As music evolves from one generation to the next, the way it is created also changes. New genres emerge as instrumentalists find new techniques and use more adventurous harmonies. However, some masterpieces stay etched into the fabric of the sounds that make up our lives. One of the prime examples of that idea is Frederic Chopin‘s “Fantaisie-Impromptu in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 66.”
Written by the Polish composer and virtuoso in 1834, the song almost languished in obscurity for all of eternity. Chopin was likely commissioned by Madame la Baronne d’Este to write the work, and neither he nor the Baroness published it during his lifetime. It was only published by his friend and musical executor, Julian Fontana, in 1855, six years after his death. This is also despite the fact that the composer instructed that none of his unpublished works should be released posthumously. Thankfully, “Fantaisie-Impromptu” beat the odds.
Chopin was a virtuoso pianist, and his compositions reflected this skill. “Fantaisie-Impromptu” was born out of his spontaneous genius and technical prowess. Here, we will witness its stormy beauty in a dramatic performance by Daniil Trifonov. The pianist included it on his album “Chopin Evocations,” which pays homage to the Romantic-era composer who “revolutionized the expressive horizons of the piano,” as Trifonov states.
Looking at the sheet music for “Fantaisie-Impromptu in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 66,” it’s clear that Chopin wastes no time in getting your fingers flying. A dramatic opening unison chord announces the piece’s start. It’s then followed by a musical dogfight as the right hand races in restless sixteenth notes, while the left hand glides up and down in sextuplet arpeggios.
“These polyrhythms are devilishly difficult to perform, which is why the work is now often set as a test piece,” explains Alex Burns. “The energetic and chaotic opening leads to a full exploration of the famous theme in the home key of C# minor. As the tempo begins to change the music modulates to the parallel major of C# minor – Db major.”
If we liken the opening to a storm, then “Fantaisie Impromptu” is a hurricane. The chaos of the opening idea gives way to a calm, dulcet center section, with a texture that gets richer and lighter. Trifonov’s video reflects the beauty by portraying Chopin writing the music as he watches a ballerina dance.
A sudden “Presto” marking launches back into the rush of the opening theme in the original key of C# minor. It reaches another climax before tapering off, just as the end of a turbulent storm. Chopin ends things on a happy note – literally. The piece resolves on a Picardy third, which is a compositional technique that ends a song in a minor key with a major chord. The unexpected major third adds a “ray of sunshine” to the end of an otherwise restless piece.
Chopin’s “Fantaisie-Impromptu in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 66” may be considered a “test piece” for pianists, but it’s also a piece of music that tests the listener’s nerve and imagination. Two hundred years after its creation, the notes still give us reason to dig deeper into the piano and see what storms will pour out of our fingertips.
