Frederic Chopin- a brilliant musician with a rare melodic gift, a virtuoso pianist, whose works are distinguished by deep lyricism, intelligibility, a subtle and sensitive sense of the mood of national songs, dance motifs. This man managed to reinterpret and convey many musical genres in a new way, to make various musical genres more romantic and at the same time dramatic (prelude, waltz, mazurka, polonaise, ballad, etc.). This is a composer who is considered a national treasure, and in whose honor many museums have been opened, monuments have been created, musical institutions have been named.
On March 1, 1810, in the Polish village of Zhelyazova Volya, located not far from Warsaw, the future musical genius, Frederic Franciszek Chopin, was born. The boy's parents noticed his interest and ability in music at an early age and supported him in every possible way. As a small five-year-old child, Chopin already performed in concerts. And at the age of 7 he was sent to study music with the then famous Polish pianist Wojciech Zhivny. And already after only five years of training, Frederick turned into a real virtuoso pianist, in no way inferior to experienced adult musicians. And in 1817. the future composer composes his first piece of music (polonaise).
Since 1819 Chopin plays music as a pianist in various aristocratic salons in Warsaw. In 1822 he finishes his studies with V. Zhivny and goes to study with the famous Warsaw musician Jozef Elsner, from whom he takes composition lessons. In 1823 Frederic goes to study at the Lyceum in Warsaw. At the same time, the rising composer travels and visits various opera houses in Prague, Warsaw, Berlin. He manages to win the favor and patronage of the then influential Polish prince A. Radziwill and become a member of the Polish high society.
1826 was marked for F. Chopin by entering the Main School of Music, located in Warsaw. While studying at this conservatory, a talented young man composed a number of pieces, including Variations for Piano and Orchestra (Mozart's opera Don Giovanni), the First Sonata and others. training, the young man performs in concerts as a pianist in Krakow, Warsaw, also performing his own works. These performances were a huge success and brought the young talent well-deserved popularity both among listeners and in musical circles.
In 1830 the musician goes on tour to Berlin, Vienna. And these performances were also crowned with unprecedented success. But in the same year, in the homeland of the pianist, in Poland, an uprising took place, which ended in defeat. Chopin was a supporter of Polish independence, and this unpleasant news greatly upset the musician. He refused to return to Poland and stayed in France, where he was recognized as the best pianist of our time. The young man meets the Parisian aristocrats, the musical and artistic elite of France. He travels a lot. In 1835-36. made trips to Germany, 1837. - in England. These years are the heyday of his creative activity.
But Chopin is known to us not only as a brilliant pianist and composer, he also proved to be a rather talented teacher. He taught future pianists according to his own method, which helped them to fully reveal their talent and become real virtuosos in the future. At the same time, in 1837. he meets the French writer George Sand, a young and quite emancipated person. Their relationship was not easy and ten years later, in 1847. the couple broke up. The parting did not have the best effect on the health of Chopin, who had been in pain since 1837. the first asthma attacks were observed.
In 1848 the composer finally settled in London, where he continued to teach. He refused concert activity due to failing health. The pianist's last performance took place in November 1848. And in October 1849. the great composer dies of pulmonary tuberculosis.
The musician, who had a great influence on world music, and also laid the foundation for the Polish school of composers, was born on the first day of spring 1810.
The date of birth of the famous musician is a rather symbolic step, because Frederic Chopin is a very bright representative of romanticism in music. All his work is unusually original and is a multiple synthesis that often combines contrasting genres. The peculiar style of Chopin's work keeps the listener in suspense throughout the entire work. Preludes, created by a unique composer of their kind, are the most lyrical and accompany the musician throughout his entire creative life.
The birth of a musician
The composer's birthplace is the city of Zhelyazova-Wola, located in the vicinity of the Polish capital.
Poor health did not allow the child to actively participate in the games of children, he spent all the time in the company of his three sisters, taking part in theatrical productions.
Nicolas Chopin moved to Poland from France, where he got a job in the estate, the educator of the count's children. Having an officer rank, the man subsequently took up teaching, getting a job as a teacher of foreign languages and literature in the lyceum of the city of Warsaw in the vacant position of the deceased teacher.
In Poland, Nicolas marries, the couple has a son, who is called Frederic Franciszek Chopin.
The boy's mother was a highly educated girl who spoke foreign languages and played the piano, good vocal abilities allowed Justina to sing beautifully.
However, both parents of the composer were distinguished by their love for music, which, of course, contributed to his creative path. The musician owes his love to folk melodies to Justina.
