Chopin's most famous works. Biography of Chopin and his work
Frederic Chopin (1810-1849) - Polish pianist and composer. He was born in 1810, on March 1 (according to other sources on February 22), in the village of Zhelazova Wola, located near Warsaw. Chopin's biography will be discussed in this article.
Family
The composer's father is Nicolas Chopin (1771-1844).
He married Justyna Krzyzanowska (1782-1861) in 1806. According to surviving evidence, the composer's mother received a good education. She was very musical, played the piano, sang well, and spoke French. It was to his mother that Frederick owed the love of folk melodies instilled from a young age, which was then reflected in his work, as well as his first musical impressions. Some time after the boy was born, in the fall of 1810, the father moved to Warsaw.
First achievements in music
Frederic Chopin, whose biography was already marked by achievements in music in his early years, showed musical abilities even in childhood. The famous Catalani foresaw a great future in him, then still a ten-year-old boy. Frederic Chopin began playing the piano and composing music at the age of seven. From the age of nine, the boy began studying with Wojciech Zivny, a Czech and serious teacher. Chopin's performing talent developed so quickly that by the age of twelve the boy was on par with the best pianists in Poland.
The first public performance of this musician took place in Warsaw in 1818. By this time he was already the author of several pieces for piano - marches and polonaises. Chopin, whose biography and work are covered in our article, entered one of the Warsaw schools in 1823. Here his music studies continued.
Chopin's biography and interesting facts about him are supplemented by the following event. In 1825, the composer was invited to perform before Alexander the First, the Russian Emperor. He received a reward after the concert - a diamond ring.
Continuing training
Givny was Chopin's only piano teacher. Seven years after studying with him, in the early 1820s, Frederick began studying with J. Elsner. By this time his talent had developed greatly. Chopin's biography was replenished with new facts in 1826, when in July he graduated from the Warsaw school, and in the fall he entered the Warsaw Higher School of Music to continue his education. Here Frederick studied for about three more years.
Patrons Princes Chetverinsky and Anton Radzwill introduced him into high society. In appearance and manner, Chopin made a pleasant impression. This was noted by many of his contemporaries. Liszt, for example, said that Frederick made a “calm, harmonious” impression.
Works created while studying with Elsner
Under the guidance of the excellent teacher and musician Elsner, who immediately noticed Chopin's genius, Frederic made great progress. Elsner's photo is shown below.
During his studies, Chopin wrote many works for piano, from which one can highlight the Rondo, the first sonata, variations on a theme by Mozart, Nocturne in E minor, Krakowiak and others. This composer was already strongly influenced by the folk music of Poland, as well as the poetry and literature of this country (Witwicki, Slovacki, Mickiewicz, etc.). In 1829, upon completion of his studies, Frederick went to Vienna, where he performed his works. Chopin's biography was marked by the first independent concert, held in 1830 in Warsaw. A number of others followed.
Chopin leaves his homeland
Chopin played in Warsaw for the last time in 1830, on October 11, after which he left his homeland forever. He lived in Vienna from the end of 1830 to 1831 (the first half). Visits to theaters, musical acquaintances, concerts, trips around the city had a beneficial effect on the development of the talent of such a musician as Chopin. The biography and work of this composer in those years were marked by the following events.
Chopin left Vienna in the summer of 1830. He spent the beginning of September in Stuttgart, where he learned of the fall of Warsaw and the failure of the Polish uprising. Then, having traveled through Munich, Vienna, Dresden, he arrived in Paris in 1831. Chopin's biography and his work can be studied in more detail by referring to the diary that the writer kept on the road ("Stuttgart Diary"). It describes the composer's state of mind while in Stuttgart, where Frederick was overcome by despair over the defeat of the Polish uprising. This event was reflected in his work, which we will tell you about now.
New works by the composer
Frederic Chopin, whose biography interests us, was impressed by this news and wrote an etude in C minor, which is often called revolutionary, as well as two deeply tragic preludes: D minor and A minor. Among the new works of this composer at that time were also a polonaise in E-flat major, concertos for piano and orchestra, nocturnes, Polish songs based on works by Mickiewicz and Witwicki, etc. Frederick subordinates the technical elements of the works entirely to musical and poetic images.
