A message about the fate and work of Chopin. Frederic Chopin - biography, information, personal life

POLISH Nugget FREDERIC CHOPIN

The brilliant composer differed in many ways from most of his predecessors and even contemporaries. He wrote works only for piano.

This unique creator left us neither an opera, nor a symphony, nor an overture. That is why his talent as a composer is so amazing, because Chopin managed to become an innovator of piano music.

Crying to the sound of music

Little virtuoso Frederic Chopin

The little pianist's debut took place in Warsaw. Then he was barely seven years old. The first concert was successful, and news of the young talent quickly spread throughout the city. Chopin's performing talent developed so rapidly that at a very young age Frederic was at the same level with the best Polish pianists.

Teacher Zhivny even refused lessons with the little virtuoso. He said that he could no longer teach Frederick anything. In parallel with his music studies, Chopin received an excellent general education. He spoke fluent French and German, studied the history of Poland and absorbed volumes of fiction. The young man drew well, was distinguished by a sharp mind, observation and amazing facial talent, which could guarantee him a theatrical career. But since childhood, he chose the only path for himself - music.

At the same time, there is a special interest in Frederic Chopin called folk music. While walking around the outskirts of the city, he could stop at a house and listen with hope to the folk tunes coming from there. Folklore became close to the essence of the composer himself and became inseparable from his work.

The best pianist in the country

After graduating from the Lyceum, Frederick entered the higher school of music. There his formation continued under the guidance of the experienced teacher and composer Joseph Elsner. He quickly realized that before him was not just talent, but a real genius. He even wrote about this in the description given to the young performer. By this time, the young man had already been recognized as the best pianist in the country. During these years, his talent as a composer also became mature. This is confirmed by two concertos for piano and orchestra, written in 1829-1830. Now pianists from different countries invariably include these works in their repertoire.

At the same time Chopin fell in love for the first time. He experienced tender feelings for the young singer Konstancia Gladkowska from the Warsaw Conservatory. It was under the influence of this that Frederic created the song “Desire.”

Farewell to the Motherland

The young musician visited Vienna, where he gave several concerts that were a success with the public. His family realized that the virtuoso pianist could go on a real concert tour. But Chopin I didn’t dare take this step for a long time. He was overcome by bad feelings. It seemed to the composer that he was leaving forever homeland. After much deliberation, in the fall of 1830, Frederick left Warsaw, taking with him a cup containing Polish soil, a gift from friends.

Unfortunately, his premonitions did not deceive him. Chopin parted ways with his native land forever. Remembering the wonderful reception he received in Vienna, Frederick I decided to start my tour from there. But, despite all the troubles, the musician was never able to organize an independent concert, and publishers were in no hurry to buy his works for publication.

Unexpectedly, alarming news came from Poland. Polish patriots organized an uprising against Russian tsarism. Frederick decided to suspend his tour and return to his homeland, but his relatives insisted that he not come in order to avoid persecution. Reluctantly, Chopin submitted to his family and went to Paris.

On the way to the capital of France, Frederick was overtaken by another piece of news: the uprising was brutally suppressed, its leaders were thrown into prison and exiled to Siberia. He arrived in Paris with his famous sketch, which was later called “revolutionary”. He spent the rest of his life there, although France could not become a second home for the composer. In all his affections, as well as in his creativity Frederick remained a true Pole.

Hats off, Chopin is in front of you!

First, he conquered Paris with his performing arts - listeners were amazed by his unusual style of playing the piano. Compared to the technically perfect performing skills of other pianists, his playing was surprisingly spiritual and poetic. The memories of the eminent have survived to this day. Hungarian virtuoso pianist and composer about his first Paris concert Chopin. He wrote that the growing applause could not fully express admiration for the talent of young Frederick.

During his performances, the Polish genius most often performed his own works: piano concertos, mazurkas, etudes, concert rondos, nocturnes and variations on a theme from the opera Don Giovanni. It was a German composer who wrote an enthusiastic phrase about them: “Hats off, gentlemen, before you is a genius.”

Everyone was fascinated by Chopin, only the publishers took a wait-and-see approach. They agreed to publish his works, but only for free. Frederick was forced to give music lessons for many hours every day to earn a living. This work brought him income, but it took a lot of effort and so much precious time. Even being a world-famous composer, he could not leave these exhausting studies.

With thoughts about Poland

The popularity of the composer and pianist helped expand his circle of acquaintances. His friends included Franz Liszt, the French composer Hector Berlioz, and the artist Eugene Delacroix and the German poet Heinrich Heine. But no matter how interesting he was with his new comrades, he never forgot about his compatriots. For example, for the sake of a guest from home Chopin could radically change the strict routine of his day and go with him on a tour of Paris. Frederick spent hours listening to stories about Poland and the Poles. And when the poet Adam Mickiewicz came to him, the composer sat down at the instrument and played his close friend’s favorite works for a long time. Only Chopin's music helped Mickiewicz ease the pain of separation from his homeland. Thanks to Adam, Frederick's first ballad was born. The musician’s second ballad is also associated with the images of Mickiewicz’s works.

Love is poison

Meetings with friends and compatriots were very dear to the composer, because he did not have his own family. He wanted to marry Maria Wodzinska from a noble Polish family, but her parents categorically were against this marriage. For many years Chopin linked his fate with the French writer Aurora Dudevant, who is better known under the pseudonym Georges Sand.

