Chopin
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Frédéric CHOPIN |
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Frédéric Chopin (sho-PAN) was born in Poland. His mother was Polish and his father French. Frédéric left Poland when he was twenty and made his home in France for the rest of his life. However, he never forgot his Polish heritage. His music is full of the sounds of Polish national dances such as the mazurka and polonaise. Chopin's Revolutionary Étude and Military Polonaise reflect his nationalism and his distress with the Russian occupation of Poland.
Chopin never married, but he fell in love with a famous French novelist, George Sand. George was a woman, but she wore men's clothing and smoked cigars. She was the very opposite of Chopin, who was frail and wore elegant clothing! She probably chose a man's name to help sell her books. Her real name was Amandine Aurore Lucie Dupin! Perhaps that's why she changed her name to George!
Most of Chopin's compositions were short works for the piano. There are preludes, études, nocturnes, waltzes, mazurkas, polonaises, impromptus, and sonatas. (Terms are defined in the Glossary.) He composed in many moods: tragic, sweet, dreamy, brilliant, heroic, fantastic, and simple. He was the master of beautiful melody. Many of his melodies have been used in popular songs. The theme from the Cantabile of Fantasie-Impromptu was once a popular song called I'm Always Chasing Rainbows. The Tristesse Etude melody was popular as No Other Love.
Chopin was a brilliant pianist. He enthralled people with his wonderful music, and he was in great demand to perform. However, he was frail and sickly, so he limited his public appearances. He usually played for small groups in elegant French homes. During this time, Liszt was the only other composer who rivaled Chopin in his virtuosity. (A virtuoso is someone who can play amazingly well.)
The last concert Chopin performed was a benefit for Polish refugees. He was only thirty- nine when he died. Mozart's Requiem was played at his funeral as Chopin had requested. An urn of Polish soil, given to him by his music teacher when he left Poland, was buried with him.
Additional Info
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Compositions:
Fantasie-Imromptu
Funeral March
Grande valse brillante
Minute Waltz
Tristesse Etude -
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