I’ve always liked Chopin and I’m wondering now if maybe everyone with at least a hint of classical music under their belt does as well. Particularly ballet peeps: it’s so ideal for pliés and the adagio section of class, or the stretching between barre and center work. One time I was in a San Francisco ballet class that had live piano accompaniment and the guy was playing a Chopin nocturne during stretch time and I was in dancer heaven, feeling all my movements morph into art, courtesy of that beautiful music.
Frédéric François Chopin. Born in 1810 in Poland, child prodigy on the piano, trained in Warsaw, left Poland at age twenty. By twenty-one he was settled in Paris and quickly became Someone Worth Listening To. He died tragically young, before turning forty. In that time, he only gave thirty public performances, but was much sought after in private salons and as a teacher.
And he composed. Oh, did he compose. There’s something about Chopin that puts him and his music in a category of its own. I hear a composition of his and it’s unique and haunting, his use of the minor key mixed in with major. One hand accompanies, the other sings a melody rich with nuance and longing. Most of his compositions are short form, solo piano music. He composed 20 nocturnes, 25 preludes, 17 waltzes, 15 polonaises, 58 mazurkas and 27 etudes.
I like this quote from an NPR article: “In his remarkably advanced treatment of harmony and rhythm, Chopin banished the ordinary from his music and opened the door to an emotional ambiguity that continues to intrigue listeners — one whose communication requires subtleties of execution that generations of pianists have labored devotedly to achieve. The luminous textures and haunting melodies he used to express his thoughts added to the piano’s sound and range of color shadings that no one before him had imagined were there, but that all who have followed recognize as his. The same is true of the harmonic question marks one finds throughout his music — the equivalent of a look of gentle longing.” (http://www.npr.org/2011/07/18/123967818/the-life-and-music-of-frederic-chopin)
Enough talk, though. Let’s give you some tunes so you can better experience what we’re going on about. The first one is Chopin’s complete Nocturnes, performed by pianist Claudio Arrau.
And here’s a “Best of Chopin” clip that’s two hours long. Nice. An added treat for ballet peeps: the first piece was used in the closing credits of The Turning Point. You’ll instantly recognize it. I’ve embedded the unforgettable scene below.
My suggestion is that you start up one of these two marathon links, turn up the volume, and wander off. Let the music fill your background and seep into your heart, your soul. Or stay right here with it, pull up a comfy chair, and immerse yourself into the music alone. You’ll love it. And if the music, or Chopin, leaves you cold? Yikes. You have my sympathies. (And go get your head/priorities/heart examined.)
Thank you for your beautiful music, Frederick Chopin. You made the world a more beautiful, soulful place.
And here’s that closing scene from The Turning Point that I promised. Stunning. Absolutely stunning.
This was heavenly and I realized that my teacher has been using Nocturne C Minor OP 48 #1 for our fondu exercises lately. Oh Classical Girl, I’ve been such a fool. Chopin right under my nose! And, YES, that Op 27 no. 1 is to die for. I have so much music to purchase 🙂
Lisa, I love your reply! I’m cracking up over it. And I know, right? Chopin right under our noses. I felt the very same way when I made the connection between what my teacher was playing and what I discovered through library CDs. (BTW, that’s a FAB way to discover new music and not have to pay $$$ for it. You’ll never look at a library the same again, after browsing their classical CDs. Omigosh. A world opens up. A free one.)