It is worth noting that not much reliable information has been preserved about the history of their relationship. For example, Franz Liszt in his book stated quite unequivocally that it was the writer who caused the early death of the composer. One of Frederick’s close friends, Wojciech Grzymala, also said that Aurora poisoned Chopin’s existence and was responsible for his sudden death. His student Wilhelm Lenz even called it a poisonous plant. He was outraged by the disdainful attitude George Sand showed towards the composer even in the presence of strangers.

Famous but lonely

Over the years, he gave concerts less and less; he limited himself to performing music in a narrow circle of close people. This allowed him to devote himself entirely to creativity. He wrote sonatas, impromptus, scherzos, ballads, a new series of etudes, nocturnes, preludes, his favorite polonaises and mazurkas. But along with lyrical plays, dramatic and even tragic works increasingly came from the composer’s pen. For example, the Second Sonata with a funeral march. It became one of the most significant achievements of Chopin and all Polish music.

In Paris, Frederic's personal life did not work out, but this city had a positive influence on his work - it reached its peak. His works became printing for money, taking lessons from the maestro was an honor, and hearing the piano played was a rare happiness.

The composer's last years were also bleak. His father died, then there was a break with Aurora. He became lonely and could not bear the blows of fate. Since his youth he suffered from lung disease, and now it has only worsened. Over the last two years of his life he wrote almost nothing. At the invitation of friends, he went to London with concerts in the spring of 1848, but the damp climate there only worsened his condition. He returned to Paris and died in 1849 in the arms of his sister, who came to him from Poland.

At Frederick's funeral, the “Requiem” of his beloved Mozart was performed by the best artists of the French capital. He was buried in Paris, but his heart Chopin bequeathed to send it to Poland, where it is now kept in the Warsaw Church of the Holy Cross.

DATA

Since childhood Chopin I had a habit of playing the piano in the dark. Little Frederick was used to sitting down at his instrument in the dark. Only in In such an environment he felt inspired. Later, when speaking at parties, he always asked to dim the lights in the room.

Brilliant mind and ingenuity were evident in Frederica in different guises. As a teenager, he was unable to play complex chords because his fingers lacked stretch. This forced the boy to come up with a device that would help him stretch the ligaments. The construction caused terrible pain to the young man, but he did not remove it even at night.

Updated: April 7, 2019 by: Elena

The life story of the great Polish composer Frederic Chopin touches to the core. This extraordinarily gifted, charming romantic with refined manners and a sensitive heart, during all the short years of life allotted to him by heaven, never truly experienced a feeling of true happiness. He was always a favorite of the public and the object of adoration of numerous fans, who continually bombarded him with expensive gifts. However, in his personal life, this inspired lyricist was deeply unhappy - his heart was torn by pain, longing for his homeland, torment from a terrible illness and unhappy love...

Brief biography Frederic Chopin and read many interesting facts about the composer on our page.

Brief biography of Chopin

Frederic Franciszek Chopin was born near Warsaw in the family of an emigrant from France, Nicholas Chopin, and a Polish woman, Justyna Krzyzanowska. There are still heated discussions about the date of his birth - some historians believe that the future composer was born on March 1, 1810, while others are convinced that he saw this world a few days earlier - on February 22. The future composer's mother became his first music teacher, instilling in the boy a taste for beauty. According to the memoirs of contemporaries, she came from a well-born family, received an excellent education, knew French, had a beautiful voice, and knew how and loved to sing.

Since childhood, Chopin has been talked about as a small miracle. And many even compared him with Mozart , because he had an ideal ear for music, masterfully improvised and had a keen sense of the instrument. Frederick was always emotional, he could cry while listening to a concentrated melody that touched the soul. In a burst of musical inspiration, he jumped out of bed in the middle of the night and ran to the instrument to play the fragment he had dreamed about. At the age of seven, the little composer composed his first work - a small polonaise in G minor. The news about this even made it into an issue of a Warsaw newspaper, where the music was assessed as the professional work of a talented master, and the boy was called a genius.

At the same time, Chopin was sent to study with the outstanding Czech pianist Wojciech Zivny. The boy began his studies with all seriousness, although he combined them with his studies at the school. His success was so great that when he reached the age of 12, Zhivny refused to teach Frederic further, saying that he could give him nothing more. The fame of Frederic Chopin as a wonderful performer had already spread throughout Warsaw; it is not surprising that the boy had influential patrons who opened the door to high society for him. There he immediately became one of his own: his contemporaries described him as a young man of exceptionally pleasant appearance, with an excellent sense of humor and a sharp tongue, who from the first words upon meeting could win over his interlocutor. At that time, Frederic traveled a lot around Europe, attending concerts of famous musicians, which helped determine his personal musical style.
Such a busy life does not interfere with his education, and according to Chopin’s biography, in 1823 he became a student at the Warsaw Lyceum, and in 1826 – a student at the Higher School of Music.

Farewell, Motherland...

From Chopin's biography we learn that in 1829 the period of his active touring began. Ferenc planned to stay a little in Kalisz, then go to Berlin, Dresden, Vienna, and finally travel through the cities of Italy and France. In 1830, he left his native Poland forever, and he was no longer destined to return to his homeland. He has no choice but to preserve his love for his country throughout his life and bequeath his yearning heart to it.

