music: first with in half and whole notes with a quarter note phrase of the bass in the 4th bar, then half and quarter notes with mild Triolenbeschleunigung the bass figure, it a powerful rising and lowering shaft twice uplift, richer harmonies and ( partially dotted ) rhythm. In the repetition of the whole idea, the bass figure is first mentioned to continuous triplets and continue rolling eighths. The topic of growing urgent triplets and finally eighth in the movement, sixths and octaves parallels in sound and more powerful strength grade to. The final group consists of nothing but forged in quarter note triplets chord chains fully flickering, sparkling Harmonierückungen and dissonances. The relatively short implementation is passionately excited by the incessant rooting of unrastigen main theme. Well sounds into the head motive of the Grave and also a hint of the second subject; but this comes at the wild obsession of the main theme never to advantage. Some measures included in the final group, lead on to a B major section (a type Reprise), which can flourish the side issue again in all its beauty, then the final group resumes and erdröhnenden in a short chordal wide Koda with the the bass main motive flows. "

2nd movement: Scherzo ( Presto, ma non troppo ), 3/4 How else only the op 4 by Johannes Brahms is the scherzo in the " dark " it minor. The first movement is followed not only in his wild rage, but also in his melancholy tender midsection, più lento, G flat major, half dream, half waltz. In the repetition of tired " barbaric exuberant jubilation octave " with its wide sforzato jumps in the pianissimo of the trio theme - enchanting.

3rd set: Marche funebre: Lento, 4/4 The funeral march was two years before the other sets. That he is universally known, is likely to be due for dilettantes, not least his ( alleged) accessibility. The structure is similar to the Trio of the Scherzo: For heavy bells the uniform bass chords and dotted rhythm of the theme engstufigen change the permanent Sekundschritte the middle voice between B minor and G flat major. Frugal in the media, comforting the D flat major center section with its soft singing.

4th movement: Finale. Presto alla breve No issue, no chord. In triplets and in unison, sotto voce e legato ( una corda ), without any break and the pale senza pedals final flits over. To let sound through in this demonic haunting hidden accents and phrasing, great pianist is reserved. Of course, the four sides no " rule -like " Sonata circuit; but what else than this unsubstantial dead or shadow realm could have followed the tumult of the initial movements and the gloom of the 3rd movement? That " after the march, the left and right hands in unison chat ", can be understood as Chopin indulgent answer to the question of an ignoramus.

Reception

Eric Satie used a variation of the funeral march in the second set of Embryons desséchés. The motif appears on the album Bathory Under the Sign of the Black Mark as part of the guitar solo in Call from the Grave.

" The fact that Chopin sonata called it, would you rather be called a caprice, if not a cockiness that he coupled together just four of his maddest children, they might smuggle under this name to places where they would not otherwise be penetrated. "