Why Is Frederic Chopin Important
Frederic Chopin
One of the most prominent polish composers, one of the most important romantic composers, and one of the most distinguished musicians in history. Frederic François Chopin was born in the Zelazowa Wola, Poland on March 1, 1810. He was the son of polish noblewoman Justyna Krzyżanowska and a Frenchman Nicolas Chopin. His father was 16 when he moved to Warsaw, Poland. He was considered very talented seeing that he was fluent in German, calligraphy, accounting, poetry, and played several instruments. He had worked several jobs around the country before meeting his future wife, Justyna, while working in Zelazowa Wola. A short while later Frederic Chopin was born. Although he did not compose pieces as large, Chopin deserves should be brought up in musical conversations alongside Beethoven, Mozart, and the other greats because he was just as talented, had just as much influence, and approached music just as creatively.
Chopin developed a love for music by the age of six because it filled the house. He would listen to his mother, eldest sister, or father play the piano from time to time and attempt to replay what he heard or create a new song entirely. The following year after the …show more content…
family had noticed this behavior, he began taking piano lessons with Wojciech Zywny. At age seven he wrote a Polonaise in G minor, a piece that even appealed to the Russian grand duke Constantine.(Hedley) Then at age 8, he performed his first public concert and went on to perform in various noble and aristocrat homes. At the age of 8 he played for Maria Feodorovna, a Danish princess, and at the age of 11 played in the presence of the Russian Tsar Alexander I. When Chopin was 16, his mother and father enrolled him at the Warsaw Conservatory of Music. With the help of teacher Joseph Elsner, Chopin was taught harmony and composition which significantly aided him in his journey to find his own unique style.
In search of new musical inspiration, Chopin moved to Vienna in 1830 after making his performance debut there just a year before. During this time, Paris had become the center of European culture. He established relationships with other young composers such as Franz Liszt, Hector Berlioz, etc. Chopin slowly but surely became one of Europe’s biggest celebrities and one of the biggest representatives of the Romantic Period. Around the first 10 years of his stay in Paris, he created some of his most famous works: Nocturnes of Opp. 9 and 15, the 12 Etudes Op. 25, the Sonata in B-flat minor, and several more. (Libbey) It was also around this time that Chopin steered towards the “folk” sound. He began to notice his music wasn’t received as well when performed in large crowds compared to its reception in smaller ones. Despite barely “practicing” the piano, he is most known for his incredible piano work and two piano concertos. This is something very unusual and at the time unheard of on this scale. Most other composers had some other instruments accompany them, and even pieces purely piano or piano-driven were not as popular.
Chopin’s influence on music may not be stated with the biggest composers after him, but it is very much there. First, he was one of the very first musical nationalists. His music, though influenced by classical theory, are filled with the influence of Polish harmonies and rhythms that helps to give his music a unique style. Chopin began to give more identity and recognition to Polish culture through music. He would even make mazurkas, musical compositions referencing Polish songs and dances and conveying the spirit of the nation.(Wojtkiewicz) In addition, Chopin had a style of music that focused on things other music didn’t or at least not to this extent. With a mere piano, Chopin was able to pioneer and predict the focus on aesthetic and free-flow of music that was to come. He ushered in new, sometimes melancholy sounds and innovative textures. Not only did it impact music then, but even in today’s time. He was one of the few masters of poetic expression. His more direct influence is sometimes overlooked because of the lack of mainstream knowledge or presence of it.
The following generations of Russian composers also drew on Chopin's music. Among them was Anatoly Lyadov, dubbed "a Russian Chopin", Sergei Rachmaninov and Alexander Scriabin. Lyadov wrote music in the same genres as Chopin and borrowed the piano texture and characteristic lyricism from the Polish composer, for example Lyadov's Prelude in E minor op.33 no.1 took on the aura of the texture of Chopin's Nocturne in E minor WN 23[27], while the Barcarolle in F sharp major op.44 mainly imitated the genre features that Chopin had used in his Barcarolle in F sharp major op.60. Rachmaninov expanded the texture of the preludes and the etudes, thus creating a monumental style for stage performances. His Prelude in C sharp minor op.23 had echoes of the choral chords of Chopin's Prelude in C minor op.28 no.20. He also composed Variations on a Theme of Chopin for piano op.22, which were actually on a theme from Chopin's Prelude in C minor op.28. Scriabin drew on Chopin's harmonic structuralism, for example, his Etude in C sharp minor op.2 no.1 contained traits of the Polish composer's Etude in C sharp minor op.25 no.7. (Wojtkiewicz).
In several other countries, Chopin’s influence is more appreciated and his ideas may be expanded on more. Finally, Chopin’s style of music is one of the most innovative.
Despite using classical ideas, he devoted himself to a piano. Combined with his musical creativity and perfectionist attitude, the piano was able to gain a reputation as a more powerful instrument than it was once considered. Using this method not only shows the power of a piano on its own but the power an instrument can have on its own as well. Proving that an orchestra, nor even a chamber band, is necessary to create powerful music. In order to see the creativity of Chopin through the piano alone I would suggest listening to Nocturne No.16 in F major by John Field, one of the first to write nocturnes for the piano, and then compare it to Nocturne op.27 No.1 in C# minor, both written in
1836. Unfortunately, Frederic Chopin died at 39 in Paris. The reason for this isn’t exactly known though Chopin was diagnosed with tuberculosis at one point. He was able to create a specific bond of freedom and order in his music, and he had a wide range of tone, style, and texture to introduce to people. In a short span of time, a man with a piano and a genius mind was able to impact all of the music to come.