Chopin learned about the uprising that broke out in Warsaw while in Austria, and immediately decided to go home. But in the letter, Frederick's father insisted that he remain abroad, and he had to obey. The news of the fall of the Polish capital was a big blow for him. Impressed by this terrible event, he created his best tragic creations - “Revolutionary Etude”, prelude in d minor, and final preludes op.28.

Chopin decides to temporarily settle in Paris, where he gives his first piano concert. Success comes to him immediately, he becomes a favorite of the public. In the wake of the popularity that befell him, he gained many fans, enjoyed female attention, and made friendly connections with famous composers - F. Mendelssohn , G. Berliz, F. Liszt and V. Bellini. He maintained friendships with many of them throughout his life.

Frederic Chopin discovered his love for teaching early on. Unlike many of his colleagues, he devoted himself entirely to this craft; many subsequently famous musicians were his students.

A story of great and tragic love

They were not destined to become husband and wife, and she did not have the chance to give him heirs. It seemed that fate laughed, pushing them together: pale, sick Frederick, a handsome young man of 26 with impeccable manners and a burning gaze, and a divorced, rude, masculine woman who could not be imagined without a cigarette clenched in her teeth. Nevertheless, the romance, which lasted almost ten years, gave both of them not only pain and disappointment, but also love, a lot of sincere feelings and creative forces. He wrote his brilliant music, she wrote books, they inspired each other every day, which is probably why they continue to talk about their romance to this day.

When George Sand and Frédéric Chopin first met, she was a divorced, independent woman with two children, and he was engaged to Maria Wodzinska. Perhaps the reason for the passion that flared up in the woman’s heart was the fact that at the time of their acquaintance Chopin was sick and weak, and she had feelings for all her lovers that were similar to her mother’s. One way or another, Sand drew attention to the unfortunate young man, and his engagement soon ended, as Maria’s parents considered him unworthy of their child.

When he first met the extravagant George Sand, dressed in rough male attire, Chopin did not pay any attention to her, only a few days later he casually remarked: “What kind of disgusting woman is this Sand? And is she even a woman?” However, it was in her arms that Frederick found solace, painfully experiencing a break in his relationship with his fiancée. Sand knew the right and shortest path to a man’s heart; she quickly conquered him with her large, expressive eyes and contradictory nature.

Chopin settled in a neighboring house next to his beloved. They carefully protected their relationship from prying eyes; it happened that, having met at a reception with mutual friends, they remained distant and did not betray their feelings in any way. Later, the lovers rented a cozy apartment in one of the residential areas of Paris, but when receiving guests, they pretended that Chopin was only a guest in their common home. In 1838, Sand with two children and Frederic went to Mallorca to take a break from the bustle of the city and improve the composer’s health. Periodically they returned to Noana, where the writer’s estate was located. There, Sand had to take on all the household chores, because Frederick, due to his constant illnesses, was practically useless at home. George Sand's children were very unhappy with the fact that they had to live under the same roof with Chopin. Son Moritz was painfully jealous of his mother for the man, and Solange plotted and even tried to seduce Frederick in order to destroy her mother’s relationship. The unhealthy environment in the house had a detrimental effect on Chopin's mood. Tired of the endless squabbles, Moritz's painful jealousy of his mother and Solange's intrigues, which did not subside in the house, he told Sand that he intended to visit his native land, and she did not interfere with him. Frederic leaves Nohant forever and goes to Paris.

For some time, George Sand and Frederic Chopin continued to communicate through letters. However, regularly bumping into Solange in Paris, he listened to her stories about her mother’s new love affairs and intrigues, mostly fictitious. As a result, the girl achieved her goal: Chopin hated his former beloved and broke off the correspondence. The last time they met was in 1848, a year before the composer's death. Sand, seeing Chopin, wanted to speak to him, but he turned away and walked out.

Chopin decides to forget this failed relationship in London. It is there that he gives his last concert. The British climate completely broke the composer; in the last months of his life he could not compose or perform music, and tuberculosis and persistent depression brought him to his grave at the age of only 39 years. On October 17, Frederic Chopin died.

After Chopin's death, Sand settled down. Until her death, for 15 years she lived with one man, Alexander Manso, devoting herself to home, family and her favorite work.

Interesting Facts

Two early works by Chopin have survived to this day. This is a B major polonaise and “Military March”, which he wrote at the age of 7. The march was often performed at military parades in Warsaw.
Since 1927, the Chopin Piano Competition has been held in the capital of Poland every 5 years.
Chopin suffered all his life from the fact that his palm was not wide enough to play complex chords. While still a boy, he invented a special device for stretching his fingers and wore it without taking it off even in his sleep, although it caused unbearable pain.
The composer retained the habit of playing in the dark throughout his life. This is how, he argued, inspiration comes to him. When the composer performed his music at parties, he always asked to dim the lights in the room.
Several objects are named after Chopin - the airport and university in Warsaw, the Irkutsk College of Music, as well as a crater on Mercury.
The composer did not like to talk about his personal life. His friends never heard a word from him about his affairs of the heart, but he himself always enjoyed discussing their love affairs with them.
Outwardly, Chopin was very attractive: he was fair-haired, blue-eyed, had a slight physique and had success among ladies all his life, but for ten years he loved the one whom, at the first meeting, he did not even consider to be like a woman.
After meeting the composer, Georges Sand sent him a note consisting of one phrase: “I bow before you. J.S.” Chopin put this note in his personal album and kept it until the end of his life.
The only painting depicting the composer and Sand together was discovered torn into two after his death.
Only a small part of the composer’s epistolary heritage has reached us. The composer's lovers K. Gladkovskaya and J. Sand chose to destroy almost all the letters that Chopin sent to them. Frederick's letters to his family, and with them his beloved piano, were turned to dust by a fire in the apartment of his sister I. Barcinska.

