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Even though Chopin always gave the highest appreciation to J.S. Bach, he did not devote to this classical form without any modification. Chopin did not have a fugue part after each prelude in his series of preludes Op.28. This unique Fugue has two voices. Unlike Robert Schumann or Felix Mendelssohn who was obsessed with fugue usage in piano quintets and symphonies, Chopin attempted this only fugue to pay homage to J.S. Bach, not to promote or develop it into another stage. However, Chopin's fugue was less structured and more melodic like in F. Mendelssohn's and other post-classical's fugues.
Source: Chopin, The Poet of Piano: Music Analysis: Fantasias, Fugue, Funeral March, Galop Marquis |
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The claim is not infrequently made that the preludes were inspired by those of J.S. Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier. There may well be some truth to this statement. Chopin is known to have admired this masterpiece for its perfection of form and harmony, and is rumored to have pored over it in the months before his first prelude was composed. However, even if this is the case, there are crucial differences present that emphasize that Chopin was no mere derivative or acolyte of J.S. Bach. Firstly, most importantly, the precise mathematically calculated perfection of form and harmony in J.S. Bach's preludes is broken here. It is instead replaced by more Chopin-esque harmonies and an abundance of whatever it is that makes Chopin’s music so special and timeless. Secondly, the arrangement of the preludes is different. In the WTC, the preludes are arranged chromatically - No. 1 is in C major, No. 2 in C minor, No. 3 in C-sharp major, No. 4 in C-sharp minor, and so on. Chopin’s preludes are instead arranged based on the circle of fifths – No. 1 is in C major, No. 2 in A minor, No. 3 in G major, No. 4 in E minor, and so on.
Source: Chopin, The Poet of Piano: Music Analysis: Preludes |
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