Chopin, Étude Op 25 No 1

The second set of Études composed by Frédérick Chopin, the Opus 25, is dedicated to Countess Marie d'Agoult, companion of Franz Liszt for those years. The Hungarian composer had already received the dedication of Opus 10, whose "exercises" (as Chopin called them) he would play in an exceptional way. So, Frédéric assumed that he would do well by dedicating this "second part" of the exercises to his friend's lover, although Marie was not a pianist. But she did sing. She used to write, as well, but not romantic stories. Under the pseudonym "Daniel Stern", Marie is the author of an essay entitled History of the Revolution of 1848, which, it is said, Karl Marx held in high esteem, to the point of becoming an invaluable source to carry out his own essay on class struggle in France.

The Études of Opus 25 were composed in Paris, during the years 1834-1836, and published in 1837. Those years are pleasant for Frédérick. Having arrived in Paris in 1831, after a couple of years he has made friends among musicians: Liszt, Berlioz, Mendelssohn and many others. And despite living only from his lessons with a little more than was fair (he was a prodigal being in gifts and loans to compatriots in distress), he is the fashion man in Paris...

One day he has lunch with the ambassador of England, another with the baron of Rothschild. Of course, it's a must to attend well dressed, as elegantly as possible. A Polish friend, in a letter to Chopin's parents, says: "Chopin is in good health and vigorous, turning the heads of all the French women, and arousing the envy of the men. He is currently in fashion, and soon the world will see gloves à la Chopin."

Étude Opus 25 No. 1
This Étude, in A-flat major, demands from the performer's hands a great lightness, especially if both hands must play arpeggios embracing a large section of the keyboard. Added to this is a great ability to give the upper singing a perfect legato despite the use of a single finger, which at times must move, fast, at a great distance.

Robert Schumann, who heard the Étude played by Chopin himself, said:
"... this study is more a poem than a study. ...Would be wrong who believed that Chopin made each small note clearly heard ... through harmonies, the wonderful melody was perceived in long notes. Halfway through, alongside this song, a tenor voice emerges from the wave of chords ... ".

The rendition is by Daniel Barenboim. The tenor voice that Schumann discovers "halfway through" is heard here around minute 0:40.

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