Chopin Genres


Chopin's composing genres (large scale = 24 to 40 minutes): 

     Piano Concerto   -  A three movement work for piano and orchestra.  Chopin 
                                    wrote two piano concertos: No. 1, Op. 11 and No. 2, Op. 22    

     Variations           -   A formal technique where material is repeated in an altered 
                                    form.  The changes may involve melody, rhythm, harmony
                                    counterpoint, timbre, orchestration.  Chopin wrote several
                                    sets of variations as a teen, the most important being his 
                                    Variations on "Là ci darem la mano" from Mozart's Don 
                                    GiovanniOp. 2  (1827)

     Piano Trio          -  A multi-movement (in Chopin's case, four) work for piano, 
                                   violin, & cello.  

     Cello Sonata      -  A multi-movement (in Chopin's case, four) work for cello 
                                   and piano
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     Piano Sonata      -  A multi-movement (in Chopin's case, four) work for solo 
                                   piano.  Chopin wrote three piano sonatasNo. 2 being the 
                                   most popular. 
                                                               

     Étude                 -  A musical piece for improving a certain technique.  Chopin 
                                   created the 'concert étude' for public performance.  His two
                                   sets of twelve études, Op. 10 and Op. 25,  are two of his 
                                   greatest works.     

     Prelude              -  Before Chopin, a prelude was a short piece of music that 
                                   preceded another piece.  Chopin's preludes are stand-alone
                                   pieces.  His Preludes, Op. 28  consists of 24 preludes, one 
                                   in every major and minor key.  Op. 28 is considered a 
                                   masterpiece.   


Chopin's composing genres (medium scale =  8- 16 minutes): 


     Scherzo             -  The scherzo (meaning 'joke') is a short ternary (A-B-A) piece 
                                   in 3/4 time.  It was invented by Joseph Haydn who occasion
                                   -ally used it as a replacement for the minuet movement found  
                                   in Classical era symphonies and string quartets.  Beethoven 
                                   almost always used it instead of the minuet  and the minuet 
                                   faded from use by 1810.  Chopin used the scherzo in two of 
                                   his three piano sonatas (Sonata No. 1 having the only minuet 
                                   he ever wrote) plus he wrote four stand-alone scherzi

     Impromptu        -   Musical pieces seemingly spontaneous, off-hand, improvised. 
                                    Chopin composed four impromptus, including the famous 
                                    Fantaisie-Impromptu.

     Ballade              -   From the Renaissance, a work of French narrative poetry,  
                                    often set to music.  Chopin created the 'instrumental ballade,' 
                                    writing four of them.   

     Fantaisie            -   (Italian: fantasia), (English: fantasy)  Imaginary, dream-like, 
                                     other-worldly.  Like an impromptu, it is freeform, following 
                                     no strict musical form.  Chopin's Fantaisie in F minor
                                     Polonaise-Fantaisie in A♭ majorand Fantaisie-Impromptu 
                                     in C♯ minor are Chopin's most famous fantaisies. 

     Rondo                 -   A multi-section piece in which the first played section (A) 
                                     must be replayed right after any other section (B, C, or D) 
                                     is played.  'A-B-A-C-A' and 'A-B-A-C-A-B-A' are the two 
                                    most common rondo patterns.  Chopin wrote four rondos.   


Chopin's composing genres (small scale =  1 - 8 minutes): 


     Nocturne        -  is usually a musical composition that is inspired by, or 
                               evocative of, the night.  Chopin's 21 nocturnes are highly 
                                regarded by both classical music aficionados and general 
                                listeners.  

     Popular 19th century dance genre works: 

           Waltz         -  A German/Austrian dance in 3/4 time.  Chopin wrote at least 
                                19  waltzes (including several very famous ones) and maybe 
                                up to 35.  

           Polonaise  -  A polonaise is a medium paced Polish dance in 3/4 time.  
                                Two 16th notes before the second beat produce a march-like 
                                drive.  There are 16 extant Chopin polonaises and several lost.      

  Mazurka    -  A mazurka is a polish dance in 3/4 time.  The accent falls on 
                                 either the second or third beat, giving the mazurka a staggered 
                                 feel.  Chopin wrote about 70 mazurkas, 58 are extant 

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     Other genres that Chopin composed only one small piece of music: 

            Barcarolle   -   A piece emulating folk songs of Venetian gondoliers.  
                                    Chopin's one barcarolle simulates their rhythms and 
                                    moods with a sweepingly romantic and slightly 
                                    wistful mood. 

            Krakowiak   -   A lively Polish folk dance in 2/2 time.  Chopin wrote a 
                                     piano and orchestra krakowiak in rondo form.

            Tarantella     -   A Tarantella is a family of southern Italian dances.  
                                     Chopin wrote one short tarantella for solo piano.  

             Berceuse      -   A musical piece in 6/8 time that resembles a lullaby.  
                                      Chopin wrote one berceuse 


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