Barcarolle (Chopin)


The Barcarolle in F-sharp major, Op. 60, is a piece for solo piano by Frédéric Chopin, composed between autumn of 1845 and summer 1846, three years before his death.
Based on the barcarolle rhythm and mood, it features a sweepingly romantic and slightly wistful tone. Many of the technical figures for the right hand are thirds and sixths, while the left features very long reaches over an octave. Its middle section is in A major, and this section's second theme is recapitulated near the piece's end in F-sharp.
This is one of Chopin's last major compositions, along with his Op.61 Polonaise-Fantasie. It is often considered to be one of his more demanding compositions. Performance times average 7–9 minutes.