Chopin in Paris
So, as we have already said, the biography of Chopin in 1831, in the fall, was marked by the move of this composer to Paris. His life since then has been connected with this city. Here the composer became close to Bellini, Berlioz, Liszt, Mendelssohn, Hiller, and also met such artists and writers as Georges de Sand, Lamartine, Hugo, Delacroix, Heine, Musset, and Balzac. In 1832, on February 26, Chopin gave his first concert in Paris, in which he performed variations on the theme of Mozart's Don Giovanni, as well as a piano concerto. Liszt, who was present at the performance, noted that Chopin’s talent, together with his innovations, opened a new phase in the development of art. Even then it was clear that Frederic Chopin would achieve great success as a composer. The biography briefly outlined in the article allows you to verify this.
Life in Paris in the 1830s
From 1833 to 1835, Frederick often performed works together with Hiller, Liszt, and the Hertz brothers. He rarely performed in concerts, but in the salons of the French aristocracy and the Polish colony, the fame of this composer grew very quickly. He also had opponents (Field, Kalkbrenner), but this did not prevent Frederick from gaining many admirers in society, including among artists. The years 1836-1837 were decisive in the personal life of this composer. Then the engagement to Maria Wodzinskaya was broken off, and Chopin became close to Georges Sand. In 1837, Frederick felt his first attack of lung disease. This was the biography of Chopin at that time (summary).
Creativity flourishes
The greatest flowering of Frederick's work occurred in the period from 1838 to 1846. It was at this time that Chopin wrote the most significant and perfect works, including the second and third sonatas, polonaises in F sharp minor and A flat major, ballads, barcarolles, polonaise fantasias, nocturnes, scherzos, preludes, mazurkas, etc. He also continued to perform in concerts with Francom, Pauline Viardot, Ernst, but much less frequently than before. Frederick usually spent the winter in Paris, in Nohant, and the summer in the estate of Georges Sand. Due to poor health, he spent only one winter (1839-1840) in the south, on the island of Majorca in Spain. It was here that his 24 preludes were completed.
The death of his father and the break with George Sand are two tragic events that Chopin experienced
The biography, briefly described, is supplemented by the following two important events in the composer’s life. First, Chopin's father died in 1844, in May. The composer took his death extremely hard. His health began to cause concern. The second event that occurred in 1847 was the break with George Sand. It completely undermined the composer's strength. A portrait of this woman by the artist Delacroix, painted in 1838, is presented below.
Wanting to leave the city of Paris in order to get rid of everything that resembled what he had experienced here, Frederic went to London in 1848, in April.
The last two years of Chopin's life
The last two years of Frederic Chopin's life passed in excruciating suffering. He practically does not compose music and does not perform at concerts. In 1848, on November 16, his last performance took place in London at a Polish evening. The climate, nervous life, unexpected success - all this undermined the composer's painful nature, and, returning to Paris, the great musician fell ill. Frederick stops teaching his students. In the winter of 1849, his health suffered a significant deterioration. Neither the arrival of Louis, his beloved sister, in Paris, nor the concerns of his friends bring relief, and he dies after severe agony.
Death of Chopin
The death of Frederic Chopin was a blow to the world of music, and the funeral attracted his many fans. In Paris, at the Père Lachaise cemetery, Chopin was buried. The ashes rest between Bellini and Cherubini. Frederick placed Mozart above other composers. His adoration of the Jupiter symphony and the requiem reached the point of cult. At his funeral, in accordance with the wishes of the deceased, Mozart's requiem was performed by famous artists. The composer’s heart, by his will, was later transported to his homeland, to Warsaw, to the Church of the Holy Cross.
Dance genres in Chopin's works
Chopin's work was inspired by his boundless devotion to his people, his homeland, and the struggle for national liberation. He tapped into the riches of Poland's folk music. Various dance genres occupy a significant place in Chopin's heritage. It should be noted that danceability is one of the integral qualities inherent in the musical folk culture of Poland. Waltzes, polonaises, mazurkas (which featured the features of three folk dances - oberek, kujawiak and mazura) reveal the connections that exist between Frederick's work and the folk music of Poland in all its diversity. Frederic Chopin, whose biography we have described, showed innovation in their transformation and interpretation. For example, his polonaises significantly expand and democratize this once solemn and ceremonial genre. Mazurkas poeticize and deepen folk dance. Waltzes have the features of Slavic folk dance melody.
