Composer - Chopin - p. 91-92 Flashcards
What years did Chopin live and how old was he when he died?
1810-1849 (39 years old)
Where was he born? What about his parents?
Chopin was born in Zelazowa Wola, Poland. Zelazowa Wola is a village in Poland. The family later moved to Warsaw, the Polish capital.
Chopin’s father was born in France and moved to Poland as a teenager and worked as a French tutor.
Chopin’s mother was Polish.
Describe Chopin’s accompaniment as a young child and his education.
Chopin was considered a child prodigy. He gave his first concert when he was just 6 years old and published his first work at 7.
Chopin started studying with Jozef Elsner when Chopin was 10 years old. After high school, Chopin studied harmony, counterpoint, and composition with Elsner. Jozel Elsner was the director of Warsaw Conservatory.
How was Chopin’s health throughout his life? Has it impacted his romantic life?
Chopin’s health was always frail (so got sick easily ) all of his life. He was engaged to Maria Wodzinska but her parents decided that he was too frail and opposed the marriage.
Describe Chopin’s early career before his exile to Paris.
Chopin played for Polish aristocrats, including some who would become his patrons and supporters in Paris.
Chopin had a successful performance in Paris and returned to Warsaw to continued success as a composer and pianist.
He then went on a long concert tour. He was in Vienna when Russia invaded Warsaw. He settled in Paris and ever went back to Poland the rest of his life.
What was Chopin’s main source of income in Paris/
Chopin taught and published piano compositions.
Name the person Chopin was involved with for years?
When Chopin was 26 years old, he began a 10 year love affair with Aurore Dudevant. Aurore was a famous novelist who used George Sand as a pen name.
This was a productive period for Chopin.
Describe Chopin’s last few years after the romance with George Sand ended.
The romance ended when Chopin was 37 years old. The next year, his student, Jane Stirling, organized a concert tour in England and Scotland. Chopin’s health declined and he was very weak by the end of the trip.
Where is Chopin buried?
Chopin died when he was 39 years old. He is buried in Paris but his heart is at a church in Warsaw as Chopin requested his heart to return to Poland..
What instruments did Chopin write music for?
Chopin composed almost exclusively for piano. So it was either just piano or piano with voice or instruments.
How did Chopin show his nationalism?
Chopin composed Polish dances, including polonaises, mazurkas, and krakowiaks.
Describe Chopin’s innovative piano techniques.
He piano music had unusual spacing of chords, sweeping arpeggiation, expanded range.
Give two dances Chopin composed.
waltzes
polonaises (Polish court/formal dance)
mazurkas (Polish folk dance)
Other than dances, give two other piano genres Chopin composed?
Etudes (study pieces)
nocturnes
preludes
scherzos
sonatas
Other than piano, what other genres did Chopin compose?
Orchestral with piano - concertos, variations
Chamber - piano trio; cello sonata (yes, it has cello and piano)
Songs - for voice and piano with Polish texts
