GCSE Music (Edexcel) 'Prelude No.15 in Db major, Op. 28' - Chopin

Prelude No.15 in Db major, Op. 28

Name

Raindrop Prelude

Composer

Chopin

Other Composers

·         Liszt

·         Mendelssohn

·         Schumann

Period and typical features

Romantic: 1830 – 1900

-         Use of Rubato

-         Big range of dynamics

-         More expressive and emotional with song like melodies

-         Rich and chromatic harmonies with use of dissonance and modulations

-         Frequent changes in tempo and time signature

Date written

1839

Style/ tradition

A miniature – piano solo from a collection of 24 Preludes (12 major and 12 minor)

Compositional devices

·         Pedal note – gives it the characteristic name of ‘raindrop’ prelude

-         A section: middle of the texture

-         B section: top of the texture

Rhythm, metre and tempo

·         In 4/4

·         Rhythmic feature: arabesque (bars 4 and 23), seven notes of equal length played in a crochet

·         Sostenuto (at the beginning of the piece) – sustained, legato and in an unhurried manner

·         Rubato – some notes are played…