Étude Op. 10, No. 5 (Chopin)
The work is characterized by the rapid triplet figuration played by the right hand exclusively on black keys, except for one note, an F natural in measure 66.
[7]: 108 These "announce" the recapitulation of the A part which begins as a literal restatement in bar 49, seems to approach a climax and eases off with a sudden delicatissimo pianissimo smorzando passage, leading via a cadence to the coda.
Its effect is based on the accent enforced by a third at the beginning of each triplet, as well as on the tenth and eleventh stretches of the left hand and the ascending bass line covering the entire range of the keyboard.
[7]: 109 The piece ends with a rapid octave passage, ff and staccato, played by both hands on black keys, in a G♭ major pentatonic scale.
Leichtentritt states that the melodic character resulting from the use of black keys is "based on the pentatonic scale to which the piece owes its strangely playful, attractively primitive tint.
"[7]: 109 He presents a melodic reduction of the right hand part which, played in octaves by piccolo and flute, resembles a frolicsome Scottish jig.
"[6] American music critic James Huneker (1857–1921) calls it "graceful, delicately witty, a trifle naughty, arch and roguish and […] delightfully invented.
"[6] Leichtentritt states "the piece shall glisten and sparkle, giggle and whisper, entice and flatter, have charming, occasionally coquettish, accents, bubble over with lively agility, enchant with amiable elegance".
"[4] In Robert Schumann’s 1836 Neue Zeitschrift für Musik article on piano études,[10] the study is classified under the category "speed and lightness" ("Schnelligkeit und Leichtigkeit").
[7]: 105 French pianist Alfred Cortot (1877–1962) modifies the legato indication and talks about a "brilliant and delicate legato—so-called ‘jeu perlé’ ["pearly" play].
"[12] He believes the main difficulty, among others, to concern "suppleness while shifting the hand in order to facilitate even action of the fingers in disjunct positions.
Hungarian pianist and composer Rafael Joseffy (1852–1915) introduces exercises in his instructive edition[13] including numerous "octave-exercises on black keys.
