Historical Pleyel piano. A study of the item no. 32 490 of 1862 on the basis of Preludes op. 28 by Fryderyk Chopin, part 2
Journal Title: Notes Muzyczny - Year 2016, Vol 1, Issue 5
Abstract
The second part of the cycle begins with an overview of the general issues in Fryderyk Chopin’s Preludes op. 28. The collection fascinates its researchers to this day and is a subject of numerous papers whose authors make many attempts to define its origin, structure and issues and thoroughly analyse numerous aspects connected with its architectural construction, i.e., both its elements and the cycle as a whole. Among the numerous questions concerning the dates when Preludes were written, we are only certain about when the cycle was finished. Józef Chomiński and Jean-Jacques Eigeldinger look for traces merging the cycle as a whole, but each of them in his own way. Mieczysław Tomaszewski in turn notices that each Prelude represents a certain unique mood, absent in the rest of the cycle and appearing for only one moment, and then turning into another one, often based on the contracting types of expression. Almost all elements shaping these pieces are subject to this principle. Despite the references to the traditions of his predecessors, Chopin’s Preludes remain something new and original; Liszt accurately called them “poetic preludes” and he characterized them as “compositions of an order entirely apart”. He stressed that Chopin’s miniatures stopped to perform the functions of the genre and became independent pieces “ of full value” in a way and – despite intentional miniaturization in many cases – they are absolutely finished. Krosno’s Pleyel (purchased by the Museum in Krosno from Maria Zaliwska in 1861) was rediscovered by Bożena Weber during her visit to Krosno in 1997. Having learned about its real value, the Sub-Carpathian Museum management decided to bring the instrument back to the concert activity. The thorough renovation with preserving the original elements of the piano ended in 1999. Having performed a few concerts on the piano, the author decided to examine the instrument in detail, setting the cycle of Preludes op. 28 as the sound material. The results of the analysis and the conclusions from the made recording were published in his doctoral thesis entitled A modern pianist vs. historical Pleyel piano. A study of the item no. 32 490 of 1862 from the Sub-Carpathian Museum in Krosno on the basis of Preludes op. 28 by Fryderyk Chopin, which is available at the library of the Academy of Music in Łódź. The differences between the analysed instrument and a modern piano generally consist in a few basic construction elements of Chopin’s piano: parallel strings, resulting in the diversity of sound in separate registers, and the single escapement mechanism, which forces an artist to revise a number of aspects of his musical skills, especially the legato technique and the fast repetition. These and other features of the historical piano create a group determining a specific sound aesthetics, which is definitely characteristic of Chopin’s style.<br/><br/>
Authors and Affiliations
Daniel Eibin
Keywords
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