The last of seven Little Etudes for beginner and intermediate piano players based on different cardiac electrophysiology aberrations for day 6 of WHRW2020: World Heart Rhythm Week (1-7 June 2020). Little Etude Nº7 is based on the Wenckebach block, a kind of second-degree atrioventricular block. A second-degree AV block is when conduction between the atria and ventricles sometimes fails. The atrioventricular conduction time (interval between the P wave and the R peak) progressively increases until a heartbeat is dropped altogether. This is rendered in music in Etude Nº7, which is based on Godowsky’s version of Brahms’ Wiegenlied (Lullaby), Op.49 No.4.
The Wiegenlied performed on cello and piano by Yo-Yo Ma and Kathryn Stott:
Another version of the Wiegenlied, this one arranged and performed by Alfred Cortot:
