Op. 66. Rushing figures in both hands, then a slow, singing middle section. Chopin never published it; a friend did, after his death.
The story
Chopin wrote it in 1834 and kept it in a drawer for the rest of his life. Julian Fontana published it in 1855.
The right hand plays four notes against the left hand’s three for most of the outer sections, which is why it feels so restless. The middle section slows into one of his most famous melodies.
Two things to know
- The slow tune was turned into the 1918 popular song “I’m Always Chasing Rainbows”.
- It is one of the hardest pieces in the library: take the middle section first.
How to play it
In the fast sections, keep the left hand smooth and even, and let the right hand’s first note of each group ring out a little.