Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Question about Chopin Prelude in B Minor, Op. 28 No. 6

I was wondering about the voicing in this piece. I suspect that the left hand is really the dominant melody and should ring out over the "heartbeat" being played in the right hand for most of it. Is that accurate, or are my voicings mixed up?

You are correct. The melody is in the left hand so that is what you need to be listening for in prominence over the right hand. Try to play the RH much softer so the LH doesn't have to be too loud. The overall dynamic marking is piano, (sotto voce), but the melody should never be less than mf unless there's minimal harmony or nothing else going on.

Apart from the piano (and the voice), the cello is the only other instrument Chopin truly loved.

I still remember my ancient John Thompson book from long, long ago that says that the LH melody is that of a cello 'singing' with RH piano accompaniment. And that's exactly how you should play that plaintive melody.

BTW, Chopin loved the 'bel canto' style of operatic singing, and adored the operas of Bellini, Donizetti etc. Listen to this, to get some idea of how to phrase the LH line:

http://youtu.be/yiGpm56Bi8s

When you come to play the Chopin nocturnes, the bel canto style of phrasing the melody (usually in the RH in the nocturnes) should also be your model.

Lots and lots and lots of LH alone practice, till you feel that the piece sounds sufficiently beautiful with only the LH. (or if you hear the RH as melody from end of m. 6 until cadence in m. 8, then switch to RH there then switch back to LH at end of m. 8)