Prelude in C major, Op. 28 No. 1

F. ChopinOp. 28 No. 1

Key

C

Time

2/8

Tempo

♩=60

AO focus

AO2

Form

Agitato — 8 bars long. Opens the Op. 28 set with rolling broken-chord arpeggios in C major. Explicitly modelled on Bach's WTC Prelude in C (BWV 846).

Teaching points

• Bach homage — same key, similar broken-chord pattern; Chopin compresses 35 bars into 8
• Sustained pedal — held notes within each bar, rapid figuration on top
• Practical: a Grade 5 piano warm-up; combines beautifully with BWV 846