Prelude in E minor, Op. 28 No. 4
Chopin's Prelude in E minor, Op. 28 No. 4, is a short, slow piece and a classic first Chopin. Its melody is simple; the work is in the left hand's soft repeated chords, which slide one note at a time through many accidentals. Octotune grades it 6 of 8.
At a glance
| Composer | Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849) |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Intermediate: grade 6 of 8 |
| Key | E minor (1 sharp (F♯)) |
| Time | 2/2 |
| Tempo | 56 quarter-note beats a minute, as the app starts it (it can go slower) |
| Length | 26 bars, about 1:48 |
| Hands | both hands |
| Right hand | B3 to C6 |
| Left hand | E1 to A4 |
It reaches past the staff: see ledger lines explained.
Levels in the app
| Version | Grade | Levels |
|---|---|---|
| Prelude in E minor, Op. 28 No. 4 | 6 of 8 | Melody, Melody and bass, Full |
Practice notes
The E minor Prelude, No. 4 of Chopin's 24 Preludes, Op. 28, is marked Largo: very slow. It lasts about two minutes and was played at Chopin's funeral. For many pianists it is their first Chopin.
How it is built. The right hand sings a melody of long notes that barely moves: it leans from B to C and back, then slowly slips lower. Under it, the left hand repeats soft chords in eighth notes. In each new chord usually only one note moves, often by a semitone, so the harmony sinks gradually. Halfway through, the melody rises to a brief, passionate climax, then the opening returns and the piece dies away on three final chords.
Why Octotune grades it 6. Not for speed. The left-hand chords are full of sharps, flats and naturals, and Octotune's grading counts notes outside the key. Reading them is the real work.
Practice plan
- Left hand as blocks. Play each chord once, as a held chord, and follow how one note moves each time. Say which note changes.
- Then the repeated eighths, very softly and evenly, like a pulse.
- Right hand alone, singing, with the dotted rhythm of the opening pick-up exact.
- Together, slowly. Keep the chords well under the melody.
Also try: the Prelude in A major, No. 7, a 16-bar mazurka-like miniature, graded 5 of 8.
Before you start: Octotune's path through Unit 10. E minor shares G major's key signature, one sharp.
Questions
What is the easiest Chopin prelude?
The E minor Prelude, Op. 28 No. 4, and the A major Prelude, No. 7, are the usual first Chopin pieces. In Octotune's grading the A major Prelude comes out a little easier (5 of 8) and the E minor 6 of 8, because of its many accidentals.
Is Chopin's E minor Prelude hard?
The notes are slow and few, but the left hand's chords change one note at a time through many accidentals, and the piece needs quiet control. Octotune grades it 6 of 8.
Credits and licence
- Music: Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849)
- Typeset by Magnus Lewis-Smith for the Mutopia Project
- Licence: Public Domain
- Source and printable sheet music: the Mutopia Project’s page for this piece