Étude Op. 10, No. 4 (Chopin)
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Étude Op. 10, No. 4 in C minor, known as the ''Torrent'' étude, is a study for solo piano composed by
Frédéric Chopin Frédéric François Chopin (born Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin; 1 March 181017 October 1849) was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist of the Romantic period, who wrote primarily for solo piano. He has maintained worldwide renown as a leadin ...
in 1830. It was first published in 1833 in France, Germany, and England as the fourth piece of his '' Études Op. 10''. This study, a very fast '' Presto con fuoco'', features continuous
sixteenth notes Figure 1. A 16th note with stem facing up, a 16th note with stem facing down, and a 16th rest. Figure 2. Four 16th notes beamed together. In music, a 1/16, sixteenth note (American) or semiquaver (British) is a note played for half the dura ...
(semiquavers), in perpetuum mobile fashion involving both hands.


Structure and stylistic traits

Like all of Chopin's other études, this work is in ABA form though the B section does not represent a contrasting and independent middle section in the manner of a trio. The entire piece is based on the same semiquaver
motif Motif may refer to: General concepts * Motif (chess composition), an element of a move in the consideration of its purpose * Motif (folkloristics), a recurring element that creates recognizable patterns in folklore and folk-art traditions * Moti ...
, which springs from its opening strong sforzato accent to rapidly increase its volume and compass until ending abruptly on a strong sforzato climax. Musicologist Hugo Leichtentritt (1874–1951) presents a graphic curve which illustrates the aggressive character of the motive expanding from
second The second (symbol: s) is the unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), historically defined as of a day – this factor derived from the division of the day first into 24 hours, then to 60 minutes and finally to 60 seconds ...
to
eleventh In music or music theory, an eleventh is the note eleven scale degrees from the root of a chord and also the interval between the root and the eleventh. The interval can be also described as a compound fourth, spanning an octave plus a f ...
in less than three bars. Leichtentritt compares the manner in which the motif is developed, especially the 4-bar alternations of left and right hand in the rendition of the theme, to certain Bach preludes, or to the gigue of J. S. Bach's '' English Suite No. 6''. In the B section these alternating sequences are shortened to two bars and the frequency of sforzati and accents rises. Leichtentritt believes that in fast tempo the sforzati climaxes in bars 16–45 can be perceived as a coherent contour line. Again, as in Op. 10, No. 1, Chopin achieves powerful sound effects with arpeggios in tenths on diminished seventh chords. After the climax, , ''con forza'' (45–47), a more transparent bridge leads to the return of the A section which recapitulates the first two eight-bar periods extending the cadence by four extra bars, increasing to and preparing the raging
coda Coda or CODA may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * Movie coda, a post-credits scene * ''Coda'' (1987 film), an Australian horror film about a serial killer, made for television *''Coda'', a 2017 American experimental film from Na ...
, ''con più fuoco possibile'' (as fierily as possible). Chopin scholar Simon Finlow observes that a very similar passage occurs a decade before Chopin in the rondo of
Johann Nepomuk Hummel Johann Nepomuk Hummel (14 November 177817 October 1837) was an Austrian composer and virtuoso pianist. His music reflects the Transition from Classical to Romantic music, transition from the Classical period (music), Classical to the Romantic ...
's Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 85. In Hummel though the purpose of the semiquaver figure is to "decorate a chromatic sequence" whereas in Chopin the figure "embodies a motivic structure that permeates the entire composition" and reaches a "dramatic apotheosis" in the Coda. Another remarkable trait is the upbeat character of the motif likewise permeating the entire piece. Like in the first two études of Op. 10, a rough copy autograph reads cut time (alla breve), further supported by the
metronome mark A metronome, from ancient Greek μέτρον (''métron'', "measure") and νομός (nomós, "custom", "melody") is a device that produces an audible click or other sound at a regular interval that can be set by the user, typically in beats pe ...
 = 88 referring to half notes (rather than  = 176 referring to quarter notes).


