Prelude No.15 in D♭

Romantic period 1825-1900

Chopin 1810-1849 born in Poland, setlled in Paris

Composed 1839 (finished)

From Op. 28 24 preludes, 12 ma jor, 12 minor

Raindrop prelude pedal notes A♭ (dominant pedal)

Solo piano

Middle + lower range of piano mostly used

Not virtuoso in character, legato singing tone

Sustain pedal resonance, legato melodies

A♭ pedal note 'raindrop', dominant pedal

Section A

• Bars 1-27
• Major key (D♭)
• Long melody, heard several times
• Septuplet 

Section B

• Bars 28-75
• Enharmonic tonic minor (C♯)                                       
• New melody (in basses)

Section A'

• Bars 78-end
• Major key (D♭)
• Shorter version of section A
• Dectuplet 

C (same as) 4/4

Rubato 'borrowed time' fexible pulse, expressive

Unusual rhythmic effects septuplet + dectuplet

Repeating quavers throughout 

Reapeated dotted rhythm in Section A

Section A:

• Lyrical melody in right hand
  
• Ornaments 
• Dotted rhythms and chromaticism 

Section B:

• In bass longer notes, narrower range
• 4 + 8 bar phrases

Legato played slowly

Diatonic

Occasional chromaticism 

Imperfect cadence sections A + B

Perfect cadence section A' (end)

Dominant pedal through most of the piece

Section A + A' 

• melody in RH
• broken chords in LH

Section B

• melody in LH
• inverted pedal doubled in octaves

Coda

• short monophonic section

Acciaccatura bar 4

Turn bar 11

Sotto voce quietly, like musical whisper

Smorzando dying away

Slentando/rilenuto slow down

* release sustaining pedal

Crescendos + diminuendos used regularly

Wide range pp to ff

No sudden contrasts all gradual

Section A quieter than section B

Prelude in D♭ major bars 1-4

Opening of section B