A curious marking, and usually overlooked by
pianists, is the crescendo and con forza of the cadenza. This is
obviously erroneous. The theme, which occurs three times, should
first be piano, then pianissimo, and lastly forte. This opus is
dedicated to the Comtesse d'Appony.
The best part of the next nocturne,--B major, op. 32, No. I,
dedicated to Madame de Billing--is the coda. It is in the minor
and is like the drum-beat of tragedy. The entire ending, a stormy
recitative, is in stern contrast to the dreamy beginning. Kullak
in the first bar of the last line uses a G; Fontana, F sharp, and
Klindworth the same as Kullak. The nocturne that follows in A
flat is a reversion to the Field type, the opening recalling that
master's B flat Nocturne. The F minor section of Chopin's
broadens out to dramatic reaches, but as an entirety this opus is
a little tiresome. Nor do I admire inordinately the Nocturne in G
minor, op. 37, No. 1. It has a complaining tone, and the choral
is not noteworthy. This particular part, so Chopin's pupil
Gutmann declared, is taken too slowly, the composer having
forgotten to mark the increased tempo.
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