Chopin, Étude No 12, Opus 25

A staid friendship
Frédérick Chopin was a year older than Franz Liszt. They were good friends but not close friends. They played many times together, in the salons of Paris, or went on stage to play four hands. They respected each other; somewhat more Franz to Frédérick than Frédérick to Franz. The Hungarian master wrote laudatory reviews of Chopin on many occasions. About Liszt, the Polish master did not write a single word (nor did he about any other colleague). On the level of musical offerings, as far as we know, the Hungarian master did not dedicate any piece to Chopin. Still, the Polish master dedicated the twelve Etudes of Opus 10, from 1833, "to mon ami Franz Liszt". 

Marie d'Agoult (1805 - 1876)

Both musicians, champions of the romantic piano of the 19th century, had their mistresses. They were both great writers. George Sand, Frédéric's companion for nine years, wrote like a whirlwind, starting a novel the same night she finished another. Marie d'Agoult, Franz Liszt's companion for eleven years, collaborated with the French opposition press under the pseudonym of Daniel Stern.

Both women were friends before they met their respective pianists. As time went by they drifted apart... Mme Sand esteemed Liszt, but Marie was somewhat jealous of Chopin's genius. At first, she would applaud him. Years later she will say "Chopin, an oyster sprinkled with sugar... the only permanent thing about him is his cough". Mme Sand will take revenge and "portray" Marie, in her style, in a novel.

Surprisingly, Chopin will dedicate the next volume of études, the 12 Études of Opus 25, to Mme Marie d'Agoult.

Twelve Études - Opus 25

Although published in 1837, ten of the twelve etudes were composed simultaneously as those in Opus 10. Only the first and last were incorporated at a later date.

Opinions on the merits of both collections have varied over the past two centuries. Some see Opus 25 as clearly superior to Opus 10. On the other hand, Robert Schumann always expressed greater regard for the latter.

Etude No. 12 in C minor, Op 25

It is also known occasionally as the "Ocean" Etude, because of the large "waves of arpeggios" that must run across the keyboard, with both hands, throughout the piece, supporting the melodic motif by octaves in the basses. The technical demands are enormous. At the end of two and a half minutes, it resolves in major mode.

The rendition, superb, is by the Russian pianist Daniil Kharitonov.