Prelude, Op. 28, No. 15 Raindrop is the second entry from Chopin here after Etud Op 10 No. 3. When hearing this you realize how small you are in the world and wonder in confoundment at the pure beauty of music. To sum it up ladies and gents, music at its most rudimentary doesn’t get much better than this. Chopin wrote this at his stay at a monastery in Mallorca in 1838.
Most of the following was sourced from the Wikipedia article below:
Prelude, Op. 28, No. 15 is one of the 24 Chopin preludes and also one of his famous works. What you would give to see Chopin composing this piece; well we have the next best thing. George Sand who also stayed at the Monastery with Chopin remarked that one evening she and her son Maurice, returning from Palma in a terrible rainstorm, found a distraught Chopin who exclaimed, “Ah! I knew well that you were dead.” While playing his piano he had a dream:
He saw himself drowned in a lake. Heavy drops of icy water fell in a regular rhythm on his breast, and when I made him listen to the sound of the drops of water indeed falling in rhythm on the roof, he denied having heard it. He was even angry that I should interpret this in terms of imitative sounds. He protested with all his might – and he was right to – against the childishness of such aural imitations. His genius was filled with the mysterious sounds of nature, but transformed into sublime equivalents in musical thought, and not through slavish imitation of the actual external sounds.
Sand did not say which prelude Chopin played for her on that occasion, but most music critics assume it to be no. 15, because of the repeating A♭, with its suggestion of the “gentle patter” of rain.
References:
1. Prelude, Op. 28, No. 15 – Wikipedia
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
An appropriate Chopin Prelude to exit on Matt. All the best for your teaching initiative. No doubt we will bump into each other here and there!
Hi Bruce, I wasn’t very familiar with this piece (apart from the opening stanza) before listening to it again writing this short article. I was besotted by it and listened to at least 3 more times. Thanks for your well-wishes Bruce and I’ll keep abreast of your posts and chime in from time to time. Good luck to the NZ ladies at the World Cup!
Thank you Matt. I hope the NZ team only go a little way and the country can talk about something else!!
What would you prefer they talk about Bruce?
Silence is golden!
Yeh that’s true. Are you going to watch them play the Philippines?
It’s NZ, Aussies or Colombia we have to barrack for Bruce. Lets not get all arty-farty here.
A sublime composition by Chopin. Good luck with your Teaching Initiative, Matt. I’ll miss your music posts, but fully understand that sometimes in life, other things take precedent over blogging.
Op.28, No 15 is exactly that: sublime. My favourite by him is Op 9 No 2 Nocturne. The sounds Chopin was able to produce with just a piano boggles my mind. Thanks for your kind words, Jeff. I will try to keep abreast of your posts in between tasks. I like keeping up to date with the latest in music and your blog does the trick. Until next time.
Hi Matthew, leaving…such a shame!!! I’m going to miss your support and comments! However, I hope all goes well with your new teaching vocation!! I remember you mentioned you have a Masters Degree in Education, all ties in nicely. I enjoyed the Chopin, now what are we going to do without your daily musical delights?!! All the very best Matt, take care and farewell for now, Sharon xx
I lament I cannot continue writing posts. I am compelled to try get some extra dough. Thanks for all the support you have given me and I hope to stay in touch by reading posts of people such as your good self. Have a lovely weekend Sharon. Byes
My support you are very welcome to Matthew! Just to repeat, I hope all goes well with your teaching vocation. Matt, I was thinking if you are going to miss writing your blog, could you not reduce to one post a month? Or would that make you too busy? Don’t forget you can always send me a direct message to my email address published somewhere on this blog! Here it is again sharonwilson981@gmail.com. You have a fabulous weekend too. And do please keep in touch. Kind regards, Sharon x
My teaching project is going at a snail’s pace since I’m still in the planning phrase of how I will execute it. Oh, and I’ve also been busy with the kids and their sports. I’m in no rush to be honest and my enthusiasm perhaps has waned over the years lol
I probably will end up posting sparingly here, since I’m already missing it. Thanks for your motivating words.
