In addition to the 24 preludes of opus 28, Chopin completed two other preludes, each published individually. The first of these, dating from 1841, is the Prelude in C-sharp minor, op. 45. The following prelude, No. 26 in A-flat major, was in fact Chopin’s inaugural prelude, composed in 1834 and predating those of opus 28. It was written as a gift for Pierre Wolf and remained unpublished throughout the composer’s lifetime. In 1918, it was published in Geneva and assumed erroneously the position of Chopin’s last prelude.
Bright and good-humored, the 26th Prelude can be seen as somewhat of a stepping stone to the opus 28 preludes. Chopin is known to have studied the preludes of Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier before composing his own and in the A-flat major Prelude one can discern a subtle Baroque influence, notably in the piece’s continuous sixteenth note figuration. Yet, the tunefulness and fleeting melodic line, as well as its interesting harmonic turns, is unmistakably Chopin and looks forward to the succeeding preludes. Joseph DuBose
Classical Music | Piano Music
Frédéric Chopin
Prelude in A flat major no. 26 Play
Recorded on 11/09/2008, uploaded on 02/28/2010
Musician's or Publisher's Notes
In addition to the 24 preludes of opus 28, Chopin completed two other preludes, each published individually. The first of these, dating from 1841, is the Prelude in C-sharp minor, op. 45. The following prelude, No. 26 in A-flat major, was in fact Chopin’s inaugural prelude, composed in 1834 and predating those of opus 28. It was written as a gift for Pierre Wolf and remained unpublished throughout the composer’s lifetime. In 1918, it was published in Geneva and assumed erroneously the position of Chopin’s last prelude.
Bright and good-humored, the 26th Prelude can be seen as somewhat of a stepping stone to the opus 28 preludes. Chopin is known to have studied the preludes of Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier before composing his own and in the A-flat major Prelude one can discern a subtle Baroque influence, notably in the piece’s continuous sixteenth note figuration. Yet, the tunefulness and fleeting melodic line, as well as its interesting harmonic turns, is unmistakably Chopin and looks forward to the succeeding preludes. Joseph DuBose
More music by Frédéric Chopin
Waltz Op 64 / 2
Mazurka Op. 33 No. 1 in g-sharp minor
Nocturne in D-flat Major, Op. 27, No. 2
Prelude in F major, Op. 28, No. 23, Moderato
Fantaisie-Impromptu in C-sharp Minor, Op. 66
Impromptu no. 3 in G-flat major, op. 51
Barcarolle in F-sharp Major, Op. 60
Fantasy, Op. 49
Polonaise in F-sharp minor, Op. 44
Etude Op. 10, No. 11
Performances by same musician(s)
La Cathédrale engloutie, from Preludes, Books 1, No.10
Sonata in E minor L.22 K.198
Berceuse Op.57
Sonetto 47 del Petrarca
Italian concerto, BWV 971
La Fille aux cheveux de lin, from Préludes Book 1, No. 8
Sonata in B minor L.449 K.27
Sonata No. 2 in b-flat minor, Op. 35
Prelude in C sharp minor Op. 45
Pagodes, from Estampes
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