Chopin’s legacy includes “Waltz of the Little Dog,” which is listed as No. 1 op.64. Many people mistakenly believe that this piece is the same famous, simple “Dog Waltz” that almost every inhabitant of the planet has heard. In fact, these are two completely different works, and the authorship of the latter has not been reliably established.
Due to health problems, the composer practically did not compose in the last years of his life. The most famous work of that time can be called the “Mazurka” in f minor, which Chopin never had the opportunity to perform on his own.
Frederic Chopin had no children.
All his life, Chopin loved his homeland - Poland, in his own words, no matter where he was, his heart was always at home. These words were reflected in his will. He asked his sister Ludovika after his death to transfer his heart to the Motherland, and so it happened. The composer's heart was embedded in the wall of the Church of the Holy Cross in the Polish capital, and his body was buried in Paris. During the funeral, a handful of soil from his native country was poured into the grave, which Chopin carefully kept and carried with him on his endless travels.
During his lifetime, Chopin admired Mozart, considered him a genius, and considered his music incredible. In accordance with his will, at Chopin’s funeral, which was attended by several thousand people sincerely saddened by the death of the composer, the famous "Requiem" by Mozart .
In Warsaw you can find 15 “Chopin” shops, which are installed in places somehow connected with the composer’s life. By clicking on a special button, you can listen to a 30-second excerpt of the composer’s most famous works.

Recently, comic books have been released in Berlin that tell the story of Chopin's life as if he were living today. In the story, the composer comes to give a concert in prison, he is accompanied by a shaven-headed gangster-looking guy. In Poland, these comics were considered offensive and demanded to ban their distribution, but the author himself explained that he did not want to hurt anyone’s feelings, but only decided to introduce young people to the composer’s work in an accessible form.
Franz Liszt characterized Chopin’s art with one Polish word – zal. Translated into Russian it means “tender pity.”
The performance that marked the beginning of the musician’s fame abroad took place at the age of 15. The public remembered his performance at the charity concert not because he played the piano brilliantly. He attracted attention for his skillful improvisation on the aeolopantaleon, a musical instrument that is a combination of an organ and a piano.
Chopin's playing was not only admired, but also criticized. For example, the Viennese public did not like his performances, because, in their opinion, he played too quietly. Frederick, talking about this in letters to his friends, wrote that listeners in Vienna were simply accustomed to “the pattering of local pianists.”
Biographers are still puzzling over what really happened between Chopin and Countess Delphine Potocka, whom he met during his stay in Dresden. He dedicated some of his compositions to her, and a few days before his death he preferred to hear her sing. The composer often wrote letters to her, although no one saw them. It is believed that most of these unknown documents are still kept by Delphine's heirs.

In Poland, since 1995, there has been a music award from the Recording Academy “Frederick”, which is a kind of analogue of the American Grammy.
In 1983, the song “I Like Chopin” by the Italian singer Gazebo topped many European charts. This musical composition is based on a piano theme that has nothing to do with the Polish composer.
In 2007, Japanese developers released the computer game “Eternal Sonata”. The main character of the game is Chopin, who 3 hours before his death finds himself in a fairyland, where he has to find a cure for his illness. The game features Chopin's music performed by Russian pianist Stanislav Bunin.

Liszt and Chopin – friends or rivals?

Researchers of the lives of two geniuses of the 19th century have found a single answer to this question. Some are convinced that Chopin and Liszt were secretly competing with each other. This also explains the fact that the pianists often performed in duets, thereby trying to avoid comparison. At large-scale concerts, virtuosos appeared on stage together, and sometimes included other famous performers in their ensemble - this was the case, for example, in 1833, when Sheet , Chopin and the Hertz brothers played an ensemble for two pianos, eight hands. Historians suggest that Liszt was haunted by the elegant play of his opponent, from which he was very far, and that is why, with the appearance of the Pole in Paris, he chose to go into the shadows. A contemporary of the composers, pianist F. Giller, later explained Ferenc's action - according to him, during this period he worked hard to master everything that Chopin showed to the Parisian public.

However, most biographers are inclined to believe that these two greatest musicians were close friends. They often met, discussed the latest world events and played their compositions. In 1836, Chopin took part in Liszt's concert. That evening they performed each other’s works - Ferenc played Frederic’s etudes, and after that they performed his “Brilliant Waltz” together.

Whatever their creative union actually was, it did not last long. Why this happened is not known exactly. Musicologists cite the influence of the women who were next to them as a possible reason for the cooling of the relationship between the two geniuses. Thus, it is known for certain that a passionate admirer of Liszt, the writer Marie D'Agu, was George Sand's worst enemy. It is believed that these two sharks of the pen pitted the pianists against each other, and largely contributed to the strengthening of their friendship. According to another version, the virtuosos themselves were divorced life - with age, their views and characters began to change, which inevitably alienated them.