Thanks for your email Sharon, Mine is matthew41richmond@gmail.com. The kids have just left the building for their family house. We had a great time, but I’m a bit knackered and I’m looking forward to a good night’s sleep. We had to get up very early to travel to their respective sports.
Thanks again Sharon and I also hope you had a wonderful weekend. Matt K
Thanks Matt! I guessed you would be missing your blog, as they become a part of you, in time. Looking forward to reading the odd post, when you are ready! Hope your children are fine. Rest well! Catch you again. S
Apart from being a bit financially strapped, do you know what happened? Hehe. I had Dylan’s ‘Mr Tambourine Man’ to write about which is daunting to say the least for any casual writer; anyhows, I felt overwhelmed by the two challenges. I had to pick one or the other.
As Dylan wrote:
‘Fortune or fame, you must pick one or the other, though neither of them are to be what they claim.’
Well Matt, I don’t envy you!!! I’ve just read the lyrics to *Mr Tambourine Man* what a complex, well constructed song!! I wouldn’t know where to start to review it! Then again, to start work on your teaching project, that can’t be easy either!! Ha! Ha! Busy times ahead for you!! I shouldn’t laugh, should I? Hope it all works out Matt, best wishes, S
I have the following opening to the article in my ‘draft’ box:
Watch the video below ‘Mr Tambourine Man’ video when you consider Allen Ginsberg’s comments – ‘Dylan had become a column of air, so to speak, at certain moments, where his total physical and mental focus was this single breath coming out of his body. He had found a way in public to be almost like a shaman, with all of his intelligence and consciousness focused on his breath”.
That’s where it ended lol
Busy times ahead. Yeh if I can muster the fortitude to go for it. I’m afraid, you caught me on a regular day Sharon. I am always grateful for your inspiration.
So I’ll end this with that someone who had ‘all of his intelligence and consciousness focused on his breath’:
Que pesar que es tu última entrada del blog. Apenas lo descubro y disfruté leer y escuchar al mismo tiempo gotas de lluvia y pájaros en mi casa y Chopin. Suerte con tu proyecto educativo.
Que coincidencia. Yo acabo de escribirte en WhatsApp! Y poco después encontré tu mensaje acá. Gracias por tu apoyo. Espero que puedo enfocarme en mi iniciativa esta semana. Voy a extrañar escribiendo estés artículos. Saludos.
One of my favorites as well, and it doesn’t get any better than Lang Lang performing. The whole concept of “rubato” (freedom of expression through tempo and dynamics) is such a human technique, open to interpretation, and Lang tends to bring the most unique flare without looking or sounding pretentious. In this piece, for example, he (rightfully) hangs on the passing/pickup notes before emphasizing the downbeat. I think that’s exactly what Chopin was going for. It leaves the listener in a place of wonderful anticipation and fulfillment. This is my kind of “classical” music (knowing fully well it is Romantic Music). I never knew about the “gentle patter” of the rain. I love that!
I wish you’d written the article! There is more substance and first – hand knowledge in your comment than my entire article. Haha. True.
Take for example:
‘In this piece, for example, he (rightfully) hangs on the passing/pickup notes before emphasizing the downbeat. I think that’s exactly what Chopin was going for. It leaves the listener in a place of wonderful anticipation and fulfillment.’
I can’t beat that and never will. I am so grateful to have your comments as an addendum of sorts to this modest article about one of the most exquisite piano pieces I have heard.
Nah, that’s just me the piano player talking. I’ve been playing since the 4th grade, and Chopin happens to be my favorite. I’ll have to catch up on more of your Chopin entries… this particular one is near and dear to me 🙂
The funny thing is; and I alluded to this in an earlier comment, that I was familiar with the opening stanza melody like how I imagine most people would be, but after having heard it in its entirety; I realised it’s what he does after that opening which is spectacular. It’s marvellous you have such a profound personal connection to Chopin and this piece.