From the age of six, Frederick began to learn to play the piano. Even without knowing the notes, the kid picked up melodies by ear. At such a young age, just like the young Mozart, Chopin amazed and delighted contemporaries with his extraordinary musical ability. The impressionable boy was so captured by the music that he could cry from this or that melody. The first glory came to a gifted child after a concert he gave at the age of seven. Thus, Poland recognized the talent of the young Chopin. The pianist Wojciech Zhyvny becomes the first teacher of the developing talent. The teacher had great hopes for the boy, having given the child all possible knowledge, after five years of study, the master refuses to teach Frederick, believing that he cannot teach talent anything.
Youth and development of talent
The first concert, with pleasure participating in the musical salons of Chopin, took place at the age of eighteen. Studying at the Music Lyceum, and then at the Main Music School of the capital, the young man received a good education. A welcome guest of aristocratic salons, conquered society with his refined manners.
During his studies, the musician traveled all over Poland, giving wonderful concerts, he also visited the capitals of Austria and France.
Career Development
- At the end of the twenties, at the age of nineteen, after a big performance in Warsaw, the young pianist was invited on tour to Austria. This is how his European success begins. Chopin, who was at the peak of his popularity, was admired by Liszt and Schumann.
- The uprising in the Polish capital deprives the young composer of his homeland, being a supporter of the suppressed rebellion, Chopin writes the etude "C Minor". This tragedy of his homeland divides the work of Frederic Chopin into two major periods.
- After visiting various cities in Europe, Chopin settles in Paris, which becomes his last refuge. During his life in the capital of France, the musician met Schumann and Liszt, who admired his work, made new friends, including the talented writer Victor Hugo and artist Eugene Delacroix. This career stage of the musician is developing not without the participation of patrons and artists.
- In the mid-thirties, Chopin felt a serious deterioration in health, developing tuberculosis did not give him a chance to continue his career as a pianist, however, as a composer, Frederic develops very rapidly and leaves an indelible mark on world music with works composed during this difficult time. Chopin wrote only piano music, as if exposing the intimate side of his life to the audience.
Personal
In 1938, Frederic traveled to Mallorca, where it happened, which became fatal in the life of a musician, to meet the French writer George Sand. His touching friendship with a scandalous personality and the passion that took possession of him make Chopin fully revealed.
After living for about ten years, the couple broke up, which had an extremely negative impact on Chopin's health. Experiencing a difficult financial situation, the musician travels to Britain, planning to give a concert in London, but poor health does not allow plans to come true. Chopin returned to Paris in an extremely bad mood and state of health, Chopin was exhausted from the tuberculosis that tormented him.
Frederic Chopin dies at thirty-nine. During his life, the composer knew fame, love and friendship, leaving the world many beautiful works. The musician is buried in Paris. According to the will, the heart of the virtuoso was buried in the church in Warsaw. Fate introduced the great composer to many countries and cities, but his soul always longed for his homeland.
Frederic Francois Chopin Born on March 1 (or February 22), 1810 in the village of Zhelyazova-Wola, near Warsaw - died on October 17, 1849 in Paris. Polish composer and virtuoso pianist, teacher.
Author of numerous works for piano. The largest representative of Polish musical art. He interpreted many genres in a new way: he revived the prelude on a romantic basis, created a piano ballad, poeticized and dramatized dances - mazurka, polonaise, waltz; turned the scherzo into an independent work. Enriched harmony and piano texture; combined classic form with melodic richness and fantasy.
Chopin's compositions include 2 concertos (1829, 1830), 3 sonatas (1828-1844), fantasy (1842), 4 ballads (1835-1842), 4 scherzos (1832-1842), impromptu, nocturnes, etudes, waltzes, mazurkas, polonaises, preludes and other works for piano, songs.
Chopin, before leaving for the west, lived on the territory that was part of the Russian Empire, due to the fact that Poland ceased to exist as a state back in 1795, and Warsaw, following the results of the Napoleonic Wars, was on the territory that had ceded to the Russian Empire.
In 1830, news arrived that an uprising for independence had broken out in Poland. Chopin dreams of returning to his homeland and taking part in the battles. The preparations are over, but on the way to Poland he was caught by terrible news: the uprising was crushed, the leader was taken prisoner. Chopin deeply believed that his music would help his native people achieve victory. "Poland will be brilliant, powerful, independent!" - so he wrote in his diary. Frederic Chopin's last public concert took place on November 16, 1848 in London. The composer bequeathed that his heart be transported to Poland after his death.
