Chopin's visit to Italy was of too short a duration to affect
him, at least in the style of dance. It is without the necessary
ophidian tang, and far inferior to Heller and Liszt's efforts in
the constricted form. One finds little of the frenzy ascribed to
it by Schumann in his review. It breathes of the North, not the
South, and ranks far below the A flat Impromptu in geniality and
grace.
The C minor Funeral March, composed, according to Fontana, in
1829, sounds like Mendelssohn. The trio has the processional
quality of a Parisian funeral cortege. It is modest and in no
wise remarkable. The three Ecossaises, published as op. 73, No.
3, are little dances, schottisches, nothing more. No. 2 in G is
highly popular in girls' boarding schools.
The Grand Duo Concertant for 'cello and piano is jointly composed
by Chopin and Franchomme on themes from "Robert le Diable." It
begins in E and ends in A major, and is without opus number.
Schumann thinks "Chopin sketched the whole of it, and that
Franchomme said 'Yes' to everything." It is for the salon of
1833, when it was published.
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