Fredric Chopin

A Research and Information Guide

William Smialek

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2021
• ISBN:
  9781000526240
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Medien & darstellende Kunst
• Subtopic: Musik

Important books, articles, reviews, and theses on Fr d ric Chopin (1810-1849) in Western European languages and in Polish are cited; selected references in languages such as Russian, Czech, and Japanese are included as well. The Chopin legend is considered through studies of the performance tradition and a discography of recent and reissued recordings. Short essays outline the historiography of Chopin research and the current direction of scholarship. Index.

CHAPTER 1

Biography: A Chronology of Events in Chopin’s Life

DOI: 10.4324/9781003249306-1

• 1810 1 March: Bom at Żelazowa Wola, near Warsaw (baptismal certificate indicates date of birth as 22 February 1810); son of Justyna Krzyżanowska (1782-1861) and Nicolas Chopin (1771–1844). Family moves to Warsaw. Siblings: Ludwika [Jędrzejewicz] (1807-1855), Izabella [Barczińska](1811-1881), Emilia (1812-1827).
• 1816 Studies with Wojciech Żywny beginning at age 6.
• 1817 Composes Polonaise in G minor, dedicated to Countess Skarbek, published by J.J. Cybulski in 1830.
• 1818 Publicly performs piano concerto of Adalbert Gyrowetz at age of 8. Performs in aristocratic salons, 1818-1819.
• 1820 January: Presented to Italian soprano Angelica Catalani. Dedicates Military March to Russian Grand Duke Constantine.
• 1822 Begins studies with Józef Eisner.
• 1823 24 February: Performs concerto of Ferdinand Ries. Enters Warsaw Lyceum.
• 1824 Vacations in Szafamia. “Publishes” Szarfamia Courier with sister. Performs concerto of Frédéric Kalkbrenner. September: Enters fifth form of Lyceum.
• 1825 Rondo for Piano, op. 1, published in Warsaw. 10 June: Performs on aeolomelodikon. 7 July: Performs for Czar Alexander I. Summer: Vacations in Szafamia.
• 1826 February: First comments about poor health. August-September: Visits spa at Duszniki. Fall: Attends Szkolo Glówno Muzyki.
• 1827 Eisner’s notes on Chopin’s examination—“szczególna zdolnośź” [especially talented].
• 1828 Rondo à la Mazur, op. 5, published in Warsaw. September: Travels to Berlin. October: Two days in Poznan.
• 1829 April-October: Infatuation with Konstancja Gladowska (1810–1880). July: Completes studies at Szkolo Glówno Muzyki. Summer: Travels to Vienna. 11 August: Concert in Vienna at the Kämtnerthortheater. 18 August: Concert in Vienna at the Kämtnerthortheater. 19 August: Travels to Prague and Dresden. [August]: Arranges to have Variations on “La ci darem la mano” published by Haslinger as op. 2. 20 October: Visits Wiesalowski and Razdziwill estates.
• 1830 17 March: Public performance of Piano Concerto in F minor, op. 21, and Fantasy in A major at Teatr Narodowy, orchestra directed by Karol Kurpiński. 8 July: Performs Variations, op. 2, in concert at Teatr Narodowy. 11 October: Performs Piano Concerto in E minor, op. 11, at Teatr Narodowy. 1 November: Leaves Warsaw. 6 November: Wroclaw. 10 November: Dresden. 23 November: Arrives in Vienna. 28 November: Beginning of insurrection in Warsaw. Winter, 1830-1831: Vienna.
• 1831 Publishes Introduction and Polonaise for Violoncello, op. 3. 77 June: Performs Concerto in E minor in concert. 28 August: Concert in Munich. September: Arrives in Paris after journey through Linz, Salzburg, Munich, and Stuttgart (Stuttgart Diary). Resides in Paris at Boulevard Poissonnière 27. 8 September: Russians occupy Warsaw. 27 September: Piano Concerto in E minor, op. 11, recognized in Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung. 17 November: Meets Delfina Potocka. 7 December: Schumann recognizes Chopin in Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung.
• 1832 Publishes Mazurkas, opp. 6 and 7; Trio for Violoncello and Piano, op. 8; and Nocturnes, op. 9. Develops friendships with Mendelssohn and Berlioz. 26 February: First Paris concert. March/ April: Turns to teaching. 20 May: Concert at great hall of the Conservatoire sponsored by Princess de la Moskova. June-July: Moves to Rue Cite Benère 4. December: Beginning of friendship with August Franchomme.
• 1833 Becomes friends with Vincenzo Bellini. Publishes Études, op. 10; Concerto in E minor, op. 11; Variations, op. 12; and Nocturnes, op. 15. 2 April: Performance with Franz Liszt. 3 April: Performance with Liszt. June: Address change to Chaussée d’Antin 5.15 December: Chopin performs with Liszt at Conservatoire concert.
