Chopin - Raindrop Prelude in D flat

Chopin - Raindrop Prelude in D flat

1. Harmony and Tonality

   • section A in Db major
   • section B in C# minor
     • enharmonic
   • some chromatic notes
   • harmony is largely diatonic
   • uses 7th and 9th notes
   • use of inverted pedal
   • modulates to Ab major
   • pedal (point)
   • suspensions in section B
   • Sections A and B both end in imperfect cadences
   • the whole prelude ends in a perfect cadence

2. Melody

   • falling motif
   • cantabile melody lines
   • legato
   • prelude is mostly 4 and 8 bar phrases
   • regular (periodic) phrases
   • lyrical
   • ormamented
     • use of acciaccatura in bar 4
     • use of a turn in bar 11
   • melody features dotted rhythms and chromaticism

3. Genre

   • Romantic
   • romantic period was from 1780 to 1910
   • key features of romantic period:
     • music is more expressive and emotive
     • rich chromatic harmonies and lots of dissonance
     • modulation between keys
     • pieces of music are much longer

4. Instrumentation

   • written for piano
   • use of middle and lower range piano

5. Mood

   • section A is happy (major key)
   • section B is sad (minor key)

6. Structure

   • ABA / ternary form
   • short coda at end
   • unbalanced B section
   • shortened return of A section

7. Texture

   • expressive use of soft pedal
   • broken chordal accompaniment in section A
   • chordal accompaniment in section B
     • also in section B, octaves are played in right hand
   • homophonic in melody and accompaniment
   • monophonic in codetta

8. General Theory

   • composed in 1839.
   • light repeated quavers heard throughout piece, sound like raindrops, hence 'raindrop prelude'
   • prelude no. 15 out of 24
     • each piece is in a different key, each of 12 major and 12 minor

9. Rhythm

   • slow 4/4
     • time sig - C
   • septuplet in bars 4 and 23
   • dectuplet in bar 79
   • use of rubato
   • repeated quavers
   • dotted rhythms at beginning

10. Dynamics

    • varies form pp to ff
    • many crescendos and diminuendos
    • starts softly
    • section A is soft throughout
    • B section starts softly
      • then crescendos to ff
    • ends very softly / pp