Non-dance genres
Chopin also reinterprets various non-dance genres. His sketches are highly artistic creations, where ideological and emotional content is combined with original means of their implementation. Chopin's scherzos are also quite unique compositions. They differ from the scherzo, which is used in a classical symphony, as well as from the sonata. Ballads are dramatic plot narratives inspired by poetic images, full of romantic freedom, contrasts, and diversity of life.
Chopin's musical language
Chopin's genre innovation is organically combined with the novelty of his musical language. Frederick created a new type of melody - flexible, extremely expressive, unfolding continuously, combining various instrumental and vocal, dance and song features. Also, Frederic Chopin, whose biography is described above, revealed new possibilities of harmony. He fused together various elements of Polish folk music with romantic harmony. Chopin strengthened the role of colorful and dynamic elements. His discoveries in the field of polyphony (all voices are saturated with melodic expressiveness) and musical form (the use of the technique of variation development, characteristic of Polish folk music) are very interesting. The innovation of this composer fully affected his performing art. He, like Liszt, made a real revolution in the technique of playing the piano.
The influence of Chopin's work on other composers
Chopin's work as a whole is characterized by clarity of thinking and harmony. His music is far from either isolation, academic coldness, or romantic exaggeration. She is alien to insincerity, fundamentally folk, spontaneous, freedom-loving.
Chopin's biography and his works have inspired many musicians. Frederick's work had a great influence on many generations of composers and performers. The influence of Frederic Chopin's melodic and harmonic language can be traced in the works of Wagner, Liszt, Debussy, Fauré, Albéniz, Grieg, Scriabin, Tchaikovsky, Szymanowski, and Rachmaninoff.
The Meaning of Creativity
Chopin's biography and music are of great interest today, and this is no coincidence. This great composer interpreted many genres in a new way. He revived the prelude on a romantic basis, also created a piano ballad, dramatized and poeticized the dances: waltz, polonaise, mazurka, and turned the scherzo into an independent work. Chopin enriched the piano texture and harmony, combining classical form with fantasy and melodic richness.
He composed about fifty mazurkas, the prototype of which is a waltz-like Polish folk dance with a three-beat rhythm. These are small plays. In them, harmonic and melodic turns sound Slavic.
Frederic Chopin gave only about thirty public concerts during his life. He performed mostly at his friends' houses. His performing style was very unique. He was distinguished, according to contemporaries, by rhythmic freedom - the prolongation of some sounds due to the fact that others were shortened.
Memory of Frederic Chopin
Every five years in Warsaw, since 1927, international Chopin competitions have been held, in which the most famous pianists participate. In 1934, the Chopin Institute was also organized, called the Society. F. Chopin since 1950. Similar societies also exist in Austria, Germany, and Czechoslovakia. They also existed in France before World War II. In the town of Zhelyaznova Wola, where the composer was born, the Chopin House Museum was opened in 1932.
The International Federation of Societies named after this composer was founded in 1985. In Warsaw in 2010, on March 1, the Frederic Chopin Museum was opened after modernization and reconstruction. This event is dedicated to the bicentenary of his birth. 2010 was also declared the year of Chopin in Poland. This composer, as you can see, is still known, remembered and loved not only in his homeland, but throughout the world.
Chopin's biography and all the dates of events that happened to this great composer were described in our article as fully as possible. In music schools today, the work of this author is included in the compulsory curriculum. However, young musicians study Chopin's biography briefly. This is enough for children. But in adulthood I want to get to know such an interesting composer better. Then the biography of Chopin, briefly written for children, no longer satisfies us. That is why we decided to create a more detailed description of the life and work of this great man. Chopin's biography, a summary of which you can find in various reference books, has been supplemented by us based on various sources. We hope you found the information presented interesting. Now you know what events Chopin’s biography consisted of and what works he wrote. All the best!
In 1810, on March 1, 60 kilometers from Warsaw in the small village of Zhelazova Wola, one of the world's greatest composers was born. Since childhood, he loved music more than life itself, and his parents encouraged his passion. In general, the Chopin family was quite musical. The older sister, for example, who was very friendly with her brother, also played the piano quite well. The talented boy had his own Czech music teacher, Zhivny, who over time became a very close family friend. He was one of the first to recognize talent in the child and certainly had a positive influence on the development of his musical abilities.
Already at the age of 8, Frederic began to engage in musical creativity. In the January issue of the Warsaw Diary they even mentioned one of his first works - a polonaise dedicated to Countess Skarbek.
