The best works of Chopin: a list

Frederic François Chopin is a great Polish pianist and composer. He was born in the small town of Zhelyazova Volia on March 1, 1810. Parents tried to give the talented child a good musical education. Six-year-old Frederic begins to study music with the teacher Wojciech Zhivny. Strongly expressed abilities for playing the piano and writing music made from the boy a favorite of the high-society salons of Warsaw.

The test of the pen - polonaise B-dur (1817)

Learning that the young Frederick composed the polonaise, Prince Radziwill helped to ensure that the essay was published in the newspaper. There was a note under the notes that the composer was only seven years old. Chopin's children's works, the list of which began with polonaise, were heavily influenced by popular Polish composers - Michała Kleofasa Ogińskiego and Marii Szymanowskiej.

For his creative life F. Chopin composed 16 polonaises. But only seven of them he recognized as worthy of public execution. Nine works that were created in the early period, during the life of the composer were not published. The first three polonaises, written in the period 1817-1821, became the starting point for the development of the composer's talent of the young musician.

Almost all Polonaises F. Chopin were solo piano works. But there were exceptions. In the "Great Polonaise Es-dur", the piano was accompanied by an orchestra. For pianoforte and cello composer composed "Polonaise c-dur".

New teacher

In 1822, Wojciech Zhivny was forced to admit that as a musician he could give nothing to the young Chopin. The pupil has surpassed the teacher, and the moved teacher has said goodbye to the talented child. Taking part in his fate, Zhivnyi wrote a letter of recommendation to the famous Warsaw composer and teacher Josef Elsner. In Chopin's life a new period began.

The first mazurka

The summer of 1824, Frederic spent in the town of Shafarnya, where the estate of his schoolmate's family was located. Here he first came into contact with folk music. Mazowiecki and Jewish folklore deeply penetrated the soul of the beginning musician. The impressions inspired by him were reflected in Mazurka a-moll. She became famous under the name "Jewish".

Mazurki, like other works by Chopin, whose list has constantly increased, combined various musical currents. The tone and form of the melody harmoniously follow from the intonation of folk singing (the mazurka in the national Polish tradition was a dance, accompanied by singing). They combine elements of rural folklore and urban salon music. Another feature of Chopin's mazurkas is the combination of different dances and the original processing of folk melodies. The cycle of mazurkas has intonation peculiar to folklore and combines elements characteristic of folk music with the author's method of constructing a musical phrase.

Mazurki - numerous and most famous works of Chopin. The list of them was replenished throughout the creative career of the composer. In total for the period from 1825 to 1849 Chopin created 58 mazurkas. His creative heritage generated interest, which the composers began to show to this dance. Many Polish writers tried to work in this genre, but they could not completely free themselves from the charm of Chopin's music.

Becoming an Artist

In 1829 the concert activity of Frederic Chopin began. He successfully tours in Krakow and Vienna.

Musical Austria was subdued by a young Polish virtuoso. In 1830, Chopin leaves his homeland and moves to France.

The first concert in Paris made Chopin famous. The musician was only 22 years old. He rarely performed in concert halls. But he was a frequent guest of the secular salons of the French aristocracy and the Polish diaspora of France. This allowed the young Polish pianist to acquire many noble and rich admirers among the French aristocracy. The popularity of the Polish pianist was growing. Soon in Paris everyone knew this name - Frederic Chopin. The works, whose list and order of execution was unknown beforehand even to the performer himself - Chopin was very fond of impromptu - caused a storm of applause among the shocked audience.

1830: Piano Concertos

In 1830 the composer finishes the composition of the Concerto f-moll. On March 21, he premiered at the National Theater in Warsaw. A few months later there was a public performance of another work, an e-moll concert.

Chopin's piano concerts are a touching romance. They have the same three-part form. The first part is a sonata with a double exposure. First the orchestra sounds, and after it the solo role is played by the grand piano. The second part in the form of nocturne - touching and melancholic. The final parts of the two concerts are the rondo. They clearly hear the melodies of the mazurka, Kujaviak and Krakowyak - popular Polish folk dances. The last dance was very popular with Chopin, who often used it in his works.

Many famous musicians turned to his work and performed works of Chopin. The list - the names of piano concerts and other works - is a sign of the highest performing professionalism and good musical taste.

1835 year. First performance Andante spianato

Write a concert piece with the introduction (introduction) Frederic Chopin conceived long ago. He began work with the composition "Polonaise", leaving the entry spelling at a later time. In letters the composer wrote that the "Polonaise" itself was created at the turn of 1830-1831. And only after five years the introduction was written, and the composition acquired a finished form.

Andante spianato is written for pianoforte in the tonality of g-dur and a size of 6/8. The nocturnal nature of the introduction shades the beginning of the "Polonaise", in which the heroic motif sounds. During solo performances, Chopin often included Andante spianato as a separate concert piece.

April 26 at the Warsaw Conservatory Chopin performs "Andante spianato and the Great Polonaise Es-dur". The first performance with the orchestra took place at a full house and had a grandiose success. The work was published in 1836 and was dedicated to the Baroness d'Este. A pile of masterpieces, in which were stored the famous works of Chopin, whose list already numbered more than 150 works, was replenished with one more immortal creation.

Three sonatas (1827-1844)

The sonata cycle of Frederic Chopin was formed from works written at different periods of creativity. "Sonata c-moll" was created in 1827-1828. Chopin himself called it "the sin of youth." Like many other early works, it was published after his death. The first edition is dated 1851.

"Sonata b-moll" is an example of a monumental dramatic, but at the same time lyrical work. Chopin, whose list of compositions was already significant, was carried away by a complex musical form. First, the "Mourning March" was born. His manuscript is dated November 28, 1837. The whole sonata was written by 1839. Some of its parts refer to the music characteristic of the Romantic era. The first part is a ballad, and the final part has the character of an etude. However, it was the "Funeral March", tragic and profound, that became the culmination of the whole work. In 1844 another work was written in sonata form, "Sonata h-moll".

Last years

In 1837, Chopin suffered a first attack of tuberculosis. The disease haunted him for all the remaining years. The journey to Mallorca, which he did with George Sand, did not bring relief. But it was a fruitful creative period. It was in Mallorca that Chopin wrote a series of 24 preludes. Returning to Paris and the break with J. Sand had a disastrous effect on the weakened health of the composer.

1848 - a trip to London. It was the last tour trip. The hard work and raw British climate finally undermined the health of the great musician.

In October 1849, at the age of 39, Frederic Francois Chopin died. At the funeral, hundreds of fans of his talents came to Paris. According to the last will of Chopin, the heart of the great musician was brought to Poland. He was immured in the column of the church of the Holy Cross in Warsaw.

The works of F. Chopin, whose list is more than 200 works, and nowadays often sounds in the concert programs of many renowned pianists. Television and radio stations around the world have in their repertoire sheets the works of Chopin. List - in Russian or any other language - is freely available.