Other roles of the great composer

According to contemporaries, Chopin had not only outstanding musical abilities. Thus, many argue that he had amazing acting talent, and if he had devoted himself to the theater, he would have been able to write his name in its history. Frederick had the ability to amazingly accurately imitate the gestures, gait, voice and even intonation of different people. He regularly played in home performances and felt very free on stage. It often happened that he helped out his stage comrades when they forgot the text - Frederic began to improvise, thereby saving the performance from failure. The famous Polish dramatic artist Piasecki and comedian Herve unanimously predicted a great future for the boy in a theatrical career.

In addition, Frederick had a great gift as a draftsman. In addition to ordinary pictures, Chopin drew the most interesting caricatures, which his friends at the Lyceum remembered throughout his life. The musical genius studied fine arts in the hated mathematics classes. The composer's most famous work is a caricature of the rector of the Lyceum S. Linde.

It is also known that Chopin loved to dance, and always willingly did it in the company of friends. According to the memoirs of his contemporaries, he danced the mazur, oberek and “Cossack” especially famously. But it often happened that the dancers did not like the invited pianist, and then Chopin himself took his place.

Films about Chopin and his work

Chopin's biography has inspired many filmmakers to create feature films and documentaries about him. In many of them, the leading theme is the composer’s connection with Georges Sand. The most significant in cinema are:

Biographical drama A Song to Remember, directed by Charles Vidor in 1945. It tells about the life of a famous composer and his romance with a scandalous writer. The dominant idea in the film is Chopin's patriotism. The film was nominated for an Oscar in six categories.
Romantic drama “Chopin's Youth” (1951), based on the story by G. Bachner and Jerzy Broszkiewicz. Director Alexander Ford focused on five years in the composer’s life, from 1825 to 1830. The authors of the film portray the musician as an ardent revolutionary and bring his patriotic feelings to the fore.
The 36-hour feature film “Blue Note” (second title “Farewell Message”) directed by Andrei Zhulavsky, released in 1991. It tells about the composer's personal life, his feelings for Sand and relationships with loved ones.
Romantic musical comedy "Improvisation". This work by theater director James Lapine was released in 1991. It highlights the events that take place in the country house of the Duchess d'Antan during a gala reception. That evening, George Sand meets not only with Chopin, but also with many famous people of that time - Liszt, Delacroix, de Musset and others.

The drama “The Mystery of Chopin, or the Strange Case of Delphine Potocka” (1999), directed by Tony Palmer, tells the story of the last years of Frederic’s life and his feelings for the Polish Countess Potocka.
Feature film by Jerzy Antczak “Chopin. Desire for Love" (2002) tells the story of the composer's life starting in 1830. The plot centers on the complex relationship between the composer and Sand and her two children.
In the documentary film “In the Footsteps of Chopin” (2008), viewers are given the opportunity to travel to the historical places where the great maestro once visited. His music in the film is performed by famous contemporary pianists Janusz Olejniczak and Yves Henri.

Despite the fact that his life and work have been studied, as they say, far and wide, for many his personality remains a mystery to this day. And the main paradox is this: this poetic composer was a prominent representative of the romantic era, however, as a pianist he did not fit into it at all. Unlike the performers of his time, he did not gravitate toward large concert halls, theatrical bombast, or crowds of fans. He was more attracted to a confidential, intimate atmosphere in which he could tell about the most intimate things in his piano playing. Liszt spoke a lot about the phenomenon of this musician and his playing - he considered his art inexplicable and elusive, which only a select few can comprehend.

Film about Chopin

How many famous and truly talented people can you name? This article will introduce you to one of them – the famous Polish musician Frederic Chopin.

Frederic Chopin was born in 1810 in the small town of Zelazowa Wola, located in Poland. The name Chopin was popular here; this family was respected and considered one of the most intelligent. There were 3 children in the family, 2 of which were daughters.

The emergence of a love for music

Frederick's love for music began to manifest itself from early childhood due to the fact that his parents raised their children, instilling in them a love of music and poetry. Future musician Already at the age of 5 I tried to perform at concerts, and at the age of 12 he reached great heights in the musical field; adult musicians could envy him.

Chopin loved to travel; in addition to the Czech Republic and Germany, he visited Russia. There, with his piano playing, he did not leave Emperor Alexander I indifferent, for which he awarded the musician a diamond ring.

Doom Tour

At the age of nineteen, Frederic gives his concerts, which are in good demand in his native country. At the age of 20, Chopin went on his first tour of Europe. But the young musician was unable to return from it.

In his native Poland, persecution began against supporters of the Polish uprising, and Frederick was one of them. The young musician decided to stay and live in Paris. In honor of this, Frederick had a new masterpiece - the Revolutionary Study.

Ballads about the Motherland

The Polish writer Adam Mickiewicz, thanks to his poetry, inspired Chopin to write four ballads about his homeland. His ballads were filled with traditional folk elements, but they were not just musical works - they were a description of the author’s feelings about worrying about his people and his country.

Chopin was a true patriot of his country and, even being several thousand kilometers from his homeland, he never stopped thinking about it. Thanks to his abnormal love for his people and his land, Frederick has masterpieces that are in demand to this day.

Preludes by Chopin

Chopin introduced the “nocturne” genre to the people in a new way. In the new interpretation, the lyrical and dramatic sketch came to the fore. During the time of his first love and bitter breakup with his beloved, Frederick experienced the peak of his creativity - then a cycle consisting of 24 preludes was released. Chopin's Preludes are a kind of musical diary in which the author lays out all his experiences and pain.