It was from notes like these, as well as reviews from those who heard little Frederic play, that the popularity of the future great musician began to grow.
Almost every day, luxurious carriages stopped at the house to take the boy to perform at the house of some famous person in Warsaw, where he could improvise in front of an admiring audience.
At a very young age, the musician was lucky enough to meet some virtuosos of that time who stopped in Warsaw on their way to St. Petersburg. So he attended Paganini’s concert and even played for Catalani, who gave him a gold watch in recognition of his talent.
Since 1823, he studied at the Warsaw Lyceum, which he successfully graduated in 1926. In parallel with this, he is studying with Józef Elsner (the director and conductor of the opera).
As Frederick’s relatives note, the boy had talent not only for music, but also for acting, and also loved to draw and write poetry. He was especially good at imitation, he could believably portray any person, his facial expressions and gestures, and it turned out very reliably. Thus, he jokingly depicted the playing manners and behavior of virtuosos of that time, bringing a lot of pleasure to those around him.
Frederic Chopin, studying in Warsaw
The next step is studying at the Main School in Warsaw. At the age of 15, Chopin's sister died and he devoted himself entirely to his studies after this tragedy. The years 1827-1828 became one of the most successful years for the musician creatively. In 1927 - 1928, many works were created, with which the composer would later conquer musical heights.
Chopin during this period often played wherever he was asked, Józef Elsner characterized his gifted student as a “musical genius.” And here’s how one of his contemporaries described Frederick’s appearance: “Short stature, weak build and sunken chest... his forehead was high and very beautiful, his eyes were expressive and gentle, at first glance there was nothing special about them, but if you looked closely you could see something out of this world. Dark, thick, curly hair with a slight shade of red. His nose was large and gave his face some significance. He was agile, possessed wit and causticity in conversation. However, he treated his family with tenderness and respect. And he never forgot his parents, even at the peak of his fame."
In 1828, the father sent his son abroad with his friend, professor of zoology Felix Yarotsky, who was invited to Berlin for a congress of naturalists. During his stay in the capital, Frederick gained experience communicating with highly cultured people, music connoisseurs, and also had the opportunity to go to the opera almost every day. Also on the way back, Prince Antoni Radziwill himself invited the composer to his palace in order to hear the young virtuoso play.
House where Frederic Chopin was born. It was restored and now concerts dedicated to the great composer are given here
Chopin was very pleased with the trip, which not only helped him make acquaintances with intelligent people, but also expanded his understanding of music. Already at home in Warsaw he was constantly invited to social events, he was simply in great demand. True, as Frederick himself writes in a letter to his friend Titus Wojciechowski: “in a week I was unable to write anything either for people or for God” - he was so busy. He also often went to the country residence of Anthony Radziwill, who greatly appreciated his talent.
However, it was not only aristocratic circles that educated the young composer, because at that time the situation in Warsaw was not calm; quite recently it again became the capital of Poland, having lost this status after the defeat of the Kosciuszko uprising in 1875.
Poland was now under the rule of the despotic Constantine and had effectively lost its independence as a state. Such conditions gave rise to the revolutionary liberation movement. Warsaw was no exception; people here were very patriotic, having played their role in the uprising of 1830. A fateful date for Frederick - this year he had to leave his home forever. However, before this, another important event happened - a trip to Vienna, which, thanks to such names as Beethoven and Haydn, became the capital of music. He was received very warmly, which was ensured by the former professor of organ music in Warsaw, Wilhelm Würfel. Würfel organized Chopin’s first concerts there, which served as a significant help in terms of “promotion” of the composer. Thanks to them, he became famous throughout Vienna and gained concert experience.
Returning home, Frederick began to make plans for his future; he wanted to continue his education abroad, but this required money. How else could one earn money if not through public speaking? The first concert in Warsaw took place in the spring of 1830 and was, of course, received very warmly; Chopin then performed the Concerto in F minor (op. 21), the Fantasy in B flat major on Polish themes (op. 13).
During this period, his works reflected not only the dramatic situation in which all of Poland lived, but also his personal feelings towards his ideal. This ideal was the singer Konstanzia Gladkowska, who studied at the Warsaw Conservatory. Perhaps Frederick developed a feeling for her at a demonstration concert in April 1829, where Gladkovskaya successfully performed as a soloist.