The composer's father, Nicolas Chopin (1771-1844), from a simple family, moved from France to Poland in his youth.
Since 1802, he lived on the estate of Count Skarbek Zhelyazov-Vol, where he worked as a teacher of the count's children.
In 1806 Nicolas Chopin married Justine Krzyzanowska (1782-1861), a distant relative of the Skarbeks Tekla. The Krzyzhanovski (Krzhizhanovski) family of the Pig coat of arms dates back to the 14th century and owned the village of Krzyzhanovo near Koscian.
Vladimir Krzhizhanovsky, the nephew of Justina Krzyzhanovskaya, also belonged to the Krzyzhanovsky family. According to the surviving testimonies, the composer's mother received a good education, spoke French, was extremely musical, played the piano well, and had a beautiful voice. Frederick owes his first musical impressions to his mother, the love of folk melodies instilled from infancy.
In the autumn of 1810, some time after the birth of his son, Nicolas Chopin moved to Warsaw. In the Warsaw Lyceum, thanks to the patronage of the Skarbeks, he got a place after the death of the teacher, Pan Mahe. Chopin was a teacher of French and German languages and French literature, he kept a boarding school for pupils of the lyceum.
The intelligence and sensitivity of the parents soldered all family members with love and had a beneficial effect on the development of gifted children. In addition to Frederic, there were three sisters in the Chopin family: the eldest, Ludwika, married to Endzheevich, who was his especially close and devoted friend, and the younger sisters, Isabella and Emilia. The sisters had versatile abilities, and Emilia, who died early, had an outstanding literary talent.
Already in childhood, Chopin showed extraordinary musical abilities. He was surrounded by special attention and care. Likewise, he amazed those around him with musical "obsession", inexhaustible fantasy in improvisations, and innate pianism. His susceptibility and musical impressionability manifested themselves violently and unusually. He could cry while listening to music, jump up at night to pick up a memorable melody or chord on the piano.
In its January issue for 1818, one of the Warsaw newspapers placed a few lines about the first musical play composed by a composer who was still in elementary school. “The author of this Polonaise,” the newspaper wrote, “is a student who is not yet 8 years old. This is a real genius of music, with the greatest ease and exceptional taste. He performs the most difficult piano pieces and composes dances and variations that delight connoisseurs and connoisseurs. If this child prodigy had been born in France or Germany, he would have drawn more attention to himself.
The young Chopin was taught music, placing great hopes on him. The pianist Wojciech Zhivny (1756-1842), a Czech by birth, began to study with a 7-year-old boy. The classes were serious, despite the fact that Chopin, in addition, studied at one of the Warsaw schools. The boy's performing talent developed so rapidly that by the age of twelve, Chopin was not inferior to the best Polish pianists. Zhivny refused to study with the young virtuoso, saying that he could teach him nothing more.
After graduating from college and completing seven years of studies with Zhivny, Chopin began his theoretical studies with the composer Josef Elsner.
The patronage of Prince Anton Radziwill and the princes Chetvertinsky introduced Chopin into high society, which was impressed by Chopin's charming appearance and refined manners.
Here is what Franz Liszt said about it: “The general impression of his personality was quite calm, harmonious and did not seem to require additions in any comments. Chopin's blue eyes shone more with intelligence than they were veiled with thoughtfulness; his soft and thin smile never turned bitter or sarcastic. The subtlety and transparency of the color of his face tempted everyone; he had curly blond hair, a slightly rounded nose; he was of small stature, frail, thin build. His manners were refined, varied; the voice is a little tired, often muffled. His manners were full of such decency, they had such a seal of blood aristocracy that he was involuntarily met and received like a prince ... to no interests. Chopin was usually cheerful; his sharp mind quickly found the funny even in such manifestations that not everyone catches the eye..
Trips to Berlin, Dresden, Prague, where he attended concerts of outstanding musicians, contributed to his development.
Since 1829, Chopin's artistic activity began. He performs in Vienna, Krakow, performing his works. Returning to Warsaw, he leaves it forever on November 5, 1830. This separation from his homeland was the cause of his constant hidden grief - longing for his homeland. To this was added at the end of the thirties a love for, which gave him more grief than happiness in addition to parting with his bride.
