Chopin
Please listen for a moment to the voice of Maria Callas. [Example 1]. I am interested in the way she connects those last notes, the downward gentle slide—what we call a portamento. Here’s just that bit [Example 2]. It’s an effect easily imitated on the violin, as in this tiny portion of the Ave Maria, played by Mischa Elman [Example 3]. But what about the piano. You are probably familiar with this famous Nocturne in F#. [Play opening.]
The second section goes like this. [Play up to second portamento.]
Chopin is clearly causing the piano, through use of the pedal and quick chromatic notes, to imitate this vocal effect. He might even have had Bellini in mind. Do you think Tchaikovsky drew inspiration from this Nocturne? There is no doubt he knew and loved Chopin’s music. Listen to this bit from the first movement of his Fourth Symphony [Example 4]. The clarinet, and then flutes, give us their version of the portamento.
I might not press the point if I didn’t think there was a more fundamental influence of Chopin on Tchaikovsky. But it involves harmony. You may remember that, in a previous festival, I made mention of the German Augmented Sixth Chord, whereapon a man in the audience stood up and threw a rotten avocado at me. Discussions of harmony tend to elicit such reactions. But I will not be defeated by an avocado. I am going now to talk about the Inverted German Augmented Sixth Chord. Here is a normal German Sixth [play];
here is an inverted German Sixth [play].
It is a familiar sound in Chopin [play C minor Polonaise;
then Waltz in Ab]
Tchikovsky loved this chord. [play Symphony No. 5 ist mvt;
then violin concerto].
In both cases, I’ve given you two out of dozens, if not hundreds, of examples.
Going beyond single chords to the way in which phrases are structured. Here is a passage from Chopin’s Mazurka in C# minor [play and then show major chords in upward minor 3rds pattern].
This phrase design is imitated exactly in Tchaikovsky’s 4th symphony second mvt [play].
And then there is Wagner. Let me remind you of the Chopin excerpt [play again].
Now, from the Liebestod [play];
and from Parsifal [play].
One of the most striking parallels between Chopin and Wagner, which is often cited, occurs in Chopin’s first Ballade. [play big A major theme; then the octaves passage and show Tristan chord on exact pitches and spacing.]
One of Brahms’s earliest piano works to survive is the Scherzo, Op. 4. It begins like this. [play]
Now please remember Chopin’s Second Scherzo, which begins like this [play].
Debussy dedicated his late set of piano etudes to Chopin. That was a tribute. But the influence can be heard in much earlier works. Think for a moment of Chopin’s famous E major Etude, which begins like this [play].
Its middle section has this very chromatic passagework [play].
Debussy’s well known Reflets dan l’eau has this phrase on its first page [play].
I am also convinced that a famous work such as L’isle joyeuse shows thematic transformation similar to that in Chopin’s first ballade [play comparison].
You may have noticed that I have almost entirely ignored the music on today’s program, which is what I am supposed to be talking about. The selection of music on Program 11 well illustrates Chopin’s influence in genres of piano solo, what might be called the salon genres, and these pieces really do speak for themselves.
We do have, however, Chopin’s last published work, his cello sonata, which he wrote for his close friend August Franchomme. It is first mentioned in a letter dated December 12, 1845. Then on October 11, 1846 “I am at times content, at other times not, with my Sonata with violoncello. I throw it into a corner, then gather it up anew.” By April 19, 1847 the work seems to have been completed but not ready for publication. Movements two, three and four were done with Franchomme on the last public concert Chopin played in Paris—on February 16, 1848. The omitted first movement was judged by some of the composer’s friends to be too obscure for the larger public. Subsequent listeners have thought otherwise. It is altogether a fine addition to the cello’s repertoire—provided that the cellist has a brilliant pianist at hand. Beethoven, in his cello and piano sonatas, went to some trouble to place the two hands of the piano in registers that allow the cello to sing through. Often above the cello part or below it. Brahms famously ignored the problem, allegedly telling his cellist people were better off not hearing him. You will have to decide how well Chopin managed the challenge of balancing these instruments. My favorite spot in the whole piece comes at the end of the lovely third movement. The piano’s right hand engages in a tender duet with the cello (Example 5).
I know you will enjoy this program.
Works discussed:
Chopin Nocturne in F#
Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4 First and second movements
Chopin Polonaise in C minor
Chopin Waltz in Ab
Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5 First movement
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto
Chopin Mazurka in C# minor
Wagner Liebestod
Wagner Parsifal
Chopin First Ballade
Brahms Scherzo op. 4
Chopin Scherzo No. 2
Chopin Etude in E major
Debussy Reflet dan l’eau
Debussy L’isle joyeuse
Chopin Cello Sonata