stival.

The second polonaise is of a wholly different character. The
expression is even more forcible than that of the first, but the
character is not the same. It is now as if one remembered some of the
heroes of Poland. With what fervor enters the leading subject (first
four measures)! It is complete in itself. Then comes a softer and
more capricious melody, but little more heroic than a nocturne. The
second principal idea (measure 25) is mystic, as if some kind of
ceremonial were being conducted. The rhythm goes on, but softly and
with interruptions. At length the principal idea again. Now comes the
middle piece, in the key of D-flat--a beautiful melody, one of the
finest of Chopin's, supported upon very delicate and sensitively
changing harmonies, full of chromatic and enharmonic modulation. After
this a second idea, in which two voices carry on the interest; the
upper a soprano, the lower a baritone or tenor, and they have a sort of
dialogue (measure 66). Then the soft melody again. In the first
editions of this work the da capo was not marked, and for about forty
years critics gave themselves headaches in trying to explain why Chopin
invented a new form of this anomalous construction,--a first part in
the key of C-sharp minor; a second part in the key of D-flat major.
"Where," they asked, "was the unity?" And by way of emphasis they
spelled the word Unity with a capital initial. At last, however, some
Solomon among editors affixed the missing letters "D. C.," and behold!
we had our Unity all right. It was simply a case of a middle piece in
the major key of the same tonic, with the notation changed
enharmonically for the sake of simplicity, the key of D-flat being, for
the majority of players, easier to read than that of C-sharp major.

The preludes which follow represent individual moods. The first, in E
minor, consists of a slow melody, almost stationary, while against the
long tones a chord accompaniment softly pulsates, the harmonies
shifting chromatically.

The second, No. 6, in B minor, has a lovely melodic idea in the bass,
while the right hand carries a soft harmony and a slow pulsation in the
upper voice. The impression of the whole is most mysterious,
melancholy, and tender.

No. 7, in A major, is one of the preludes which seems as if it might
have been a beginning for a longer composition, perhaps a slow waltz.

No. 9, in E major, a very grave, serious, organ-like movement, in whic