24 Preludes, op. 28

No. 20 C minor

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No. 21 B-flat major

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No. 22 G minor

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No. 23 F major

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No. 24 D minor

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The mysterious Preludes (published in 1839) are a set of 24 miniatures which contrary to what the name implies are not an introduction to any other composition. What they are is a vault of ingenuity balanced between lyricism and tragic drama. In this work Chopin achieved the highest possible condensation of expression: each of the Preludes, in some cases only several bars long, portrays more and tells more than many great symphonies.