The composer dedicated the adagio from the concerto in F minor to his first love, and also began composing the concerto in E minor. He carefully hid his feelings from everyone. On July 21, 1830, Gladkowska's debut performance took place at the Warsaw Opera, and Frederick, of course, was present there.
The love was mutual. But fate had other plans for the future of the young people and Chopin, leaving Warsaw in November 1830, did not yet know that he would not see Constance again.
The composer left his country as an already accomplished musician, and in his traveling bag he carried his works, which would help him conquer Europe.
List of works
1. Variations in B flat major for piano and orchestra, on the theme of the opera “Don Giovanni” by Mozart (1827-28)
2. Sonata in C minor is dedicated to Jozef Elsner, written in 1827-28.
3. Concerto in E minor for piano and orchestra, written in 1830.
4. Fantasia in A major for piano and orchestra on Polish themes, written in 1829-30.
5. Concerto in F minor for piano and orchestra, written in 1829, dedicated to Delphine Potocka.
6. Two Polonaises: C sharp minor, E flat minor.
Frederic François Chopin is a great Polish pianist and composer. He was born in the small town of Zhelyazova Wola on March 1, 1810. The parents tried to give the talented child a good musical education. Six-year-old Frederic begins to study music with teacher Wojciech Zywny. His pronounced ability to play the piano and write music made the boy a favorite of the high society salons of Warsaw.
Pen sample - polonaise B-dur (1817)
Having learned that young Frederick had composed a polonaise, Prince Radziwill helped ensure that the work was published in the newspaper. Under the notes there was a note that the composer was only seven years old. Chopin's children's works, the list of which began with the polonaise, were strongly influenced by the popular Polish composers of that time - Michała Kleofasa Ogińskiego and Maria Szymanowskiej.
During his creative life, F. Chopin composed 16 polonaises. But he considered only seven of them worthy of public execution. Nine works that were created in the early period were not published during the composer’s lifetime. The first three polonaises, written in the period 1817-1821, became the starting point for the development of the young musician’s composing talent.
Almost all of F. Chopin's polonaises were solo piano works. But there were exceptions. In “Great Polonaise in Es-major” the piano was accompanied by an orchestra. The composer composed “Polonaise in C major” for piano and cello.
New teacher
In 1822, Wojciech Zywny was forced to admit that as a musician he could give the young Chopin nothing more. The student surpassed his teacher, and the touched teacher said goodbye to the talented child. Taking part in his fate, Zivny wrote to the famous Warsaw composer and teacher Joseph Elsner. A new period began in Chopin's life.
First Mazurka
Frederick spent the summer of 1824 in the town of Shafarnya, where the estate of the family of his school friend was located. Here he first came into contact with folk music. Masovian and Jewish folklore penetrated deeply into the soul of the aspiring musician. The impressions inspired by him were reflected in the Mazurka a-minor. She became known as "Jewish".
The Mazurkas, like other works by Chopin, the list of which was constantly growing, combined various musical trends. The tonality and form of the melody flow harmoniously from the intonation of folk singing (the mazurka in the national Polish tradition was a dance accompanied by singing). They combine elements of rural folklore and urban salon music. Another feature of Chopin's mazurkas is the combination of various dances and the original arrangement of folk melodies. The cycle of mazurkas has intonations characteristic of folklore and combines elements characteristic of folk music with the author’s way of constructing a musical phrase.
The Mazurkas are Chopin's numerous and best-known works. Their list was replenished throughout the composer’s creative career. In total, between 1825 and 1849, Chopin created 58 mazurkas. His creative legacy gave rise to the interest that composers began to show in this dance. Many Polish writers tried to work in this genre, but were never able to completely free themselves from the charm of Chopin's music.
Becoming an artist
In 1829, Frederic Chopin began his concert activities. He successfully tours in Krakow and Vienna.
Musical Austria was conquered by the young Polish virtuoso. In 1830, Chopin left his homeland and moved to France.
The first concert in Paris made Chopin famous. The musician was only 22 years old. He rarely performed in concert halls. But he was a frequent guest of the social salons of the French aristocracy and the Polish diaspora of France. This allowed the young Polish pianist to acquire many noble and wealthy fans among the French aristocracy. The popularity of the Polish pianist increased. Soon everyone in Paris knew this name - Frederic Chopin. Works, the list and order of performance of which were unknown in advance even to the performer himself - Chopin was very fond of impromptu performances - caused a storm of applause from the shocked audience.
