Frédéric François Chopin (1810-1849)
Poland

Chopin is known as the "poet of the piano." According to Heinrich Heine, Chopin was "neither Pole, Frenchman, nor German; he betrays a much higher origin… from the land of Mozart, Raphael, Goethe; his true fatherland is the realm of poetry (Longyear 129)." Although Chopin is most credited with his work in piano, that did not limit his talent in composition. Born to a French emigré and a Polish courtesan, Chopin was not held back from music. In fact, he was known as a child prodigy, and was most often compared to Mozart. By his seventh year, he had already composed two polonaises. Polish folk songs and dances and the music of Hummel, Field, and Weber were great sources of inspiration to him. In 1826, Chopin received professional training in music at the Warsaw High School of Music by Józef Elsner, who proclaimed him a genius. After completing his studies in music, he journeyed to Vienna where he was praised for his piano compositions. On October 11, 1830, Chopin bade a formal farewell to his native Poland to continue with his success in Vienna and to stay away from the uprising revolt against Russia for 8 months. After hearing of the failure of the revolt against the Russians, Chopin grew very disappointed. Yet he went on to Paris and helped many Polish emigrés. While in Paris, he befriended Liszt, Mendelssohn, and Berlioz and was accepted into Europe's elite literary and musical circles. Schumann considered him a genius.It was not long before his fame as a composer erupted all over Europe, yet sorrow continued to pervade his life. His health went down considerably and he found it difficult to visit his Polish family and friends with the new restrictions placed by the Russian government. In addition, his engagement to a woman he loved ended in heartbreak. Afterwards, he and writer George Sand (Aurore Dudevant) had a long romantic affair. However, Sand's son complicated the affair and the two parted in 1847. Two years later, after touring England and Scotland and finally settling back in Paris, Chopin died of pulmonary tuberculosis. Today, Chopin is considered the first nationalist composer and the epitome of Romanticism in music. His works are best noted for his flexible rhythm, modal harmony, and his genius in counterpoint.

Works

Orchestral
- Variations for piano and orchestra on 'La ci darem la mano' (aria from Mozart opera Don Giovanni (1827)
- Cello Sonata (1845)
Piano
- Nocturne in E-flat (1827)
- Piano Concerto No. 1 (1830)
- Piano Concerto No. 2 (1830)
- Opus 10 (1832)
- Opus 25 (1834)
- Fantaisie Impromptu (1835)
- Piano Ballade No. 1 (1835)
- Piano Ballade No. 2 (1838)
- Prelude in E minor (1839)
- Piano Sonata No. 2 (1839)
- Fantasy in F Minor (1841)
- Barcarole (1846)

Additional Links
Frederic Chopin: Poet of the Piano
http://www.geocities.com/fredericchopin/main.html

Sources:

Anh, Tran Luong. Frederic Chopin: Poet of the Piano. 2 June 2001 < http://www.geocities.com/fredericchopin/main.html>

Longyear, Ray M. Nineteenth-Century Romanticism in Music. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall, 1988.

Rosen, Charles. The Romantic Generation. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1995.