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Recommended Reading
Most of Chopin’s works focus on the piano, and the instrumental works are rarely heard. The Op. 65 was the one of these instrumental works, written out around 1845-46. However, it appeared toward the end of 1847 and received its premier at Chopin’s final public concert on 16, Feb., 1848.
It is assumed that the cellist, Auguste Franchomme, contributed to this work. Because of Chopin was not well-versed in the subtleties of cello technique, it can safely be assumed that Franchomme played a large part in their collaborative effort.
The first movement, Allegro moderato, 4/4 in g minor is a sonata form, but it still follows Chopin’s free style of dealing with the music. At first, piano plays the first subject and then cello repeats it with plentiful expression. After the competition between these two instruments, piano plays the second subject with p dolce. And then piano and cello repeatedly modulate, develop and compete till the end of the exposition. The development starts with many different passages from the first subject and then develops between cello and piano. Suddenly, the second subject appears in G major, and the recapitulation comes. The recapitulation omits the first subject and the starts with the second subject. At last, the whole first movement ends with the strong codetta.
The Scherzo is a lively and fast movement, 3/4 in d minor. Chopin used the modulations to contrast with the whole movement. The middle section is absolutely different with the first and the last sections; it starts with the cantabile mark and the long melody line. The last section repeats the first one again, and then ends the movement.
The third movement, Largo, 3/2 in B-flat major. It starts with the lyrical subject by cello, the whole movement is consist of the cello and piano sing the melody alternately. This subject was pointed out the relationship with the middle section of the piano sonata No. 2, Op. 35 frequently. Although this movement sounds like Nocturne, but it should not sounds like sad, depressing or melancholy.
Finale is a sonata form in g minor, 2/2. The piano starts the first subject, and then the cello repeats after that. The second subject starts in c minor by cello playing the simple and short melody; the two instruments play it alternately till the cello plays double stops. And then, the dotted rhythms appear to end the exposition. The development starts with the same tonality as the first subject and develops this section. The coda, piu mosso al fine, begins with the dotted rhythm and then two instruments reveal their splendid techniques toward the end.
