Sonata No. 3 in B minor Op. 58, 4. Presto, non tanto -- Fryderyk Chopin

The grand finale from Chopin's final piano sonata, a rollicking rondo. Truly a great melody. While neither Chopin nor anybody else apparently performed this sonata during his lifetime, this movement embodies his customary virtuosic insights into the piano itself, in addition to the stunning harmonies it manifests. James Huneker, whose commentaries in Schirmer editions of Chopin's music are sometimes entertaining, described this, in effect, as "virtuoso junk" (my paraphrase). I suspect he found it too difficult to play ...