Noctave
The piece
The twenty-four preludes of Op. 28, published in 1839, pass through every major and minor key, following the circle of fifths. The seventh rests on a single idea, repeated phrase after phrase in a dance rhythm close to the mazurka. Each phrase starts from the same upbeat and the same rhythm, a dotted eighth and a sixteenth followed by two quarter notes, then settles on a held chord. The musical text is that of the 1879 Peters edition.
Chords are everywhere: in the right hand, the melody sits on top of two- or three-note chords, and the top finger needs more weight so the tune stays in front. The left hand strikes a low bass on beat one, then two chords higher up: the jump has to be quick and never harsh. The climax arrives on a wider, rolled chord coloured by an A-sharp, which asks you to open the hand. Change the pedal with each bass note so the harmonies don't blur, and keep the sixteenth light, like a dancer's step.