Etude Op. 25, No. 1 in A-Flat Major

Today on Classical Sunday, I’m sharing a solo piano piece by Frederic Chopin (1810-1849). I’ve previously posted several works by the Polish composer.

The Etude Op. 25, No. 1 in A-Flat Major was composed in 1836 and features fast arpeggios throughout. The piece is also known as “Aeolian Harp” and “The Shepherd Boy,” the latter name under the belief that Chopin suggested a student imagine a shepherd boy sheltering from a storm, playing the melody on a flute.

It is a short and delightful piece of music.

Now you know a little about why this is My Song of the Day for Today. Thanks for joining me here, and please enjoy.

Here is a video of Daniel Barenboim (b. 1940), a citizen of Argentina, Israel, Palestine and Spain, playing the Etude in the empty Pierre Boulez Saal in Berlin, Germany, in 2020, posted on the official Deutsche Grammophon YouTube channel.