• 1834 Publishes Fantasia in A major, op. 13; Rondo à la Krakowiak, op. 14; Rondo in E-flat major, op. 16; Grand duo concertante; Mazurkas, op. 17; Waltz, op. 18; and Bolero, op. 19. May: Travels to Germany with Ferdinand Hiller; met Felix Mendelssohn, Clara and Robert Schumann. 7 December: Appears on Berlin concert. 14 December: Takes part in concert with Hector Berlioz. 25 December: Appears in concert with Liszt.
• 1835 Publishes Scherzo in B minor, op. 20. 25 February: Plays two-piano duets with Hiller at the Erard salon. 22 March: Concert at the Pleyel Hall. 4 April: Polish benefit concert at the Theatre Italien. 26 April: Performs Andante spianato and grande polonaise in E-flat, op. 22, on last public performance. 29 May: Meeting with Adam Mickiewicz. 1835, 1836: Visits Germany. 15 August: Meets family at Karlsbad; Dresden-Leipzig-Heidelberg-Paris. September: Meets Maria Wodzińska in Dresden.
• 1836 Publishes Concerto in F minor, op. 21; Andante spianato, op. 22; Ballade in G minor, op. 23; Mazurkas, op. 24; Polonaises, op. 26; and Nocturnes, op. 27. 9 April: Liszt farewell concert at Erard salon. July: Meets with parents of Maria Wodzińska at Marienbad-Leipzig. 9 September: Engagement to Maria Wodzińska; not sanctioned by her father and kept private. 11-13 September: Meets with Schumann in Leipzig. Change of address to Rue Chaussée d’Antin 38. October-November: Meets George Sand.
• 1837 Publishes Études, op. 25; Impromptu, op. 29; Scherzo in B minor, op. 31; and Nocturnes, op. 32. 10 July: Travels with Camille Pleyel to London for two weeks.
• 1838 Publishes Mazurkas, opp. 30 and 33, and Waltzes, op. 34.2 March: Concert appearance with Alkan, Gutmann, Zimmerman. March: Performs Piano Concerto in E minor, op. 11, at Rouen. May: Romance with Sand develops. Winter 1838-1839: Chopin accompanies Sand to Majorca. 1 November: Meets Sand and her children at Perpignan. 7 November: Boards ship for winter in Majorca.
• 1839 Publishes Preludes, op. 28. 25 February: Arrives in Marseilles. 28 April: Plays organ at A. Nourrit funeral. 22 May: Travels from Marseilles to Nohant. Summer: At George Sand’s estate in Nohant. October: Accepts Friederike Muller as student (she kept diary). 11 October: Moves from Rue Tronchet 5 to share apartment at Rue Pigalle 16.
• 1840 Lives in Paris with George Sand. Publishes Sonata in B-flat minor, op. 35; Impromptu, op. 36; Nocturnes, op. 37; Ballade in F major, op. 38; Scherzo in C-sharp minor, op. 39; Polonaises, op. 40; Mazurkas, op. 41; and Waltz op. 42.
• 1841 Publishes Tarantella, op. 43; Polonaise, op. 44; Prelude in C-sharp minor, op. 45; Allegro de concert, op. 46; Ballade in A-flat major, op. 47; Nocturnes, op. 48; and Fantaisie, op. 49. 26 April: Concert with soprano Laure Damoreau-Cinti at Salle Pleyel. 18 June-4 November: Nohant
• 1842 Publishes Mazurkas, op. 50. 21 February: Concert with Pauline Viardot-Garcia and August Franchomme at Salle Pleyel. 20 March: Plays at Czartoryski’s. 6 May-27 September: Summer in Nohant. Returns to Paris to reside at Square d’Orléans 9 (George Sand at No. 5).
• 1843 Publishes Impromptu, op. 51; Ballade in F minor, op. 52; Polonaise, in A-flat major, op. 53; and Scherzo, op. 54. 22 May-28 October: Summer in Nohant.
• 1844 Publishes Nocturnes, op. 55, and Mazurkas, op. 56. 3 May: Father dies. 28 May-28 November: Resident at Nohant. 13 August-3 September: Ludwika Jędrzejewicz (Chopin’s sister) and husband visit.
• 1845 Publishes Berceuse, op. 57; Sonata in B minor, op. 58; and Mazurkas, op. 59.13 June-28 November: Nohant.
• 1846 Publishes Barcarolle, op. 60; Polonaise-fantaisie, op. 61; and Nocturnes, op. 62. April: Tours. May-November: Nohant. 25 June: Serial publication of George Sand’s Lucrezia Floriani. 29 June: Quarrels with Maurice Sand. November: Leaves Nohant for last time.
• 1847 Publishes Mazurkas, op. 63; Waltzes, op. 64. Departs from George Sand. 20 May: Solange Sand marries Jean-Baptiste-August Clésinger.
• 1848 Publishes Sonata in G minor for Violoncello and Piano, op. 65. 16 February: Last concert in Paris. 20 April: Arrives in London for tour of England and Scotland. 15 May: Performs at Stafford House. 23 June: Performs at Eaton Place. 7 July: Performs at St. James Square with Pauline Viardot-Garcia. 5 August: Calder House. 28 August: Concert in Manchester. 27 September: Concert in Glasgow. 4 October: Concert in Edinburgh.
• 1849 January: Returns to Paris. March: Gift of 25,000 francs from Jane Stirling. Summer: In Chaillot. 8 August: Ludwika arrives. 9 September: 12 Place Vendôme. 30 September: Consultation of physicians. 15 October: Visited by Delfina Potocka. 17 October: Dies in Paris about 2 a.m. 30 October: Funeral at the Madeleine. Mozart Requiem performed. Burial at Père-Lachaise Cemetery, Paris.

