Prelude No. 5 in D major opens with a four-bar introduction. Although it uses a 3/8 time signature, the first four measures could easily be written in 2/8 time. The four measures use dominant ninth chords of D major, incorporating both major and minor ninths:

Following the introduction, Chopin employs the 3/8 time signature. A short melodic idea of three beats is repeated in the keys of D major, A major and B minor, with minor variations:

D major measures 4 and 5
A major measures 6 and 7
E minor measures 8 and 9
B minor measures 10 and 11

Here is the complete passage:

The previous passage starts in D major and modulates by fifths (D – A – E – B) before reaching F# with an unclear modality. Although the tonic chord is major, the II degree chord is diminished, as in minor keys. Note the use of the major ninth over the tonic chord, as well as the major and minor thirteenths over the dominant chord:

In measure 17, Chopin moves into an F-sharp minor chord and repeats the introduction:

Chopin repeats measures 4 to 11, making only minor changes (shown in red):

Measures 5-6:	Measures 20-21:
Measures 6-7:	Measures 21-22:
Measures 7-8	Measures 22-23

In bar 28, the E-sharp diminished chord, which was used as the seventh degree of the F-sharp minor chord in bar 12, resolves by a common note to the D major chord. Measures 13 to 16 are repeated in the key of D major with minor variations:

In bar 33, the introduction is repeated over the tonic chord. The major and minor ninths now become a minor sixth (Bb) and a fourth (G) over the tonic chord:

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Complete Prelude:

Robert Ståhlbrand, piano. Courtesy of Piano Society

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© 2019 José Rodríguez Alvira. Published by teoria.com