1830: piano concertos
In 1830, the composer finished composing the Concerto in F minor. On March 21, its premiere performance took place at the National Theater in Warsaw. A few months later, there was a public performance of another work, the e-moll concerto.
Chopin's piano concertos are touching romance. They have the same three-part shape. The first movement is a double exposure sonata. First the orchestra sounds, and after it the piano part takes a solo role. The second part is in the form of a nocturne - touching and melancholic. The final movements of the two concertos are rondos. In them you can clearly hear the melodies of the mazurka, kujawiak and krakowiak - the popular Last Dance was very popular with Chopin, who often used it in his compositions.
Many famous musicians turned to his work and performed Chopin's works. The list of names of piano concertos and other works is a sign of the highest performing professionalism and good musical taste.
1835 First performance of Andante spianato
Frederic Chopin planned to write a concert piece with an introduction for a long time. He began work by composing “Polonaise,” leaving the writing of the introduction for a later time. In his letters, the composer wrote that “Polonaise” itself was created at the turn of 1830-1831. And only five years later the introduction was written, and the essay took on a finished form.
Andante spianato is written for piano in the key of g-dur and time signature 6/8. The nocturne character of the introduction sets off the beginning of the Polonaise, in which a heroic motif sounds. During recitals, Chopin often included the Andante spianato as a separate concert piece.
On April 26, at the Warsaw Conservatory, Chopin performs “Andante spianato and Grand Polonaise in Es major.” The first performance with the orchestra took place to a full house and was a huge success. The work was published in 1836 and was dedicated to Baroness D’Este. The collection of masterpieces, which contained Chopin’s famous works, the list of which already included more than 150 works, was replenished with another immortal creation.
Three Sonatas (1827-1844)
Frederic Chopin's sonata cycle was composed of works written in different periods of his creativity. “Sonata in c minor” was created in 1827-1828. Chopin himself called it “the sin of youth.” Like many of his early works, it was published after his death. The first edition is dated 1851.
“Sonata in b minor” is an example of a monumentally dramatic, but at the same time lyrical work. Chopin, whose list of compositions was already significant, was fascinated by the complex musical form. First the “Funeral March” was born. His manuscript is dated November 28, 1837. The entire sonata was written by 1839. Some of its parts refer to music characteristic of the Romantic era. The first part is a ballad, and the final one has the character of an etude. However, it was the “Funeral March,” tragic and deep, that became the culmination of the entire work. In 1844, another work was written in sonata form, “Sonata in B minor”.
Last years
In 1837, Chopin suffered his first attack of tuberculosis. The disease haunted him throughout his remaining years. The trip to Mallorca, which he made together, did not bring relief. But it was a fruitful creative period. It was in Mallorca that Chopin wrote a cycle of 24 preludes. The return to Paris and the break with J. Sand had a detrimental effect on the composer’s weakened health.
1848 - travel to London. This was the last tour. Hard work and the damp British climate finally undermined the health of the great musician.
In October 1849, at the age of 39, Frédéric François Chopin died. Hundreds of admirers of his talent came to Paris for the funeral. According to Chopin's last will, the great musician's heart was taken to Poland. He was walled up in a column of the Church of the Holy Cross in Warsaw.
The works of F. Chopin, the list of which amounts to more than 200 compositions, are often heard today in the concert programs of many famous pianists. Television and radio stations all over the world have Chopin's works in their repertoire lists. The list - in Russian or any other language - is freely available.
Frederic François Chopin is a great romantic composer and founder of the Polish pianist school. In his entire life he did not create a single piece for a symphony orchestra, but his works for piano are the unsurpassed pinnacle of world pianistic art.
The future musician was born in 1810 in the family of a Polish teacher and tutor Nicolas Chopin and Tekla Justyna Krzyzanowska, a noblewoman by birth. In the town of Zhelyazova Wola, near Warsaw, the Chopin family was considered a respected intelligent family.
Parents raised their children to love music and poetry. Mother was a good pianist and singer, she spoke French perfectly. In addition to little Frederick, the family raised three more daughters, but only the boy showed truly great ability to play the piano.