Chopin's teachings

Thanks to Chopin's talent not only as a performer, but also as a teacher, many pianists reached the professional level. This was all achieved using a universal pianistic technique.

His lessons were attended not only by young people, but also by aristocratic young ladies. Thanks to Frederic's lessons many students have reached great heights in the musical field.

Trying to get married

In family life, the musician did not achieve such success as in the musical field. After he wanted to marry someone his age, her parents decided to test his financial stability and put forward a number of strict conditions. Chopin failed to meet the expectations of his beloved's parents, so they decided to separate. After this, the second sonata appeared, the slow movement of which was called “Funeral March”.

Romance with the Baroness

Frederic's next passion was Baroness Aurora Dudevant, who was famous throughout Paris. The couple hid their relationship; even in paintings, Chopin was never depicted with his brides.

The lovers spent all their free time in Mallorca. Quarrels with Aurora and the humid climate led to the musician developing tuberculosis.

Death of a musician

Parting with Aurora Dudevant finally broke Frederic and he was bedridden. At the age of 39, the talented musician left this earth with a diagnosis of complicated pulmonary tuberculosis. Even before his death, he bequeathed to take his heart away and take it to his homeland. His wish was fulfilled. The musician was buried at the French cemetery Père Lachaise.

Interesting facts about the musician:

His father spent time until his youth in France, where Frederick ended his life.
Even as a child, hearing music, Chopin had tears in his eyes.
The famous pianist Wojciech Zywny was known as Frederic’s teacher, and at the time of the second’s performance, he was 12 years old, the teacher said that he could teach the boy nothing more.
Chopin had blond hair and blue eyes.
The most beloved and respected composer of the Polish musician was Mozart.
Waltzes are considered the most “intimate” works of Chopin.
Mozart's Requiem was performed at Frederick's funeral.

Thus, Frederic Chopin was an outstanding personality who influenced the history of not only his state, but also culture as a whole.

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F. Chopin is an outstanding Polish composer of the first half of the 19th century. The composer is a romantic and a famous pianist.
He is the founder of the Polish national school of composition.
F. Chopin is a unique composer, as he wrote almost only piano music.
A characteristic feature of Chopin's style is the combination of chamber lyricism, poetic improvisation with brilliant virtuoso technique.

Main genres:

Mazurkas – about 60 (second period of creativity)
Polonaises – about 20 (1829-1846)
Nocturnes – about 20 (1829-1846)
Sketches – 27 (1828-1839)
Impromptu – 4 (1834-1842)
Waltzes – about 15 (second period of creativity)
Preludes – Cycle of 24 preludes + 2 (1836-1839)
Scherzo – 4 (1831-1842)
Ballads – 4 (1831-1842)
Sonatas – 3 (all periods)
Cello Sonata and other chamber works
Concertos for piano and orchestra – 2 (1829-1830)
Songs

Features of F. Chopin's musical style:

Synthesis of romantic and classical traditions
New intonation system:

“piano” intonations (piano texture, timbres, color), improvisation
folk sources of intonation - folk modes, rhythms, harmony, ornamentation, depiction of a folk orchestra, variation in development,
elegiac character of the melody, origins – opera arias, recitatives

Brief information about folk music in Poland

Already in the 7th century, in the notes of Arab merchants there is evidence of the existence of Polish music.
Mostly Polish folklore consists of single-voice songs, with a close connection between song and dance. They are characterized by syncopation and accents on weak beats.
There are also various folk instruments and nomadic instrumental ensembles.
Popular ancient folk dances: hodzony (predecessor of the polonaise), mazurka, kujawiak, oberek, krakowiak and others. Dancing is characterized by a change from slow movement to fast movement (variations).
Elements of Polish folklore have been widely used by various composers. For example I.S. Bach and G.F. Telemann wrote polonaises.

Mazurkas

For Chopin, the mazurka is a symbol of his homeland. This genre is very important to him.
He wrote most of the mazurkas while in Paris.
Mazurka, as a genre, is an organic unification of several folk dances (three-beat):

Mazur (Mazovia) – fiery and temperamental dance, “dance of impetuous movements” (Paschalow), improvisation of the first couple. It is characterized by whimsical rhythm and unpredictability of sharp accents.
Kujawiak (Kuyawija) is a smooth dance similar to a waltz. The period is 4 bars with an emphasis on the fourth bar.
Oberek (part of Kujawiak) – a joyful dance. Emphasis on the third beat of every second measure.

National features of Chopin's mazurkas:

Ostinacy of dance figures + variation.
Dotted rhythm on the first and other beats, accents, syncopation, polymetry.
Folk modes: Lydian, Phrygian, alternating, with increased 2, polymodality.
Textured turns imitating a folk orchestra - violin, double bass and bagpipes. Organ points on simple harmonies (T-D-S), fifths, melismatics characteristic of the folk violin.
A combination of song and dance.

Chopin practically does not quote real folk melodies.
His mazurkas are lyrical-genre miniatures. The national features of Chopin's music were most clearly manifested in them.
Based on their figurative content, they can be divided into several types:

obrazki – pictures, genre scenes (No. 5, 34) - imitation of a folk orchestra, dance movements, major key, picturesqueness.
zal - lyrical, psychological (No. 6, 13, 49) - “memories of the mazurka”, minor, sadness.
connection of both types
concerts - very few

You can listen and view the sheet music of F. Chopin's mazurkas, as well as his other works (complete works) on the Chopin website: complete music.

