Frederic Chopin: biography of one of the best composers of the 19th century

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

F. Chopin, whose biography is the topic of our conversation today, is a talented Polish composer and pianist. Frederick was born on March 1, 1810 in a town near Warsaw. The boy's musical talent manifested itself in early childhood: already at the age of six he played the piano with pleasure, tried to compose music on his own. A significant role in this was played by his teacher, V. Zhivny.

Study and the beginning of the journey

When Frederick was 8, he made his first public appearance as a pianist. At that time, Chopin, whose biography as a composer begins very early, had already written several polonaise pieces and one of his marches.

From 1823 to 1826, Frederic studied at the Warsaw Lyceum, after which he immediately managed to enter the Warsaw High School of Music. Almost all this time, his mentor was Y. Elsner, a talented teacher and musician. It was with his help that Chopin wrote his first serious works, including variations on a theme by Mozart, Sonata 1, Nocturne E minor, Rondo (including Rondo for two pianos).

After graduating, Frederick goes to Vienna (1829), where he performs his works for the general public. And a year later in Warsaw for himorganize an independent concert, which marked the beginning of a series of solo performances.

Vienna period

Further F. Chopin, whose biography still remains the subject of study by many researchers, moves for some time to Vienna (1830-1831). Here, life literally begins to boil around him: the young composer regularly attends various concerts, gets acquainted with the luminaries of the world of music of that period, visits theaters, regularly visits the picturesque surroundings of the city. Such an environment allows him to reveal his talent from a new angle and inspires him to many beautiful works. Autumn 1831 meets Frederick in Stuttgart. It is here that he is overtaken by the news of the failure of the uprising in Poland and the fall of Warsaw. Strongly impressed by the tragic events, the composer writes the later called "revolutionary" etude in C minor, as well as two unusually tragic preludes - D minor and A minor. The list of his works also includes several concertos for piano and orchestra, a polonaise for cello and piano, Polish songs to the words of Mickiewicz and Witwicki and many other wonderful compositions.

Bubbling life in Paris

The next important stage that Frederic Chopin, whose biography has already left its mark on the history of Vienna, is going through is life in Paris. It is here that the composer and musician begins to closely communicate with Liszt, Bellini, Berlioz, Mendelssohn. However, his circle of contacts is not limited to the musical sphere. Also, Frederic is happy to communicate withtalented writers and masters of the brush - Hugo, Balzac, Lamartine, Heine, Delacroix, J. Sand. On February 26, 1832, the composer's first concert took place in Paris, during which he performed a concerto for two pianos, as well as variations on the theme of Mozart's Don Giovanni.

A large number of concerts took place in 1833-1835. But the period from 1836 to 1837 became decisive in the composer's personal life: the engagement with Maria Vodzinskaya was terminated, and Chopin himself became close to J. Sand.

"Golden" time in the history of Chopin's creativity

The highest flowering of Chopin's creativity was 1838-1846. His most perfect and impressive works were written during this period. Among them are sonatas No. 2 and No. 3, ballads, polonaise-fantasy, scherzos, nocturnes, barcarolles, polonaises, preludes, mazurkas, etc. Frederick, as a rule, spent the winter in his beloved Paris, and moved to Nohant for the summer, George Sand estate. Only one winter (1838-1839) Chopin was forced to spend in the south, in Mallorca, due to his deteriorating he alth. While on a Spanish island, he managed to complete 24 more preludes.

Last years of life

May 1844 turned out to be difficult for the composer - it was then that his father died, and Frederick took his death extremely hard. The break with J. Sand (1847), the love of his life, finally undermined his strength. On November 16, 1848, at the Polish evening, which took place in London, Chopin, whose biography still excites hearts, performed for the last time. After this statehe alth did not allow him to perform or engage with students. In the winter of 1849, Frederick finally took to his bed. Neither the care of true friends, nor even the arrival in Paris of Ludovika, the composer's beloved sister, could alleviate his suffering, and after a heavy agony, he died. It happened on October 17, 1849.

Until now, the contribution that Frederic Chopin made to the development of musical art remains truly invaluable. A short biography, of course, cannot describe all the exciting moments of his life. However, many biographers have tried to reveal the whole path of this extraordinary personality as accurately and in detail as possible. Among them are I. Khitrik, A. Solovtsov, L. Sinyaver, L. A. Mazel.