Classical Music | Piano Music

Frédéric Chopin

Scherzo No. 2 in b-flat minor, Op. 31  Play

Mario Carreño Piano

Recorded on 05/05/2011, uploaded on 05/12/2011

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

Chopin composed his second of four scherzos for the piano in 1837. It begins with a short motif based around the notes of the B-flat minor triad ending questioningly on its fifth. Colossal fortissimo chords then sound in resounding response. This introductory passage, vacillating between the keys of B-flat minor, D-flat major and F minor, and ending in the latter, breaks off in anticipation of the arrival of the scherzo’s main theme. Establishing firmly the key of D-flat major as the prevailing tonic, elegant passagework leads to the Scherzo’s beautiful con anima melody. The melody gradually unfolds over a lush harmonic accompaniment in the left hand. As is typical of Chopin, the introduction and melody are repeated again with variation.

Following a flourishing close in D-flat major, the trio section shifts to the key of A major. For this reason, it is better to consider D-flat major, instead of B-flat minor, as the key of the Scherzo. In sharp contrast, the trio begins with sostenuto chords with the faint reminiscent sounds of the Scherzo’s melody hidden within. A somber tune in F-sharp minor follows the sustained opening and becomes the centerpiece of the trio. The triplet flourishes that underlie this theme eventually lead the music to a beautiful and graceful passage of arpeggios over a descending bass line in E major. Like the scherzo, the trio is also repeated and upon its close leads into a transitory passage, built upon the prior F-sharp minor tune, and soon the return of the Scherzo. At the conclusion of the scherzo’s reprise, a sudden change back into A major for eight measures signals the arrival of the coda. Energetic and placing several of the scherzo’s motivic ideas in close proximity, the coda brings the scherzo to an exciting close.     Joseph DuBose

Listeners' Comments        (You have to be logged in to leave comments)

Great emotion. It reminds me of my mother's playing when she was in a positive mood and things were going well for her. In contrast, she played "Fantasy in F-minor, Op. 49" a lot after her two divorces and a discovery that her hands had a deformity that prevented/pained her when trying concert-level works. When I was young, she could play this Scherzo No. 2 well. I was only about 7 at the time, but I remember the work well. (I'm 74.)

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