greater variety, deeper
tenderness, and in every way are more distinguished and characteristic.
The little nocturne in E-flat, opus 9, is one which is now very
generally played upon every sort of instrument capable of singing a
soprano melody.

The waltz which concludes the first program is of a more brilliant
character than the two little ones earlier upon the list. It begins,
after the introduction, with a double rhythm, the right hand playing a
melody in double measure, while the left hand goes on in triple rhythm.
It should be played with brilliancy, the left hand quite crisp and
clear, but light; the right hand rather brilliantly. The syncopation
gives place to agreeable running work for the right hand, and this
again to another subject in double notes, a very earnest melody. A
little later there is another short melody, and the double-note subject
returns, and so all the material over again.

SECOND AND THIRD PROGRAMS.

The Fantasia Impromptu in C-sharp minor belongs to that class of
Chopin's works mentioned in the beginning of this chapter, in which
pleasing effects are made by fluent running work, containing more or
less changing notes and other forms of dissonance--running work so fast
that the ear does not follow each note, but skims along the melodic
thread, as it were, the general impression of an "effect" being the
form of conscious delight. This kind of effect in music, which depends
in part upon the persistence of the pianoforte tone after the keys are
released, was original with Chopin; or, if we can not say that he fully
originated, he certainly brought it to greater perfection than any of
his predecessors ever did. Moreover, the runs of Chopin are more
complicated and daring, yet at the same time better adapted to rapid
performance than any of those by the older writers for pianoforte. In
the present instance, moreover, there is a further unsettling element
in the fact that against the six tones of the right hand groups, the
left hand plays groups of four tones. This, which was never carried
out upon so extensive a scale before, is now perfectly easy to perform,
although in Chopin's time it was considered a difficulty. It serves to
impart an elusiveness to the effect of the music, entirely in keeping
with the name.

The place of "middle piece" in this Fantasia Impromptu is filled by a
slow melody which in effect is a nocturne--quite in the manner of the
middle piece in the Impromptu in