List of mazurkas that are most often offered in the program:

op. 7 #1 [№5] B-Dur
op. 7 #2 [№6] a-moll
op. 17 #2 [№11] e-moll
op. 17 #4 [№13] a-moll
op. 24 #2 [№15] C-Dur
op. 30 #3 [№20] Des-Dur
op. 56 #2 [№34] C-Dur
op. 63 #3 [№41] cis-moll
op. 67 #3 [№44] C-Dur
op. 68 #2 [№47] a-moll
op. 68 #4 [№49] f-moll
no op. [№52] D-Dur

Polonaises

This is a new genre in professional piano music. Its origins are Polish folklore.
Polonaise is an ancient dance that was formed in the 17th century in the court environment. Received a generalized international character, leaving little of folklore (the era of classicism). There was also a folk polonaise, but the predecessor and source of Chopin's polonaises was the ballroom polonaise.

Chopin's polonaises repeat the evolution of his mazurkas: from dance-ritual music with objective images to free poetry and lyrical moods. Also in the polonaises there are images of national epic heroism.

Characteristic features of F. Chopin's polonaises:
A three-part ceremonial dance-procession (usually balls opened with a polonaise). Characteristic rhythmic figure:
Marching, picturesqueness (virtuosity of style), complex texture and harmony, orchestral piano sound.

Polonaises according to the program:

Sketches

In the etude genre, Chopin strives for pianistic expressiveness and miniature artistry, and not just for technical complexity, which is a prerequisite for this genre.
The predecessors of Chopin's etudes are the works of N. Paganini, accompaniments in songs by F. Schubert and sonatas by D. Scarlatti.
Each sketch is a new technical technique, a completed miniature, one artistic image.

Etudes according to the program:

Nocturnes(translated as nocturne - night song)

In the 18th century, a nocturne was an orchestral piece of a suite type, intended to be performed in the evening or at night by an ensemble of wind or string instruments. The founder of the romantic type of solo piano nocturnes is considered to be John Field (an Irishman who lived in Russia).
Nocturne was one of the favorite genres in the 19th century, thanks to its intimate, lyrical character and chamber pianism.
The nocturne is characterized by cantilena themes close to Italian opera and song melodies and an accompanying background, a swaying accompaniment built on the “overtone principle.”
In Chopin's nocturnes one can trace various genre connections - song, serenade, duet, chorale, march.
In Nocturne No. 13, the images outgrow the intimate themes characteristic of nocturnes, and generalize the tragic images and grief of many people.
Analysis of the genre foundations of the theme of Nocturne No. 13 c-moll.

Nocturnes according to the program:

Impromptu

A hybrid genre (etude + nocturne), but closer to nocturne.
The origins of F. Chopin's impromptu are F. Schubert's impromptu

Fantasia-impromptu op. 66 [№4] cis-moll

Waltzes

F. Chopin's waltzes are concert poetic miniatures. In them, the signs of salon, everyday life and programming, characteristic of waltzes of that time (this was the heyday of the ballroom waltz) are visible through the prism of poetic lyrics.

Waltzes: according to the program

op. 18 [No. 1] Es-Dur (big brilliant waltz)
op. 64 #1 [№6] As-Dur
op. 64 #2 [№7] cis-moll
op. 69 #2 [№10] h-moll

Preludes

The prelude genre appeared in organ and keyboard music of the late Renaissance. The prelude was a free improvisation before the performance of the main piece, which was not recorded.

In the era of I.S. Bach's prelude is an introduction and contrast to the main part (fugue or chorale), or an introduction to an instrumental concerto by A. Corelli, G. Handel. This is how the genre of prelude is gradually formed.

In the 19th century, the prelude turns from an auxiliary, episodic genre into one of the leading genres, becoming the bearer of romantic trends in music. In the 19th century, it was a free, improvisational, tonally unstable, harmoniously coloristic miniature.

F. Chopin's preludes combine romantic imagery with classical logic and clarity. The genre's foundations are clearly demonstrated in Chopin's preludes.

Cycle: 24 preludes for piano

The preludes are arranged tonally on the circle of fifths: major + parallel minor, they are all varied in imagery and means of expression.
There is a single line of development, although the preludes are contrastingly compared with each other according to the “ebb and flow” principle.
Each prelude is only one image, one psychological state. It is concise and meaningful.
After Chopin, many composers turned to the genre of the prelude (and the cycle of preludes): S. Rachmaninov, K. Lyadov, A. Scriabin, K. Debussy, D. Shostakovich and others.

24 preludes for piano op. 28:

No. 1 C-Dur, No. 2 a-moll, No. 3 G-Dur, No. 4 e-moll, No. 5 D-Dur, No. 6 h-moll, No. 7 A-Dur, No. 8 fis-moll, No. 9 E-Dur, No. 10 cis-moll, No. 11 H-Dur, No. 12 gis-moll, No. 13 Fis-Dur, No. 14 es-moll, No. 15 Des-Dur, No. 16 b-moll, No. 17 As- Dur, No. 18 f-moll, No. 19 Es-Dur, No. 20 c-moll, No. 21 B-Dur, No. 22 g-moll, No. 23 F-Dur, No. 24 d-moll

Sonatas and scherzos

Chopin represents the principle of updating classical forms.
Chopin's scherzo becomes an independent major form for the first time.

