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massive, tremendous chord-successions march onward to a climax through
unheard-of modulations. This piece, by the way, has been arranged for
organ very effectively by A. W. Gottschalg. In playing it the slow
movement, the sustained and deep melody, and the steady rhythm all
require careful attention.

The prelude in D-flat represents a larger flight of the Chopin fancy.
It begins with a lovely melody, like a nocturne. This exquisite melody
gives place to a somewhat broken part in the key of C-sharp minor, in
which the remarkable thing is the incessant repetition of the note
G-sharp. This continues in eighth-note motion throughout all the
measures of this part of the work. It can only be made tolerable by
careful observance of the "sotto voce" at beginning and gradually
increasing in power up to the fortissimo in the fortieth measure.
Again it subsides into pianissimo, and again the crescendo. Finally
the original melody in D-flat is resumed--and with what grateful
sweetness!--and the piece is carried through to the close.

The waltzes of Chopin are not to be taken too seriously. They are
salon music, but of a particularly pleasing character. One of the most
charming, although a small one, is that in C-sharp minor, which is
built upon three leading motives. First the motive of two measures
which opens the work; then the little passage of eighth notes which
answers it; and finally the running work beginning in measure 33.
Farther along there is a melody in D-flat, which stands in place of a
trio. It is a sentimental and lovely melody. The effect of the whole
is light, capricious, and musical.

Following this is the little waltz in D-flat, opus 64, so often heard,
and so many times built over in all sorts of double notes, thirds,
sixths, etc. It illustrates the knack which Chopin had of developing a
pleasing whole out of very slight materials. Observe the extreme
simplicity of the bass.

The name nocturne was invented by John Field, who wrote twelve pieces
with this title (the remaining ones of the twenty usually printed were
named by the publishers) which are, in effect, sonnets; little lyric
pieces, of greater or less depth, having the general type of a song
without words, but preferably of a melancholy or tender character, and
the form of a melody with accompaniment. Chopin took up this form and
greatly ennobled it. His nocturnes are vastly more beautiful and
original than those of Field; they have