Chopin Prelude no.15

Chopin Prelude no.15

1. Melody

   • Section A
     • Regular four-bar phrasing except bars 16-10 which has 2 bar phrasing
     • Chromatic movement in melodies
     • Main idea is falling motifs
     • Cantabile melody in a singing style
   • Section B
     • less melodic
     • Range of notes increase with both hands (octives)
     • Melody mostly in left hand
     • Four bar phrasing is mostly used
   • Coda is less melodic

2. Dynamics

   • Varied dynamics: PP-FF
   • Diminuendo and crescendo often used
   • Smorzando used to make piece quieter and slower at end
   • Slentando-gradually slower
   • Ritenuto-held back (gettinf slower)

3. rhythm, metre, tempo

   • use of rubato at start
   • Ritenuto slows piece at end
   • Smorzando and slentando at end (slow)
   • Metre is 4/4
   • Long and short notes used
   • dotted notes used in main motif
   • Chordal minims used

4. structure

   • Ternery form
   • codetta at end

5. Harmony and tonality

   • Section A - D flat major
     • Section B C# minor - tonic minor enharmonic
   • Section A
     • Beginning diatonic
     • Perfect cadence at end of motif
     • A flats in left hands represent raindrops falling
   • Section B
     • Dramatic E major chord
     • Perfect cadence at end
     • Inverted dominant pedal
     • In this section there are imperfect cadences at the end of every phrase

6. Instrumentation

   • Piano uses full range
   • Section A played delicate/ B playued harsh
   • Right hand melody /left hand accopanoment in section A but other way round section B

7. Texture

   • Homophonic