Étude Op. 10, No. 6 (Chopin)
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Étude Op. 10, No. 6, in
E minor E minor is a minor scale based on E, consisting of the pitches E, F, G, A, B, C, and D. Its key signature has one sharp. Its relative major is G major and its parallel major is E major. The E natural minor scale is: : Changes needed ...
, is a study for
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composed by Frédéric Chopin in 1830. It was preceded by the relative key. It was first published in 1833 in France, Germany, and England as the sixth piece of his Études, Op. 10. The tempo ''
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'' in and '' con molto espressione'' indicate a more moderate playing speed than Chopin's other études with the exception of Op. 10, No. 3 and Op. 25, No. 7. This étude focuses on expressivity and chromatic structuring of the melody as well as polyphonic texture.


Structure and stylistic traits

Musicologist Musicology (from Greek μουσική ''mousikē'' 'music' and -λογια ''-logia'', 'domain of study') is the scholarly analysis and research-based study of music. Musicology departments traditionally belong to the humanities, although some m ...
Hugo Leichtentritt Hugo Leichtentritt (1 January 1874, Pleschen, , nearby Posen, Province of Posen13 November 1951, Cambridge, Massachusetts) was a German-Jewish musicologist and composer who spent much of his life in the USA. His pupils include composers Leroy Ro ...
(1874–1951) describes the three- (and sometimes four-) voice texture thus: "A melody of painful, elegiac expression over a slow, almost sluggish, bass, in-between a winding middle voice n_sixteenth_notes.html"_;"title="sixteenth_note.html"_;"title="n_sixteenth_note">n_sixteenth_notes">sixteenth_note.html"_;"title="n_sixteenth_note">n_sixteenth_noteswhich,_despite_its_narrow_ n_sixteenth_notes.html"_;"title="sixteenth_note.html"_;"title="n_sixteenth_note">n_sixteenth_notes">sixteenth_note.html"_;"title="n_sixteenth_note">n_sixteenth_noteswhich,_despite_its_narrow_range_(music)">range_ Range_may_refer_to: __Geography_ *_Range_(geographic),_a_chain_of_hills_or_mountains;_a_somewhat_linear,_complex_mountainous_or_hilly_area_(cordillera,_sierra)_ **_Mountain_range,_a_group_of_mountains_bordered_by_lowlands *_Range,_a_term_used_to_i_...
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 adds a great inner agitation." A characteristic trait of the melody are the chromatic nonchord tone">auxiliary notes played on the beat (music)">beat Beat, beats or beating may refer to: Common uses * Patrol, or beat, a group of personnel assigned to monitor a specific area ** Beat (police), the territory that a police officer patrols ** Gay beat, an area frequented by gay men * Battery (c ...
 and approached by steps and skips">disjunct motion. Like all of Études (Chopin)">Chopin's other études, this work is in ternary form A–B–A. The strict period (music), periodic structure contains eight-bar periods—two in the A section, forming a regular 16-bar period, three in the middle one and in the final A section a single eight-bar period expanded by five bars. The harmonic relationships in the first eight bars, marked by a deceptive twist to bar 4 and a
Neapolitan chord In Classical music theory, a Neapolitan chord (or simply a "Neapolitan") is a major chord built on the lowered ( flatted) second (supertonic) scale degree. In Schenkerian analysis, it is known as a Phrygian II, since in minor scales the chord is b ...
in bar 7, are shown in a harmonic reduction. Bars 9–16 repeat the same progression, ending with an E minor
perfect cadence In Western musical theory, a cadence (Latin ''cadentia'', "a falling") is the end of a phrase in which the melody or harmony creates a sense of full or partial resolution, especially in music of the 16th century onwards.Don Michael Randel (1999 ...
. The three eight-bar periods of the middle section do each have a particular design. The first one is marked by a rise to the middle and a corresponding descent of the consequent. The irregular second one, leading to the climax, reveals its excited
rhythm Rhythm (from Greek , ''rhythmos'', "any regular recurring motion, symmetry") generally means a " movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions". This general meaning of regular re ...
ic nature especially in the consequent, while the third one is a steady chromatic descent from the climax. The effect of the harmonic progression of this middle section is described thus by Leichtentritt: "A magnificent transition from E minor (bar 16) to the mildly shining E major (bar 21) hopin has changed the key signature here the exciting chains of sequences with their cross-relations (bars 29–32); the wonderfully sonorous decline to E minor so delicately shaded with accents of
timbre In music, timbre ( ), also known as tone color or tone quality (from psychoacoustics), is the perceived sound quality of a musical note, sound or tone. Timbre distinguishes different types of sound production, such as choir voices and musica ...
(bars 33–41)." The final A section is a shortened repeat of the first one. In the last seven bars a most beautiful effect is produced by the repeated use of the chord of the Neapolitan sixth to delay the final cadence and especially by the "unexpected gleaming" of A major (bar 49) in the E minor cadence. This A major enchantingly reflects the E major of the middle section (bar 24). The piece closes with a
Picardy third A Picardy third, (; french: tierce picarde) also known as a Picardy cadence or Tierce de Picardie, is a major chord of the tonic at the end of a musical section that is either modal or in a minor key. This is achieved by raising the third of the ...
, in E major.