CHAPTER 2

Reference Works

DOI: 10.4324/9781003249306-2

BIBLIOGRAPHIES

The literature on Chopin has been well documented over the decades of the twentieth century. The collected bibliographic citations vary a great deal, however, in their value to Chopin researchers. Komel Michalowski represents the most consistent direction in Polish music bibliography. His many publications include listings of printed sources of information on Polish music in general, which are supplemented by bibliographic articles published in selected journals such as Polish Music and Polish Musicological Studies. More specialized are the bibliographic works specifically on Chopin. An annual compilation of sources on Chopin appears in Rocznik Chopinowski (1970- ). The Michalowski bibliographies include references in newspapers and minor Polish publications. As thorough as the cataloging and classifying of sources is, the citations are not accompanied by annotations.

• 1. Melville, Derek. Chopin: A Biography, with a Survey of Books, Editions, and Recordings. Hamden, Conn.: Linnet Books, 1977. 108 p. ISBN 0208015426 ML410.C54M47

Review: Jill Foulkes, Brio 14, no. 1 (Spring 1977): 22-23.

The biography, encompassing pages 7-61, is a summary of the available documentation. It reproduces short quotations from the Chopin letters. The bibliographic essay discusses the letters and biographies, as well as criticism and analyses of music. Contains a discography and index.

• 2. Tomaszewski, Mieczysław. “Chopin.” In Encyklopedia Muzyczna PWM, Część biograficzna, ed. Elżbieta Dziębowska, C-D, 108-192. Kraków: Polskie Wydawnictwo Muzyczne, 1984. ISBN 83224022361. 2

A long encyclopedia article that addresses all aspects of Chopin research, including his life, musical style, genres of composition, aesthetics, performance history, reception, mythology, and influence. Many small reproductions support the text. Includes a chronology, list of works, and extensive bibliography.

• 3. Michalowski, Komel. Bίblίografia polskίego piśmiennictwa muzycznego [Bibliography of Polish writing on music]. Materialy do bibliografii muzyki polskiej, 3. Kraków: Polskie Wydawnictwo Muzyczne, 1955. 280 p. ML 120.P6 M5

Covers the period from the sixteenth century to 1954 and Polish dissertations from 1917 to 1954. Includes publications in Polish and works by Polish authors published in other languages. Categorizes 1,837 citations by subject matter, but the citations are not annotated. Includes author index.

• 4. Michalowski, Komel. Bibliografia polskίego piśmiennictwa muzycznego. Suplement I [Bibliography of Polish writing on music]. Materialy do bibliografii muzyki polskiej, 4. Kraków: Polskie Wydawnictwo Muzyczne, 1964. 203 p. ML 120.P6 M5
• 5. Michalowski, Komel. Bibliografia polskίego piśmiennictwa muzycznego. Suplement II [Bibliography of Polish writing on music]. Materialy do bib...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Half Title Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication Page
• Contents Page
• Preface Page
• Chapter 1. Biography: A Chronology of Events in Chopin’s Life
• Chapter 2. Reference Works
• Chapter 3. Life of the Composer
• Chapter 4. Works of the Composer
• Chapter 5. The Chopin Legend
• Chapter 6. Discography
• Chapter 7. Letters
• Author Index
• Work Index
• Subject Index
• About the Author
• Series Page