Frederic Chopin(1810 – 1849)

Chopin (Pronounced “show-pan”)• Born in town near Warsaw, Poland • Father was French, mother – Polish• 6 years old – started to compose• Took music lessons from violin

teacher even though he played piano! Couldn’t show him how to play, but showed him what to play

• Since he never had a piano teacher, came up with his own style

• 7 y.o. - 1st piece published• 8 y.o. - 1st public appearance

Chopin• 12-17 y.o. – took music lessons

with the director of the Warsaw Conservatory

• Made very few public appearances

• Preferred private concerts• 39 y.o. - Died of tuberculosis,

buried in France, Polish dirt imported to put on grave

• Requested that his heart be removed, put in an urn & sent to Warsaw. Still on display at the Church of the Holy Cross.

Chopin’s Music• Popular in Warsaw because he used

traditional melodies & rhythms & turned Polish folk music into high art

• Nearly all his music is for solo piano• Polonaise – Polish dance in triple

meter with this rhythm:

• Mazurka – Polish dance in triple meter with accent on 2nd or 3rd beat with either a triplet, trill, dotted eighth note pair, or an ordinary eighth note pair before two quarter notes

Chopin Manuscript

Chopin’s Music• “Funeral March” from Piano

Sonata No. 2 in Bb Minor• “Minute” Waltz• “Revolutionary” Etude in C

Minor (etude – French for “study”)