Chopin's Life Timeline (It is not necessary to read this for the first day of class)
Short Chopin Biography:
Frédéric Chopin was born March, 1, 1810 in Żelazowa Wola in the Duchy of
A child prodigy, he completed his musical education and composed his earlier
works in Warsaw before leaving Poland for Vienna at the age of 20, less than a
month before the outbreak of the November 1830 Uprising against Russian rule.
At 21, Chopin settled in Paris. Thereafter—in the last 18 years of his life—he
gave only 30 public performances, preferring the more intimate atmosphere of
the salon (small gatherings of aristocrats, artists, and other intellectuals). He
supported himself by selling his compositions and by giving piano lessons,
for which he was in high demand. Chopin formed an unsteady friendship
with Liszt and was admired by many of his other musical contemporaries,
including Schumann.
From 1836 to 1847 he had an often troubled relationship with the French writer
Amantine Dupin (known by her pen name, George Sand). A brief and unhappy
visit to Majorca with Sand in 1838–39 would prove one of his most productive
periods of composition.
Chopin had periods of very poor health since childhood and at some point he
probably contracted tuberculosis. His health deteriorated greatly after 1841
and his composing slowed greatly in the last several years of his life, although
the quality of his work was still excellent.
In his final years, he was supported financially by his admirer Jane Stirling, who
also arranged for him to visit Scotland in 1848. He died in Paris on October 17,
1849 at the age of 39, probably of pericarditis aggravated the tuberculosis,
At 21, Chopin settled in Paris. Thereafter—in the last 18 years of his life—he
gave only 30 public performances, preferring the more intimate atmosphere of
the salon (small gatherings of aristocrats, artists, and other intellectuals). He
supported himself by selling his compositions and by giving piano lessons,
for which he was in high demand. Chopin formed an unsteady friendship
with Liszt and was admired by many of his other musical contemporaries,
including Schumann.
From 1836 to 1847 he had an often troubled relationship with the French writer
Amantine Dupin (known by her pen name, George Sand). A brief and unhappy
visit to Majorca with Sand in 1838–39 would prove one of his most productive
periods of composition.
Chopin had periods of very poor health since childhood and at some point he
probably contracted tuberculosis. His health deteriorated greatly after 1841
and his composing slowed greatly in the last several years of his life, although
the quality of his work was still excellent.
In his final years, he was supported financially by his admirer Jane Stirling, who
also arranged for him to visit Scotland in 1848. He died in Paris on October 17,
1849 at the age of 39, probably of pericarditis aggravated the tuberculosis,
Influences on Chopin
Chopin loved the human voice, especially the "bel canto" operas of Gioachino
Rossini, Vincenzo Bellini, and Gaetano Donizetti ("bel canto" means "beautiful
singing"). He was also influenced by Mozart, who, like Chopin, brought song-
like melodies to his instrumental music. Many of Chopin's piano melodies seem
to emulate the female voice. Chopin also admired Mozart's classical sense of
proportion and restraint. This made him a less extreme romantic than his
contemporaries Hector Berlioz and Franz Liszt.
While Beethoven was held in high esteem by most of the Romantic composers,
Chopin thought much of music was "vulgar." He said that much of Beethoven's
music "approached cataclysm" because it often frequently oscillated between
extremes for effect, thus defying Mozart's classical sense of proportion. But
there were quite a few Beethoven compositions Chopin did like including the
Archduke Trio, the final piano sonata, and Piano Sonata No. 12, the first piano
sonata with a funeral march which influenced Chopin's own "funeral march"
sonata, No. 2. And many of Chopin's piano works emulate the turbulence in
Beethoven's piano sonatas, going far beyond anything Mozart did in his piano
music.
Besides Mozart and Beethoven, Chopin was influenced by other pianists /
While Beethoven was held in high esteem by most of the Romantic composers,
Chopin thought much of music was "vulgar." He said that much of Beethoven's
music "approached cataclysm" because it often frequently oscillated between
extremes for effect, thus defying Mozart's classical sense of proportion. But
there were quite a few Beethoven compositions Chopin did like including the
Archduke Trio, the final piano sonata, and Piano Sonata No. 12, the first piano
sonata with a funeral march which influenced Chopin's own "funeral march"
sonata, No. 2. And many of Chopin's piano works emulate the turbulence in
Beethoven's piano sonatas, going far beyond anything Mozart did in his piano
music.
Besides Mozart and Beethoven, Chopin was influenced by other pianists /
composers including Mozart's student Johann Hummel and the Irish composer
John Field.
Chopin was also influenced by the folk music of urban Warsaw and the rural
Polish countryside. These melodies, harmonies, and rhythms appear often in
his piano pieces.
Chopin was also influenced by the folk music of urban Warsaw and the rural
Polish countryside. These melodies, harmonies, and rhythms appear often in
his piano pieces.
Chopin playing at Prince Radizwell's salon
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