The Sarmatian composer had not yet
unlearned the value of reserve. The Klindworth reading of this
troubled poem is the best though Kullak used Chopin's autographic
copy. There is no metronomic sign in this autograph. Tellefsen
gives 69 to the quarter; Klindworth, 60; Riemann, 69; Mikuli, the
same; Von Bulow and Kullak, 60. Kullak also gives several
variante from the text, adding an A flat to the last group in bar
II. Riemann and the others make the same addition. The note must
have been accidentally omitted from the Chopin autograph. Two
bars will illustrate what Riemann can accomplish when he makes up
his mind to be explicit, leaving little to the imagination:
[Illustration without caption]
A luscious touch, and a sympathetic soul is needed for this
nocturne study.
We emerge into a clearer, more bracing atmosphere in the C major
study, No. 7. It is a genuine toccata, with moments of tender
twilight, serving a distinct technical purpose--the study of
double notes and changing on one key--and is as healthy as the
toccata by Robert Schumann.
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