When most of his piano music has gone the way of all
things fashioned by mortal hands, these studies will endure, will
stand for the nineteenth century as Beethoven crystallized the
eighteenth, Bach the seventeenth centuries in piano music. Chopin
is a classic.
VII. MOODS IN MINIATURE:--THE PRELUDES.
The Preludes bear the opus number 28 and are dedicated to J. C.
Kessler, a composer of well-known piano studies. It is only the
German edition that bears his name, the French and English being
inscribed by Chopin "a son ami Pleyel." As Pleyel advanced the
pianist 2,000 francs for the Preludes he had a right to say:
"These are my Preludes." Niecks is authority for Chopin's remark:
"I sold the Preludes to Pleyel because he liked them." This was
in 1838, when Chopin's health demanded a change of climate. He
wished to go to Majorca with Madame Sand and her children, and
had applied for money to the piano maker and publisher, Camille
Pleyel. He received but five hundred francs in advance, the
balance being paid on delivery of the manuscript.
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