Having passed Dresden, Vienna, Munich, he arrived in Paris in 1831. On the way, Chopin wrote a diary (the so-called "Stuttgart Diary"), reflecting his state of mind during his stay in Stuttgart, where he was overcome by despair due to the collapse of the Polish uprising. During this period, Chopin wrote his famous "Revolutionary Etude".
Chopin gave his first concert in Paris at the age of 22. The success was complete. Chopin rarely performed in concerts, but in the salons of the Polish colony and the French aristocracy, Chopin's fame grew extremely rapidly. There were composers who did not recognize his talent, such as Kalkbrenner and John Field, but this did not stop Chopin from gaining many loyal fans, both in artistic circles and in society. The love of teaching music and pianism was the hallmark of Chopin, one of the few great artists who devoted much time to it.
In 1837, Chopin felt the first attack of a lung disease (most likely it was tuberculosis). The connection with George Sand (Aurora Dupin) coincides with this time. Staying in Mallorca with George Sand had a negative impact on Chopin's health, he suffered from bouts of illness there. Nevertheless, many of the greatest works, including 24 preludes, were created on this Spanish island. But he spent a lot of time in the countryside in France, where George Sand had an estate in Nohant.
A ten-year cohabitation with George Sand, full of moral trials, greatly undermined Chopin's health, and the break with her in 1847, in addition to causing him considerable stress, deprived him of the opportunity to rest in Nohant.
Wanting to leave Paris in order to change the situation and expand his circle of acquaintances, Chopin went to London in April 1848 to give concerts and teach. This turned out to be his last trip. Success, a nervous, stressful life, a damp British climate, and most importantly, a chronic lung disease that periodically worsened - all this finally undermined his strength. Returning to Paris, Chopin died on October 5 (17), 1849.
Chopin was deeply mourned by the entire musical world. Thousands of fans of his work gathered at his funeral. According to the wish of the deceased, at his funeral, the most famous artists of that time performed Mozart's "Requiem" - a composer whom Chopin put above all others (and called his "Requiem" and the "Jupiter" symphony his favorite works), and his own prelude was also performed No. 4 (E-minor). In the Père Lachaise cemetery, Chopin's ashes rest between the graves of Luigi Cherubini and Bellini. Chopin's heart was, according to his will, sent to Warsaw, where it was walled up in a column of the Church of the Holy Cross.
Short biography of Frederic Chopin
Chopin Frederic Francois - an outstanding Polish composer and virtuoso pianist, the founder of the Polish national school of composers; teacher. His works are distinguished by their unusual lyricism and subtlety of conveying mood. Chopin was born on March 1 (February 22), 1810 in a small village near Warsaw in a simple family. The mother of the future composer had good vocal abilities.
It was she who from infancy instilled in him a love for folk melodies. Since childhood, he had musical abilities and improvised a lot. Soon the Chopin family moved to Warsaw, where little Frederic began to learn to play the piano from V. Zhivny. At about the age of seven, he composed his first work, which his father recorded under the title "Polonaise B-Dur". A year later, his first public performance took place, and five years later he signed up for classes in playing the organ with V. Wurfel.
The unique melodic style of the young musician was formed on the basis of the works of Mozart, Italian opera, salon plays and the Polish national component. In 1823, Frederik entered the Warsaw Lyceum, during his studies there he published his first opus. Three years later, he entered the main metropolitan school of music, where he studied in the class of Y. Elsner. In terms of level, this school corresponded to the conservatory. Upon graduation, Frederick was awarded a diploma, which stated that he was a "musical genius."
In 1829 he gave two successful concerts in Vienna, then went on a tour of Western Europe. It was largely thanks to this composer that the Slavic element began to appear in the pieces of Western European music. On the theme of the fall of Warsaw in 1830-1831. he wrote a "revolutionary" sketch and went to Paris. He never returned to his homeland. He delighted the Parisian public with his mazurkas and polonaises. He was accepted in the most eminent circles, the best pianists and composers of that time got acquainted with him.
This period includes his sensational romance with the writer George Sand, who spent 10 years together with the musician. In 1837, Chopin showed the first signs of lung disease. Together with his beloved, he went to Mallorca. According to testimonies, he wrote more than twenty preludes and etudes on this exotic Spanish island. He spent a lot of time on the estate of George Sand in the French outback, which had a fruitful effect on his health. However, these relationships exhausted him emotionally, so a break followed in 1847.