Character

American music critic
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) calls the étude "a dark doleful
nocturne A nocturne is a musical composition that is inspired by, or evocative of, the night. History The term ''nocturne'' (from French '' nocturne'' 'of the night') was first applied to musical pieces in the 18th century, when it indicated an ensembl ...
. the melody is full of stifled sorrow." Italian composer and editor
Alfredo Casella Alfredo Casella (25 July 18835 March 1947) was an Italian composer, pianist and conductor. Life and career Casella was born in Turin, the son of Maria (née Bordino) and Carlo Casella. His family included many musicians: his grandfather, a fr ...
(1883–1947) speaks of "meditated grief" and thinks "it is difficult to conceive an elegy more severe and sober than this study." French pianist Alfred Cortot (1877–1962) on the other hand calls the character of this study "feverish and concentrated" and insists that "below the passionate lament of the upper voice we must hear a vital lower part uniting with it etpreserving its own timbre and its own freedom of rhythm."


Tempo

Chopin's
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 ...
, given in the original French and German editions, is  = 69 referring to
dotted quarter note In Western musical notation, a dotted note is a note with a small dot written after it. In modern practice, the first dot increases the duration of the basic note by half (the original note with an extra beam) of its original value. This mea ...
s. The English edition has  = 69 referring to
quarter note A quarter note (American) or crotchet ( ) (British) is a musical note played for one quarter of the duration of a whole note (or semibreve). Quarter notes are notated with a filled-in oval note head and a straight, flagless stem. The stem ...
s instead. Austrian pianist and composer Gottfried Galston (1879–1950) suggests a tempo of  = 50, as "the carrying power of the modern piano's
cantabile In music, ''cantabile'' , an Italian word, means literally "singable" or "songlike". In instrumental music, it is a particular style of playing designed to imitate the human voice. For 18th-century composers, ''cantabile'' is often synonymous wit ...
allows for a broader layout of the cantilena." He also believes that "the tempo of this étude is subjected to the most multifarious fluctuations." Polish pianist and editor
Jan Ekier Jan Stanisław Ekier (29 August 1913 – 15 August 2014) was a Polish pianist and composer known for his authoritative edition of Chopin's music for the Chopin National Edition. Biography Ekier was born in Kraków, Poland. As a youth, he ...
(born 1913) writes in the ''Performance Commentary'' to the Polish National Edition that this étude is "always performed slower or much slower than is indicated by hopin'stempo. the tempo becomes as much as three times slower than the authentic one, thus changing the metronomic unit from  = 69 to  = 69. The causes could be discerned in certain performance "traditions" prevailing during the second half of the nineteenth century, which had little in common with those derived directly from Chopin."


