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Fryderyk Chopin

Writer: Signa
Signa
7 days ago
2 min read

Written by Sam Lock

Portrait: 1838 oil on canvas Eugène Delacroix

In 2025 over 600 pianists were whittled down to 162 and then down to 84. These musicians aimed to compete on stage, all playing the music from a single composer. Held every five years, the International Chopin Piano Competition (held in Warsaw) hosts talent from all over the world to compete in and celebrate Fryderyk Chopin’s music.


Chopin created a vast catalogue of music that deeply resonates with audiences and musicians to this day. Ranging from extremely challenging to play songs like Winter Wind to slow and deeply emotional pieces like Prelude in E minor, Op. 28, No. 4, which was played at his own funeral.


In the nascent state of the Duchy of Warsaw in the early 1800s, Fryderyk Chopin was born. Growing up amongst political unrest between the people of Warsaw, the French colonialists and the Russian Empire. In contrast to this Chopin was raised in a loving household that valued education, he was very close with his elder sister Ludwika, who taught him Polish and French. She also had a talent for music, studying under Wojciech Żywny, who later taught Frédéric. She was a great inspiration to Frédéric, shown in a letter written when he was in his teenage years: ‘Ludwika made a perfect mazur, one of the kind that Warsaw has not danced to yet.’ A mazur or mazurka being a traditional Polish folk dance written in ¾ or ⅜ time, of which Fryderyk composed many himself.


From 1826 to 1829 Chopin studied at the Main School of Music, a part of Warsaw University. Originally a school for actors and singers of the theatre it was later turned into The Institute of Music and Recitation by Józef Elsner. Elsner taught Chopin during his second year of studies, later describing him as an “extraordinary gift, a musical genius” and awarding him the highest grade for his graduation.


In 1829, after his time at university, he went out on his debut tour. Going from Warsaw to Vienna, playing and composing. As early as 1830, Chopin had already made it to Warsaw’s National Theatre. His Piano Concerto No. 2 was where he fully showed off his talents to the music world. Although it was his 2nd Concerto it was actually written first, during his time at University. The 2nd part, the Larghetto, was the most widely praised. Chopin wrote to his friend Tytus Woyciechowski about this piece “I say to the piano what I would have said to you many a time”. This piece truly is the start of Romantic Era classical music.


Chopin died early at the age of 39, though young, he left behind a vast legacy of music that moved the world. On the anniversary of his death, October 17th, his Requiem is performed at the Holy Cross Basilica in Warsaw, where his heart is interred. His body was buried in Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris.


The latest winner of the Chopin Competition was Eric Lu performing Polonaise-Fantasy in A flat major, Op. 61 and Piano Concerto No. 2. https://youtu.be/GFTHzzFA-TQ


Sources:

Image credit: Wikimedia


Chopin

Samson, Jim, author.

Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2023  ISBN: 1-383-00821-3

Accessed: 


2021 Chopin Courier 






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