The only surviving photo of Frederic Chopin
Possessing great mental sensitivity, little Frederick could sit for hours at the instrument, selecting or learning the works he liked. Already in his early childhood, he amazed those around him with his musical abilities and love of music. The boy began performing concerts at almost 5 years old, and at the age of 7 he already entered the class of the famous Polish pianist of that time, Wojciech Zywny. Five years later, Frederick turned into a real virtuoso pianist, whose technical and musical skills were not inferior to adults.
In parallel with his piano lessons, Frederic Chopin began taking composition lessons from the famous Warsaw musician Józef Elsner. In addition to his education, the young man travels a lot around Europe, visiting opera houses in Prague, Dresden, and Berlin.
Thanks to the patronage of Prince Anton Radziwill, the young musician became accepted into high society. The talented young man also visited Russia. His performance was noted by Emperor Alexander I. As a reward, the young performer was presented with a diamond ring.
Music
Having gained impressions and first experience as a composer, at the age of 19 Chopin began his pianistic career. The concerts that the musician holds in his native Warsaw and Krakow bring him enormous popularity. But the very first European tour that Frederic undertook a year later turned out to be a separation from his homeland for the musician.
While in Germany giving performances, Chopin learns about the suppression of the Polish uprising in Warsaw, of which he was one of the supporters. After such news, the young musician was forced to stay abroad in Paris. In memory of this event, the composer wrote his first opus of etudes, the pearl of which was the famous Revolutionary Etude.
In France, Frederic Chopin performed mainly in the homes of his patrons and high-ranking acquaintances. At this time, he composed his first piano concertos, which he successfully performed on the stages of Vienna and Paris.
An interesting fact in Chopin’s biography is his meeting in Leipzig with the German romantic composer Robert Schumann. After listening to the performance of a young Polish pianist and composer, the German exclaimed: “Gentlemen, take off your hats, this is a genius.” In addition to Schumann, his Hungarian follower Franz Liszt became a fan of Frederic Chopin. He admired the work of the Polish musician and even wrote a large research work about the life and work of his idol.
Creativity flourishes
The thirties of the 19th century became the heyday of the composer’s work. Impressed by the poetry of the Polish writer Adam Mickiewicz, Fryderyk Chopin creates four ballads dedicated to his native Poland and worries about its fate.
The melody of these works is filled with elements of Polish folk songs, dances and recitative cues. These are unique lyrical and tragic pictures from the life of the people of Poland, refracted through the prism of the author’s experiences. In addition to ballads, 4 scherzos, waltzes, mazurkas, polonaises and nocturnes appeared at this time.
If the waltz in Chopin's work becomes the most autobiographical genre, closely related to the events of his personal life, then the mazurkas and polonaises can rightfully be called a treasure trove of national images. Mazurkas are represented in Chopin's work not only by famous lyrical works, but also by aristocratic or, conversely, folk dances.
The composer, in accordance with the concept of romanticism, which appeals primarily to the national identity of the people, uses sounds and intonations characteristic of Polish folk music to create his musical compositions. This is the famous bourdon, imitating the sounds of folk instruments, this is also a sharp syncopation, which is skillfully combined with the dotted rhythm inherent in Polish music.
Frederic Chopin also opens up the nocturne genre in a new way. If before him the name of the nocturne primarily corresponded to the translation “night song,” then in the work of the Polish composer this genre turns into a lyric-dramatic sketch. And if the first opuses of his nocturnes sound like a lyrical description of nature, then the latest works delve deeper into the sphere of tragic experiences.
One of the peaks of the mature master’s creativity is considered to be his cycle, consisting of 24 preludes. It was written during the critical years of Frederick’s first love and breakup with his beloved. The choice of genre was influenced by Chopin’s passion for the work of J. S. Bach at that time.
Studying the immortal cycle of preludes and fugues by the German master, the young Polish composer decided to write a similar work. But for the romantic, such works received a personal touch of sound. Chopin's preludes are, first of all, small but deep sketches of a person's inner experiences. They are written in the style of a musical diary popular in those years.
Chopin teacher
Chopin's fame is due not only to his composing and concert activities. The talented Polish musician also proved himself to be a brilliant teacher. Frederic Chopin is the creator of a unique pianistic technique that has helped many pianists achieve true professionalism.
Adolf Gutmann was a student of Chopin In addition to talented students, many young ladies from aristocratic circles studied with Chopin. But of all the composer’s wards, only Adolf Gutmann truly became famous, who later became a pianist and music editor.