Technical difficulties

In Schumann's 1836 ''
Neue Zeitschrift für Musik 'Die'' (; en, " heNew Journal of Music") is a music magazine, co-founded in Leipzig by Robert Schumann, his teacher and future father-in law Friedrich Wieck, and his close friend Ludwig Schuncke. Its first issue appeared on 3 April 1834. His ...
'' article on piano études, the study, together with Op. 10, No. 3, is classified under the category "melody and accompaniment in one hand simultaneously." Cortot states that the attention of the student should be directed to perfecting polyphonic playing, an expressive intensity of tone and
legato In music performance and notation, legato (; Italian for "tied together"; French ''lié''; German ''gebunden'') indicates that musical notes are played or sung smoothly and connected. That is, the player makes a transition from note to note wit ...
and believes that finding the individual tone for each of the simultaneous melodic lines is a particular difficulty.Cortot, p. 40 He suggests to produce the tone of the upper part by pressing the keys to the bottom with firm and straight fingers. To ensure even action of the fingers playing the figure in semiquavers he recommends to start practicing in a
non legato Non, non or NON can refer to: * ''Non'', a negatory word in French, Italian and Latin People *Non (given name) *Non Boonjumnong (born 1982), Thai amateur boxer * Rena Nōnen (born 1993), Japanese actress who uses the stage name "Non" since July ...
where the fingers do not lose contact with the key. For the final legato the weight of the hand should bear slightly on each semiquaver to produce a kind of
portamento In music, portamento (plural: ''portamenti'', from old it, portamento, meaning "carriage" or "carrying") is a pitch sliding from one note to another. The term originated from the Italian expression "''portamento della voce''" ("carriage of the ...
with a timbre that will not merge into the upper melodic line. Cortot also introduces an exercise for flexibility of the foot to produce an "uninterrupted quivering"
pedal A pedal (from the Latin '' pes'' ''pedis'', "foot") is a lever designed to be operated by foot and may refer to: Computers and other equipment * Footmouse, a foot-operated computer mouse * In medical transcription, a pedal is used to control p ...
, but advises to practice the finger legato first without pedal. There are no original pedal marks by Chopin.


Arrangements

A version for the left hand alone can be found in
Leopold Godowsky Leopold Mordkhelovich Godowsky Sr. (13 February 1870 – 21 November 1938) was a Lithuanian-born American virtuoso pianist, composer and teacher. He was one of the most highly regarded performers of his time, known for his theories concernin ...
's 53 '' Studies on Chopin's Études''. Canadian pianist
Marc-André Hamelin Marc-André Hamelin, OC, CQ (born September 5, 1961), is a Canadian virtuoso pianist and composer. Hamelin is recognized worldwide for the originality and technical proficiency of his performances of the classic repertoire. He has received 11 Gr ...
(born 1961) describes this "most beautiful achievement" thus: "A continuous, rapid line of demisemiquavers snakes its way around and through Chopin's melancholic chorale, enhancing it without being in the least bit obtrusive." 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. 17.


Notes and references


External links

*
''Chopin Etude Op. 10, No. 6''
played by Alfred Cortot (YouTube)
''Chopin Etude Op. 10, No. 6''
played by
Claudio Arrau Claudio Arrau León (; February 6, 1903June 9, 1991) was a Chilean pianist known for his interpretations of a vast repertoire spanning the baroque to 20th-century composers, especially Bach, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Schumann, Liszt and B ...
(YouTube)
''Chopin Etude Op. 10, No. 6''
played by
Vladimir Horowitz Vladimir Samoylovich Horowitz; yi, וולאַדימיר סאַמוילאָוויטש האָראָוויץ, group=n (November 5, 1989)Schonberg, 1992 was a Russian-born American classical pianist. Considered one of the greatest pianists of al ...
(YouTube)
''Chopin Etude Op. 10, No. 6''
played by Samson Francois (YouTube)
''Chopin/Godowsky Op. 10 No. 6'' (left hand)
played by David Saperton (1952) (YouTube)
''Chopin/Godowsky Op.10 No.6'' (left hand)
played by
Marc-André Hamelin Marc-André Hamelin, OC, CQ (born September 5, 1961), is a Canadian virtuoso pianist and composer. Hamelin is recognized worldwide for the originality and technical proficiency of his performances of the classic repertoire. He has received 11 Gr ...
(YouTube) {{DEFAULTSORT:Etude Op. 10, No. 6 (Chopin) 10 06 1830 compositions Compositions in E-flat minor