Character

American
music critic ''The Oxford Companion to Music'' defines music criticism as "the intellectual activity of formulating judgments on the value and degree of excellence of individual works of music, or whole groups or genres". In this sense, it is a branch of mus ...
James Huneker James Gibbons Huneker (January 31, 1857 – February 9, 1921) was an American art, book, music, and theater critic. A colorful individual and an ambitious writer, he was "an American with a great mission," in the words of his friend, the critic Be ...
(1857–1921) believes that "despite its dark key color", this étude "bubbles with life and spurts flame."
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...
pianist and composer Theodor Kullak (1818–1882) calls it a "bravura study for velocity and lightness in both hands. Accentuation fiery!" Leichtentritt calls the piece a "magnificent tone-painting" rachtvolles Tongemäldeand "elemental sound experience" lementares Klangerlebnis Chopin scholar Robert Collet believes that the study "has more than a hint of something elemental, demoniacal and even sinister." Italian composer and editor Alfredo Casella (1883–1947) states: "The piece should be finished with extreme impetuosity and without any relaxing, almost like a body hurled with great velocity uddenly dashingagainst an unexpected obstacle."


Technical difficulties

In
Robert Schumann Robert Schumann (; 8 June 181029 July 1856) was a German composer, pianist, and influential music critic. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Romantic era. Schumann left the study of law, intending to pursue a career a ...
's 1836 '' Neue Zeitschrift für Musik'' article on piano études, the study is classified under the category "speed and lightness" chnelligkeit und Leichtigkeit Collet remarks that the procedure of transferring the semiquaver figuration from one hand to the other, common in Bach but rare in Chopin, "makes great demands on the left hand." Chopin n other worksrarely treats the left hand "as if it were a second right hand." Chopin's zigzag configuration of the semiquaver line hardly allows usage of the standard C minor scale fingering and invites pianists to use their thumb on black keys, treating them just like white ones. The result is a general absence of finger crossings, thus facilitating a quicker tempo. French pianist
Alfred Cortot Alfred Denis Cortot (; 26 September 187715 June 1962) was a French pianist, conductor, and teacher who was one of the most renowned classical musicians of the 20th century. A pianist of massive repertory, he was especially valued for his poeti ...
(1877–1962) states that the main difficulty to overcome is "regularity and briskness of attack" and the ery quickalternation of narrow and wide hand positions. His preliminary exercises commence to address the narrow and wide positions separately. Many editions cite pedaling, but none appears in the original editions, except at the last four bars (79–82).


Arrangements

Leopold Godowsky's version for the left hand alone in his 53 ''
Studies on Chopin's Études The ''Studies on Chopin's Études'' are a set of 53 arrangements of Chopin's études by Leopold Godowsky, composed between 1894 and 1914. They are renowned for their technical difficulty: critic Harold C. Schonberg called them "the most impossib ...
'' "retains most elements of the model," but presents a challenge to the performer who tries to "retain the full emotional impact of the original." Hamelin, Marc-André. "Godowsky’s Studies on Chopin’s Etudes." Liner notes for ''Godowsky: The Complete Studies on Chopin’s Etudes''. Hyperion. CDA67411/2, 2000, p. 15.


Notes and references


External links


Analysis of Chopin Etudes
a
Chopin: the poet of the piano
*
''Chopin Etude Op. 10, No. 4''
played by
Alfred Cortot Alfred Denis Cortot (; 26 September 187715 June 1962) was a French pianist, conductor, and teacher who was one of the most renowned classical musicians of the 20th century. A pianist of massive repertory, he was especially valued for his poeti ...
(YouTube)
''Chopin Etude Op. 10, No. 4''
played by
Arthur Rubinstein Arthur Rubinstein ( pl, Artur Rubinstein; 28 January 188720 December 1982) was a Polish Americans, Polish-American pianist.
(YouTube)
''Chopin Etude Op. 10, No. 4''
played by Claudio Arrau (YouTube)
''Chopin Etude Op. 10, No. 4''
played by Vladimir Horowitz (YouTube)
''Chopin Etude Op. 10, No. 4''
played by Sviatoslav Richter (YouTube)
''Chopin Etude Op. 10, No. 4''
played by Vladimir Ashkenazy (YouTube)
''Chopin Etude Op. 10, No. 4''
played by
Maurizio Pollini Maurizio Pollini (born 5 January 1942) is an Italian pianist. He is known for performances of compositions by Beethoven, Chopin and Debussy, among others. He has also championed and performed works by contemporary composers such as Pierre Boulez ...
(YouTube)
''Chopin Etude Op. 10, No. 4''
played by Martha Argerich (YouTube)
''Chopin Etude Op. 10, No. 4''
played by Evgeny Kissin (YouTube)
''Chopin-Godowsky - Etude op. 10, No. 4''
(for the left hand) played by Marc-André Hamelin (YouTube) {{DEFAULTSORT:Etude Op. 10, No. 4 (Chopin) 10 04 1830 compositions Compositions in C-sharp minor