One of the most prominent polish composers, one of the most important romantic composers, and one of the most distinguished musicians in history. Frederic François Chopin was born in the Zelazowa Wola, Poland on March 1, 1810. He was the son of polish noblewoman Justyna Krzyżanowska and a Frenchman Nicolas Chopin. His father was 16 when he moved to Warsaw, Poland. He was considered very talented seeing that he was fluent in German, calligraphy, accounting, poetry, and played several instruments. He had worked several jobs around the country before meeting his future wife, Justyna, while working in Zelazowa Wola. A short while later Frederic Chopin was born. Although he did not compose pieces as large, Chopin deserves should be brought up in musical conversations alongside Beethoven, Mozart, and the other greats because he was just as talented, had just as much influence, and approached music just as creatively.
Chopin developed a love for music by the age of six because it filled the house. He would listen to his mother, eldest sister, or father play the piano from time to time and attempt to replay what he heard or create a new song entirely. The following year after the …show more content…
family had noticed this behavior, he began taking piano lessons with Wojciech Zywny. At age seven he wrote a Polonaise in G minor, a piece that even appealed to the Russian grand duke Constantine.(Hedley) Then at age 8, he performed his first public concert and went on to perform in various noble and aristocrat homes. At the age of 8 he played for Maria Feodorovna, a Danish princess, and at the age of 11 played in the presence of the Russian Tsar Alexander I. When Chopin was 16, his mother and father enrolled him at the Warsaw Conservatory of Music. With the help of teacher Joseph Elsner, Chopin was taught harmony and composition which significantly aided him in his journey to find his own unique style.
In search of new musical inspiration, Chopin moved to Vienna in 1830 after making his performance debut there just a year before. During this time, Paris had become the center of European culture. He established relationships with other young composers such as Franz Liszt, Hector Berlioz, etc. Chopin slowly but surely became one of Europe’s biggest celebrities and one of the biggest representatives of the Romantic Period. Around the first 10 years of his stay in Paris, he created some of his most famous works: Nocturnes of Opp. 9 and 15, the 12 Etudes Op. 25, the Sonata in B-flat minor, and several more. (Libbey) It was also around this time that Chopin steered towards the “folk” sound. He began to notice his music wasn’t received as well when performed in large crowds compared to its reception in smaller ones. Despite barely “practicing” the piano, he is most known for his incredible piano work and two piano concertos. This is something very unusual and at the time unheard of on this scale. Most other composers had some other instruments accompany them, and even pieces purely piano or piano-driven were not as popular.
Chopin’s influence on music may not be stated with the biggest composers after him, but it is very much there. First, he was one of the very first musical nationalists. His music, though influenced by classical theory, are filled with the influence of Polish harmonies and rhythms that helps to give his music a unique style. Chopin began to give more identity and recognition to Polish culture through music. He would even make mazurkas, musical compositions referencing Polish songs and dances and conveying the spirit of the nation.(Wojtkiewicz) In addition, Chopin had a style of music that focused on things other music didn’t or at least not to this extent. With a mere piano, Chopin was able to pioneer and predict the focus on aesthetic and free-flow of music that was to come. He ushered in new, sometimes melancholy sounds and innovative textures. Not only did it impact music then, but even in today’s time. He was one of the few masters of poetic expression. His more direct influence is sometimes overlooked because of the lack of mainstream knowledge or presence of it.
The following generations of Russian composers also drew on Chopin's music. Among them was Anatoly Lyadov, dubbed "a Russian Chopin", Sergei Rachmaninov and Alexander Scriabin. Lyadov wrote music in the same genres as Chopin and borrowed the piano texture and characteristic lyricism from the Polish composer, for example Lyadov's Prelude in E minor op.33 no.1 took on the aura of the texture of Chopin's Nocturne in E minor WN 23[27], while the Barcarolle in F sharp major op.44 mainly imitated the genre features that Chopin had used in his Barcarolle in F sharp major op.60. Rachmaninov expanded the texture of the preludes and the etudes, thus creating a monumental style for stage performances. His Prelude in C sharp minor op.23 had echoes of the choral chords of Chopin's Prelude in C minor op.28 no.20. He also composed Variations on a Theme of Chopin for piano op.22, which were actually on a theme from Chopin's Prelude in C minor op.28. Scriabin drew on Chopin's harmonic structuralism, for example, his Etude in C sharp minor op.2 no.1 contained traits of the Polish composer's Etude in C sharp minor op.25 no.7. (Wojtkiewicz).
In several other countries, Chopin’s influence is more appreciated and his ideas may be expanded on more. Finally, Chopin’s style of music is one of the most innovative.
Despite using classical ideas, he devoted himself to a piano. Combined with his musical creativity and perfectionist attitude, the piano was able to gain a reputation as a more powerful instrument than it was once considered. Using this method not only shows the power of a piano on its own but the power an instrument can have on its own as well. Proving that an orchestra, nor even a chamber band, is necessary to create powerful music. In order to see the creativity of Chopin through the piano alone I would suggest listening to Nocturne No.16 in F major by John Field, one of the first to write nocturnes for the piano, and then compare it to Nocturne op.27 No.1 in C# minor, both written in
1836. Unfortunately, Frederic Chopin died at 39 in Paris. The reason for this isn’t exactly known though Chopin was diagnosed with tuberculosis at one point. He was able to create a specific bond of freedom and order in his music, and he had a wide range of tone, style, and texture to introduce to people. In a short span of time, a man with a piano and a genius mind was able to impact all of the music to come.