Von Bulow has common sense on his side. The B flat is a
misprint. The same authority recommends slow staccato practice,
with the lid of the piano closed. Then the hurly-burly of tone
will not intoxicate the player and submerge his critical faculty.
Each editor has his notion of the phrasing of the initial
sixteenths. Thus Mikuli's--which is normal:
[Musical score excerpt]
Klindworth fingers this passage more ingeniously, but phrases it
about the same, omitting the sextolet mark. Kullak retains it.
Von Bulow makes his phrase run in this fashion:
[Musical score excerpt]
As regards grouping, Riemann follows Von Bulow, but places his
accents differently.
The canvas is Chopin's largest--for the idea and its treatment
are on a vastly grander scale than any contained in the two
concertos. The latter are after all miniatures, precious ones if
you will, joined and built with cunning artifice; in neither work
is there the resistless overflow of this etude, which has been
compared to the screaming of the winter blasts. Ah, how Chopin
puts to flight those modern men who scheme out a big decorative
pattern and then have nothing wherewith to fill it! He never
relaxes his theme, and its fluctuating surprises are many.
Pages:
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217