Frederic Chopin composed the Andante spianato as an introduction to his Grande Polonaise Brilliante in E-flat major, Op. 22. The Andante spianato has the character of a nocturne, and at the same time of a lullaby. It forges an oneiric mood. Spianato means evenly, without contrasts, without any great agitation or anxiety. The piece sets the mood of a harmonious moonlit night, a landscape dominated by the reflecting surface of a lake, or even the singing of sirens on gently rocking waves or the immersion in a state of unwavering meditation. The arabesque of the piano wends its way endlessly above the nocturne-like accompaniment. The listener is drawn into a trance by the magic of music from the boundaries of dream and reality.
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