Prelude in A major, Op. 28 No. 7

F. ChopinOp. 28 No. 7

Key

A

Time

3/4

Tempo

♩=60

AO focus

AO2

Form

Prelude — 16 bars total, the shortest of Chopin's Op. 28 set. Mazurka-flavoured rhythm, A major throughout with a brief tonicisation of the supertonic. A first-recital staple.

Teaching points

• Mazurka rhythm — the second beat of each bar is gently lengthened. Practise the LH with this 'slight push' on beat 2
• Single dynamic arc — a single phrase shape over 16 bars: build to bar 12 (chromatic apex), then fade
• AO2: less than a minute long but musically complete — use as warm-up audition or encore