Expert: David Froom - 11/18/2006

Question
Hello, I was hoping you could help me identify a classical piece of music http://www.auntyamerican.com/unknown.mp3
I have been trying to track down the proper name for years now. The tags on the mp3 identify it as "Prelude in A minor" by Chopin, but that clearly is not correct.

Thanks in advance for your efforts.

Answer
It is by Chopin.  It is an arrangement for guitar of the c minor prelude from the Opus 28 Preludes.  In this work, originally for piano, Chopin writes 24 preludes, one in each key.  He starts in C major, then goes to A minor, and then proceeds around circle of 5ths.  So if I am counting correctly, your prelude should be #20.

When you do find the original, you may be surprised how much the guitar arrangement changed.  Music is added at the beginning, and even more startling, the whole mood is changed from starkly dramatic (in the original) to rather mellow (in your arrangment).

David Froom