The Scherzo No. 4, Op. 54, in E major by Frédéric Chopin was composed in 1842 in

Nohant Nohant-Vic () is a commune in the Indre department in central France. It is located near La Châtre, on the D943, approximately southeast of Châteauroux and consists of two villages, Vic and Nohant, extended along the road. Geography The co ...

. The scherzo was published in 1843. Unlike the preceding three scherzi (Op. 20, Op. 31, Op. 39), the E-major is generally calmer in temperament, though it still possesses some exceptionally passionate and dramatic moments. It exhibits "more capriciousness and elegance than profundity." Petazzi said this scherzo differs from the others "as if it had passed through a magically purifying expressive filter." The scherzo is in a Classical ABA form, with a trio in

C-sharp minor C-sharp minor is a minor scale based on C, with the pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. Its key signature consists of four sharps. The C-sharp natural minor scale is: : Changes needed for the melodic and harmonic versions of the scale ar ...

. It is the only one of Chopin's four scherzos primarily in a major key. As one critic explains, "When Chopin is at his happiest, most outwardly serene, then, for the pianist, he is at his most treacherous. The Fourth Scherzo is the only one in a major key and its mercurial brilliance and whimsy are notoriously hard to control." Saint-Saëns particularly liked this scherzo.Brian Morrison, Hyperion
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* Compositions by Frédéric Chopin Compositions for solo piano 1842 compositions Compositions in E major {{Classical-composition-stub