Sonata No. 1 op. 4 c-moll (1827-1828)
Sonata No. 2 op. 35 b-moll (1837-1839)
Sonata No. 3 op. 58 h-moll (1844)

Sonata No. 2 b minor

This is an “instrumental drama” in which all parts are interconnected. The development of the idea goes from a personal feeling to a feeling of global hopelessness.
By the way, Chopin himself, if he performed the funeral march from the 2nd movement of the sonata, then after it he could no longer play anything, and wanted the march to be burned after his death.

Sonata op. 35 [No. 2] b-moll:

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 (Funeral March), Part 4

Ballads

Chopin is the creator of the instrumental ballad genre.

The ballad as a genre arose during the Renaissance. In the 16th century - ballade in France and folk ballads in England.
At the end of the 18th century, the English writer Thomas Percy, in his collection “Relics of Ancient English Poetry” (1765), published ancient folk ballads, the plots of which were later widely used in music.

The ballad was very attractive to composers and romantic writers:

idealization of antiquity
addressing national and folk themes in creativity
fantastic and mystical images
synthesis of music and poetry

Musical ballad genre, features:

Development follows the plot
There must be dramatic episodes
Tragic ending at the end
Fantastic imagery

This is where the free form of the ballad comes from, and the search for new means of musical expression, characteristic of fantastic, folk, epic and dramatic images.

In F. Chopin, the ballad is an interaction of romantic and “Chopin” traits.
In Polish literature, the ballad genre is represented in the works of J. Niemtsevich, A. Mickiewicz, often these are ballads with patriotic themes.
In Chopin's ballads the musical development is generalized, there are no direct associations with literary ballads, only the “spirit” remains.

contrasting episodes on different figurative planes (fiction - reality)
synthetic reprise (synthesis of contrasting themes)
epic speech intonations
synthesis of various musical forms

Concert op. 11 [No. 1] for piano and orchestra e-moll

Fryderyk Chopin is a great Polish composer and pianist, an innovator in the field of content, musical language, forms, genres, harmony, the founder of Polish classical music. He enriched music with new content and introduced new techniques of pianistic performance. His work coincides with the era of romanticism, which is characterized by the genre of miniatures. Chopin's work is closely connected with the events of his life: separation from his beloved homeland, dreams of a free country. Chopin was one of the first to introduce Slavic intonation and modal elements into Western music. He brilliantly revealed the technical and expressive capabilities of the piano instrument, for which almost all of his works were written. His music was recognized during his lifetime, and today there are competitions named after Chopin.

The main theme of Chopin's piano work is subtle romantic lyrics, human feelings, emotions, experiences.

Chopin created a new piano genre of the ballad, although it initially received its name as a Provençal dance song, then as a literary and poetic genre, and from the beginning of the 19th century as vocal and instrumental pieces of a narrative nature.

Chopin combined various genres:

¾ chorale, polonaise sound in nocturnes

¾ polonaise in mazurka

¾ mazurka in the finale of the piano concerto

¾ prelude sounds like a march, mazurka, pastoral, elegy

Main works: 58 mazurkas, 16 polonaises, 17 waltzes, 21 nocturnes, 25 preludes, 27 etudes, 4 impromptu, 3 sonatas, 4 ballads, 4 scherzos, fantasies, concertos.

Chopin significantly expanded the expressive capabilities of many genres (such as mazurka, polonaise, etude, waltz, etc.), turning them into concert works.

Chopin had a unique melodic gift; the individuality of his melodies lies in the organic combination of vocal cantilena, declamatory, speech intonations, and dance elements.

Various decorations (melismas) are an important element of themes. They are not just virtuosic, but intonationally expressive. The origins of the rich melodic ornamentation come from Italian opera melodies and folk instrumental tunes.

In harmony and texture we hear richness and variety, the use of expressive capabilities of various registers (“timbres”). Bold, colorful tonal juxtapositions. Overtone sounds.

Particularly popular is the cycle of 24 preludes (Chopin was the first to interpret the prelude as an independent piece), composed in the 30s. Many preludes are written in one-part form, in period form.

Preludes by Chopin these are frank lyrical statements. This cycle is a kind of encyclopedia of feelings and emotions.

Preludes are written in all 24 keys, located on the circle of fifths. The tonal and tempo contrasts emphasize the contrast of images.

Nocturnes(from the French night) - a romantic miniature that reveals poetic images of the night, dreams, and memories. Almost all of Chopin's nocturnes are written at a slow tempo. Conventionally, they can be divided into two groups: lyrical, contemplative plays and tragic, dramatic plays.

The melodies of the nocturnes are choral, declamatory, marching.

The most famous is the Nocturne in E flat major.

Sketches– each etude presents a certain type of texture and technical technique (octaves, thirds, arpeggios, etc.). Virtuosity and technical complexity of the piece serve to express the lyrical or dramatic content.

Most often, the form of sketches is simple three-part.

The most famous is the “Revolutionary” Etude in C minor

In ballads, Chopin talks about his country, Poland, about the beauty of its landscapes and tragic past. In these works he uses the best features of the folk epic. At the same time, Chopin is extremely original. His music is distinguished by its bold imagery and never suffers from whimsicality.

The most famous is Chopin's first ballad in G minor.

After Beethoven, classicism gave way to romanticism, and Chopin became one of the main representatives of this trend in music.