Carolyn and I have appreciated the work of Polish composer and virtuoso pianist Frédéric Chopin, who is recognized worldwide as a leading musician of the Romantic era. He is most well-known for his extraordinary solo piano compositions and performances, with such influential works as the Nocturnes, Preludes, and Etudes, which have left an enduring legacy in classical music.

Frédéric François Chopin was born in 1810 in Żelazowa Wola, Poland, which is around 30 miles from Warsaw. His father had emigrated from France as a teenager, and he became a respected teacher, who worked as a tutor for the children of Polish nobility. Chopin’s mother was of Polish descent, came from a noble but impoverished family, and was known to have musical talents. Chopin had three sisters. He was very close with his family, and their support played an important role in his life and career.

The Chopin family moved to Warsaw six months after Frédéric’s birth. Since his mother was skilled in playing the piano, this likely influenced her son’s musical development. In 1816, when Chopin was six, he started receiving professional music tutoring, which continued for five years. It didn’t take long for people to recognize that Chopin was a child prodigy, and by the age of seven, he was already giving public performances.

In 1821, at the age of eleven, Chopin composed his first major work, the Polonaise in G Minor, demonstrating his early musical talent. During these formative years, Chopin studied at the Warsaw Conservatory. Although there was a lively musical life in Warsaw, Chopin felt the need for a wider musical experience, so his parents found the money to send him to Vienna, where he made his performance debut in 1829.

By the end of that year, Chopin had gained considerable acclaim, giving successful concerts in Vienna and Warsaw, which enhanced his reputation as a virtuoso pianist and composer. In 1830, he composed his Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Minor, one of his early masterpieces, and this marked the beginning of Chopin’s rise to international prominence as a leading figure in Romantic music.

Romantic music is a stylistic movement in Western Classical music associated with the period of the 19th century commonly referred to as the “Romantic era.” Romantic composers sought to create music that was emotional, individualistic, and dramatic, reflecting broader trends within the movements of Romantic poetry, art, literature, and philosophy.

In 1831, Chopin left Poland, due to a war that broke out with Russia known as the November Uprising, and he settled in Paris, where he quickly became a sought-after performer and teacher among the Parisian elite. Here Chopin established himself as a prominent figure in the European music scene, although when he first arrived in Paris, he faced professional and financial difficulties.

After his Paris concert debut in 1832, he realized that his delicate touch at the keyboard did not appeal to everyone in larger concert venues. However, later that year, an introduction to the wealthy Rothschild banking family transformed his prospects. With his elegant manners, meticulous dress, and natural sensitivity, Chopin quickly became a favorite in the grand salons of Paris, both as a recitalist and as a teacher.

Although Chopin was a much-loved performer, he had a notorious aversion to public performances. Despite being a celebrated pianist, Chopin was known to be extremely nervous and uncomfortable playing in large concert halls. He preferred the intimacy of private salons, where he felt more at ease performing for smaller audiences. On one occasion, during a rare public concert in Paris, Chopin was so anxious that he placed a candle on the piano to create a more personal and comforting atmosphere. This candlelit setting not only helped him cope with his stage fright but also added a unique, enchanting ambiance to his performance, making it a memorable experience for those in attendance.

Chopin’s delicate and technically demanding compositions garnered widespread acclaim. During this period, Chopin also developed significant personal relationships, including a tumultuous but influential romance with French novelist Aurore Dudevant (better known as George Sand) that began in 1838. Despite his worsening health, which often interrupted his work, Chopin continued to compose prolifically, blending Polish folk elements with the romantic spirit of the era.

Between 1841 and 1849, Chopin experienced both prolific creative output and significant personal challenges. He continued to compose some of his most renowned works, including the Ballades, Polonaises, and the Barcarolle, solidifying his status as a master of Romantic piano music. His health, however, continued to deteriorate due to tuberculosis, which limited his public performances and teaching.

In 1847, Chopin’s turbulent relationship with George Sand ended, exacerbating his fragile emotional and physical state. Despite these hardships, Chopin’s compositions during this period reflected profound depth and innovation. He spent his final years battling tuberculosis and left this world when he was only 39 years old. He died in Paris in 1849, leaving behind a legacy that profoundly influenced the course of Western classical music.

Chopin’s legacy endures as one of the most influential and beloved composers in Western classical music, particularly renowned for his contributions to piano repertoire. His works, characterized by their lyrical beauty, technical complexity, and innovative use of harmony and form, have set a standard for pianistic excellence and expression. Chopin’s music blends elements of Polish folk traditions with the Romantic era’s emotive intensity, creating pieces that are both deeply personal and universally resonant. His compositions— such as the nocturnes, études, waltzes, and preludes— remain central to piano literature, inspiring generations of pianists and composers.

Some of the quotes that Frédéric Chopin is known for include:

Simplicity is the highest goal, achievable when you have overcome all difficulties. It is simplicity that emerges as the crowning reward of art.

Bach is an astronomer, discovering the most marvelous stars. Beethoven challenges the universe. I only try to express the soul and the heart of man.

Put all your soul into it, play the way you feel.

Regardless of my transient joys, I am never free of a feeling of melancholy which somehow forms the base of my heart.

Time is the best of critics, and patience the best of teachers.

Even in winter it shall be green in my heart.

There are times when I feel more inspired, filled with a strong power that forces me to listen to my inner voice.

I tell my piano the things I used to tell you.

As long as I have health and strength, I will gladly work all my days.

by David Jay Brown