No. II in B is all too brief. It is vivacious, dolce indeed, and
most cleverly constructed. Klindworth gives a more binding
character to the first double notes. Another gleam of the Chopin
sunshine.
Storm clouds gather in the G sharp minor, the twelfth prelude, so
unwittingly imitated by Grieg in his Menuetto of the same key,
and in its driving presto we feel the passionate clench of
Chopin's hand. It is convulsed with woe, but the intellectual
grip, the self-command are never lost in these two pages of
perfect writing. The figure is suggestive, and there is a well
defined technical problem, as well as a psychical character.
Disputed territory is here: the editors do not agree about the
twelfth and eleventh bars from the last. According to Breitkopf &
Hartel the bass octaves are E both times. Mikuli gives G sharp
the first time instead of E; Klindworth, G sharp the second time;
Riemann, E, and also Kullak. The G sharp seems more various.
In the thirteenth prelude, F sharp major, here is lovely
atmosphere, pure and peaceful. The composer has found mental
rest.
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