Portraits of Chopin
Among Chopin's friends one could meet not only musicians and composers. He was interested in the work of writers, romantic artists, and aspiring photographers who were fashionable at that time. Thanks to Chopin's diverse connections, many portraits remained, painted by different masters, the most famous of which is considered to be the work of Eugene Delacroix.
Portrait of Chopin. Artist Eugene Delacroix The portrait of the composer, painted in a romantic manner unusual for that time, is now kept in the Louvre Museum. At the moment, photos of the Polish musician are also known. Historians count at least three daguerreotypes, which, according to research, depict Frederic Chopin.
Personal life
Frederic Chopin's personal life was tragic. Despite his sensitivity and tenderness, the composer did not truly experience a feeling of complete happiness from family life. Frederick's first chosen one was his compatriot, young Maria Wodzinska.
After the young people got engaged, the bride’s parents put forward a demand for the wedding to take place no earlier than in a year. During this time, they hoped to get to know the composer better and make sure of his financial solvency. But Frederick did not live up to their hopes, and the engagement was broken off.
The musician experienced the moment of parting with his beloved very acutely. This was reflected in the music he wrote that year. In particular, at this time the famous second sonata appeared from his pen, the slow movement of which was called the “Funeral March”.
A year later he was captivated by an emancipated person who was known throughout Paris. The Baroness's name was Aurore Dudevant. She was a fan of the emerging feminism. Aurora, without hesitation, wore a men's suit; she was not married, but was fond of open relationships. Possessing a refined mind, the young lady wrote and published novels under the pseudonym George Sand.
The love story of 27-year-old Chopin and 33-year-old Aurora developed rapidly, but the couple did not advertise their relationship for a long time. None of his portraits show Frederic Chopin with his women. The only painting that depicted the composer and George Sand was found torn in two after his death.
The lovers spent a lot of time in the private property of Aurora Dudevant in Mallorca, where Chopin began to suffer from an illness that later led to sudden death. The humid island climate, tense relationships with his beloved and their frequent quarrels provoked tuberculosis in the musician.
Many acquaintances who observed the unusual couple noted that the strong-willed countess had a special influence on the weak-willed Frederick. However, this did not stop him from creating his immortal piano works.
Death
Chopin's health, which deteriorated every year, was finally undermined by the break with his lover George Sand in 1847. After this event, broken morally and physically, the pianist begins his last tour of Great Britain, on which he went with his student Jane Stirling. Returning to Paris, he gave concerts for some time, but soon fell ill and never got up again.
Close people who were close to the composer throughout his last days were his beloved younger sister Ludvika and French friends. Frederic Chopin died in mid-October 1849. The cause of his death was complicated pulmonary tuberculosis.
Monument at the grave of Frederic Chopin According to the composer's will, his heart was taken out of his chest and taken to his homeland, and his body was buried in a grave in the French cemetery of Père Lachaise. The cup with the composer’s heart is still walled up in one of the Catholic churches of the Polish capital.
The Poles love Chopin so much and are proud of him that they rightfully consider his work a national treasure. Many museums have been opened in honor of the composer; in every city there are monuments to the great musician. Frederic's death mask and a cast of his hands can be seen in the Chopin Museum in Zelazowa Wola.
Facade of Warsaw Chopin Airport Many music educational institutions are named in memory of the composer, including the Warsaw Conservatory. Since 2001, a Polish airport located in Warsaw has been named after Chopin. It is interesting that one of the terminals is called “Etudes” in memory of the immortal creation of the composer.
The name of the Polish genius is so popular among music connoisseurs and ordinary listeners that some modern musical groups take advantage of this and create lyrical compositions stylistically reminiscent of Chopin's works, and attribute his authorship to them. So in the public domain you can find musical pieces called “Autumn Waltz”, “Waltz of Rain”, “Garden of Eden”, the real authors of which are the group “Secret Garden” and composers Paul de Senneville and Oliver Toussaint.
Works
- Concertos for piano and orchestra - (1829-1830)
- Mazurkas - (1830-1849)
- Polonaises - (1829-1846)
- Nocturnes - (1829-1846)
- Waltzes - (1831-1847)
- Sonatas - (1828-1844)
- Preludes - (1836-1841)
- Sketches - (1828-1839)
- Scherzo - (1831-1842)
- Ballads - (1831-1842)