Chopin's Piano Styles: Lyrical vs. Narrative

There are several ways to observe the styles Chopin employed in his piano works, but one possible classification is into lyrical and narrative. Representative examples of the former are the Nocturnes and Mazurkas, while typical examples of the latter are the Ballades and Scherzos.

In lyrical compositions, individual phrases and motifs are often presented in a list-like manner, with very loose connections, whereas in narrative compositions, one can perceive a sense of "kishōtenketsu" (introduction, development, turn, conclusion) within a single piece. The reason for the emergence of clear dramatic qualities is, firstly, the clarity of harmonic progression, particularly the well-adhered-to dominant-tonic pattern (the section moving from "turn" to "conclusion"). Furthermore, individual motifs may develop through techniques such as variation, inversion, repetition, and expansion; even without the elaborate workmanship found in Viennese Classical sonatas, multiple themes are intricately combined to construct the piece.

In other words, works with a narrative structure, such as the Ballades, Scherzos, Barcarolle, and Bolero, create a dynamic and dramatic musical time that progresses inevitably from beginning to end, and these elements constitute key points for appreciation. (As an aside, in lyrical works, the listener's ear is allowed to wander within a kind of musical space, where the music lingers while subtly transforming, with no clear sense of return or progression.)

Distinguishing Ballades and Scherzos

Now, where lies the difference between the Ballades and Scherzos, of which four pieces each remain?

That these are adjacent genres within Chopin's oeuvre is most evident when examining the music itself. Moreover, it seems almost impossible to clearly distinguish between the two genres based on their form. One reason is that these are genres unique to Chopin; even examining the traditions of the genres from which they are thought to derive reveals nothing that connects the two. However, even if they cannot be distinguished by their external musical form, their respective musical content, or rather, the content of their "narratives," differs somewhat.

Characteristics of Chopin's Scherzos

"Scherzo" means "joke" in Italian, and traditionally referred to bright, light, small-scale pieces in a simple form.Beethoven incorporated it into the third movement of his sonatas as a replacement for the minuet, it was still given an extremely rapid and humorous character. Chopin's Scherzos, at first glance, seem to completely contradict this tradition, being dark, serious, and large-scale. However, when compared to the Ballades, it becomes clear how much humor the Scherzos actually contain. In all four Scherzos, more than one extremely rapid and leggiero motif appears, interjecting at various points. Furthermore, intense dynamic contrasts are specified in various sections.

Contrast with Ballades

Such techniques are largely absent in the Ballades. Each motif and note is bound by its preceding and succeeding context, allowing no deviation. Somber themes appear one after another, accumulating to form a torrent, ultimately leading to a catastrophic conclusion. This stands in contrast to the Scherzos, which resolve this kind of stress with light motifs and even comical contrasts.

It is also worth noting that all four Ballades are written in compound duple meter, while the Scherzos are in triple meter, which could be considered their only external distinguishing feature. However, since most of the Scherzos form a phrase in two measures throughout, they still contain the strong driving force of duple meter.

Formal Analysis of Chopin's Scherzos and Their Relation to Sonatas

The Scherzos, with the exception of No. 4, adopt an A-B-A form. This follows the Scherzo as a replacement for the minuet movement, as used by Haydn and Beethoven. However, the appearance of two contrasting themes in the A section, and the almost complete repetition of the first half in the second half of the A section, suggest an inclination towards sonata form. Furthermore, a brilliant coda, including a stretto, further increases the scale of the piece and elevates its dignity.

Viewed in this way, Chopin's Scherzos can be considered as inheriting and elaborating upon the formal stature of the third movement of the piano sonata, as perfected by Beethoven. On the other hand, in his own Piano Sonatas No. 2 and No. 3, he took a step away from the Viennese Classical tradition by placing the Scherzo as the second movement. Especially in No. 2, Op. 35, a large-scale Scherzo with multiple themes is employed. Chopin probably did not write the Scherzos as character pieces and name them as such. Rather, they were a stepping stone for his own sonatas.

Detailed Analysis of Scherzo No. 3

While it is self-evident that Scherzo No. 3 has an introduction and coda, and two contrasting themes, there are various possibilities regarding the sectional structure one might identify. At first glance, one might consider a binary form of A-B-A-B-Coda.

However, in reality, the second theme gives the impression of a second subject in a sonata form exposition. This is because the transition from the first theme to the second theme does not create a clear cadential formula. The first theme is relatively short, around 130 measures, whereas the second theme is long enough to be further divided into three internal sections and a closing section. Therefore, if viewed as a sonata-allegro form like (A-B)-B'-(A-B)-Coda, the development section would begin from measure 236. From here, keys change successively, and from measure 327, the initial theme reappears like a bridge leading back to the exposition, and the tempo accelerates.

Nevertheless, if such a diagram feels forced, it is likely because the fundamental conception of this piece lies primarily in "contrast." At a very small level, dynamic contrasts are effectively used even within the first theme. Furthermore, the second theme is constructed by combining a motif that slowly ascends from the bass and a motif that rapidly descends from the highest register. At a larger level, the two themes are contrasting in every respect, and the keys chosen are closely related major keys: D-flat major (enharmonically C-sharp major) from measure 155 onwards, and E major (the parallel major) from measure 448, where it appears for the second time.

Viewed in this way, the diagram A-B-A+B+Coda seems most natural. That is, the so-called second B section (from measure 448 onwards) was introduced to further highlight the Coda when connecting the basic A-B-A scheme with the Coda. Here, the principle of contrast, as found in the minuet and trio, the original form of the scherzo, is alive. This is neither a binary form, which prioritizes repetition and establishment, nor entirely a sonata form, which posits struggle and triumph. And as can be seen from the other three pieces, "contrast" is indeed the fundamental principle in Chopin's Scherzos. In this sense, Scherzo No. 3 can be said to be a highly typical Chopin Scherzo.