What is the deal with the repeated e natural that invades Chopin's Prelude in F# Major and sticks out like a sore thumb? Even when it resolves, the resolution isn't satisfying and it just sounds wrong. I thought it was just me and my poor playing, but even the greats don't make that note sound good to me. What am I not getting? It feels like there has to be a reason behind Chopin's choice for that e natural, and I don't see it. My favorite performance of this piece is by Grigory Sokolov. http://youtu.be/aLMjl3zDtLE |
Maybe it's the E# in the left hand grinding up against it that bothers you? I seem to remember thinking that the left hand dissonances were what really required artistry. Try playing the piece without the E-natural. It sounds pretty bland. Try playing it with E# instead of E-Natural. Harmonically that would probably be typical of a lesser composer. To me changing it to E# makes it sound like something from Captain & Tennille. Technically I think he's using the E-Natural as a leading tone to D#, to begin a modulation to B-Major, but Chopin being Chopin he instead moves to the relative G# Minor. So gloomy. |