The health of the musician is deteriorating every day. During his last summer in Nohant he wrote Nocturnes op.62 and Mazurkas op.63. In February 1848, in Paris, he gives another concert, receiving enthusiastic responses. Before his death, he manages to visit England and Scotland. The last public performance of the musician took place in November 1848 in London. He died the following October. Despite the fact that the ashes of Chopin rest in the Parisian cemetery, his heart, according to the last request, was transferred to Warsaw to the Church of the Holy Cross.
Name: Frederic Chopin
Age: 39 years old
Place of Birth: Zielyazova Wola, Poland
A place of death: Paris, France
Activity: Polish composer, pianist, teacher
Family status: not married
Frederic Chopin - Biography
Polish composer who created works for the piano that formed the basis of learning to play the piano. In the arsenal of compositions, Chopin does not have music for orchestra composed by him, but this does not detract from his skill as the creator of the Polish musical school of piano playing.
Childhood, composer's family
Frederick's father was a teacher who was often hired as a tutor for the children. Mother was an intelligent noble origin. Music and poetry are the two main art forms, which were given great attention in the family. In the family, in addition to the only son, there were three girls. Only the boy inherited from his mother the ability to play the piano: she knew how to sing and play the piano beautifully. The whole biography of Chopin, as a composer, was formed thanks to the upbringing laid down in him by his parents. The musical instrument did not tire the boy for hours, he gladly learned new works, picking up familiar melodies.
From the age of five, the child had already performed with concerts, at the age of seven he was assigned to the well-known pianist Wojciech Zhivny in Poland, who managed to make a piano virtuoso out of a gifted child in five years. In parallel, he was taught composition by Józef Elsner. The young man loves to travel, visit theaters in Berlin, Prague and Dresden. Chopin came to Russia, conquered Alexander I with his playing, and was awarded the imperial diamond ring. Fate favored the gifted young man and entered many successful moments of the musician's life into the pages of his biography.
Concert activity of Chopin
The concerts that made Chopin popular, he begins to give from the age of nineteen. Warsaw and Krakow applauded the talent. The musician goes on tour to Germany, where he learns that an uprising, in favor of which he always spoke out, was suppressed in his homeland. It was impossible to return to Poland, and Frederick was hiding in Paris. The musician is applauded by Vienna and the entire capital of France. Many famous composers have admired Chopin's musical genius. Among them were the German and Hungarian composer Franz Liszt.
Chopin's work
The fate of the Motherland excites the composer, and he composed 4 ballads about his beloved country based on the verses of Adam Mickiewicz. He did not limit himself to this and wrote dance melodies, offering admirers of his talent mazurkas, waltzes, polonaises. He is autobiographical in his music, at the same time bringing it closer to folk music.
In his composition and performance, the nocturne familiar to everyone sounds in a new way. Now it's not a quiet night song. This is a description of nature with deep lyrical overtones with tragic experiences of the composer. During the period of Chopin's passion for Bach's work, he created twenty-four preludes, which also expand the possibilities of this classical musical work.
Pedagogical activity of the composer
The Polish composer showed himself as a brilliant creator of a unique technique, which began to be used in teaching young pianists. The teacher had many pupils and students, but only one name entered the history of Polish music: the pianist and music editor Adolf Gutman. Chopin had many friends among real masters in the field of literature, painting and photography. Most of them created portraits of the composer.
Frederic Chopin - biography of personal life
In the personal life of the composer, not everything was as cloudless as in his work. She was full of tragedy. Frederick inherited from his mother a sensitive, tender and vulnerable soul. But he did not find happiness and peace in his women. The first to whom he opened his heart was the young Maria Wodzińska, born in the same way as him, in Poland. An engagement took place, after which the bride's parents decided to make sure that their daughter's fiancé was wealthy. The financial well-being of the composer seemed insufficient to them, and the wedding did not take place. Chopin reflected all his grief in music.
A year later, he became interested in the baroness. She walked in a man's suit, was an ardent feminist, wrote novels, signing them "George Sand". At the time of her acquaintance with the composer, she was 33 years old, and Frederick was 27 years old. The relationship was hidden from the public for a long time. Meetings of lovers took place on the island of Mallorca, the climate and tension in relations caused Chopin to weaken his body, he fell ill with tuberculosis. In this pair, the strong will of the imperious countess, and the spinelessness and submission of the young composer were noted.
Chopin's death
Frederic Chopin was getting worse. The final break with his beloved plunged the musician into despondency, but he undertakes a trip to the UK with concerts. On the journey, he was accompanied by a student, Jane Stirling. After returning to Paris, he gave several more musical performances, fell ill and did not get out of bed until his death.
