Chopin: The Raindrop Prelude Flashcards
What is the structure of this piece?
Ternary Form (ABA)
What is the tonality of this piece?
Db Major
Which section is in C# Minor?
B section
What key are both A sections in?
Db Major
What is a cadence?
2 chords that create musical punctuation
Which chords are used for a perfect cadence?
5-1 which sounds finished (like a full stop)
What chords are used for an imperfect cadence?
1-5 which sounds unfinished (like a comma)
What type of cadence does each section end with?
A-imperfect cadence B-imperfect cadence Final A-perfect cadence
What type of pedal is played throughout
Dominant (Ab in the A section and G# in the B section)
What is the texture in the A sections
Melody dominated Homophony
Which section is the texture more chordal?
B Section
What is the time signature?
4 4
There is some flexibility of tempo in the right hand of the piano. What is this called
Rubato
How does Chopin create the feeling of rain
A repeated quaver pattern throughout the piece provides a unifying feature
What are the characteristics of the melody?
Frequent leaps followed by stepwise movement Lots of ornamentation and decoration Use of dotted rhythms and some chromaticism In section B the melody moves to the bass Four or eight bar phrases
