Frédéric François Chopin (1810 – 1849) was a
Polish composer and virtuoso pianist of the Romantic
era who wrote primarily for solo piano. He has
maintained worldwide renown as a leading musician of
his era, one whose "poetic genius was based on a
professional technique that was without equal in his
generation."
The Op. 10 Études were composed in the period
1829-1832 and dedicated to Franz Liszt. This Op. 25
collection bears a dedication to Liszt's mistress,
Countess Marie d'Agoult...(+)
Frédéric François Chopin (1810 – 1849) was a
Polish composer and virtuoso pianist of the Romantic
era who wrote primarily for solo piano. He has
maintained worldwide renown as a leading musician of
his era, one whose "poetic genius was based on a
professional technique that was without equal in his
generation."
The Op. 10 Études were composed in the period
1829-1832 and dedicated to Franz Liszt. This Op. 25
collection bears a dedication to Liszt's mistress,
Countess Marie d'Agoult, a writer who used the
pseudonym Daniel Stern. One reason Chopin attempted to
capture Liszt's sympathies with the dedications had to
do with the performance design of the pieces in the two
sets: each was written to highlight some facet of
pianism. For example, in the Op. 25 collection, No. 2,
in F minor, is a study in cross rhythms, while No. 10,
in B minor, is a study in legato octaves.
The 11th entry here, in A minor, is the famous "Winter
Wind" Etude. Its proud theme evokes a wintry scene,
with the busy right hand providing swirls of notes that
seem to incarnate an angry wind. The last item in the
set, in C minor, is a study in arpeggios. The mood is
somber and agitated, and there is resemblance
throughout to the first étude of the Op. 10 set.
Although originally composed for solo piano, I created
this Interpretation of the "Winter Wind Étude" in A
Minor (Op. 25 No. 11) for String Quartet (2 Violins,
Viola & Cello).
PARTITION