Fryderyk Chopin 2010 Award  Diploma Диплом Diplomu Diplomas Dyplom

Fryderyk Chopin (1810-1849)

A Polish composer  and virtuoso pianist, considered one of the great masters of Romantic music. 
His fascinating life and heritage continues to inspire many people all over the world today.

Chopin was born to a French-expatriate father and Polish mother in a suburban Warsaw town called Zelazowa Wola on March 1st, 1810. Some biographers quote his birth date as Feb 22, 1810.  His father worked as a French language teacher while his mother was a housewife, looking after the four children.  Both parents were avid musicians, which influenced their children's early education.   Fryderyk spent his youth in Warsaw, where he was quickly discovered as a child-prodigy. He was often invited to add splendour to local aristocracy gatherings or charity fundraisers.  At the age of 7, he played piano fluently and attempted to compose music, although, because he did not yet know notes, he was unable to record any of his works.  The first two well known pieces by the young composer, Polonez B-flat major and G minor, were written down by his father’s helpful hand. 

Chopin’s multiple talents as an excellent writer, actor, cartoonist and satirist dazzled his peers at Warsaw High School.  Nobody in the school could imitate other students or teachers more accurately than he could.  Some of his crayon sketches survived to our time.  His acting talents were nurtured at the home, where he and the younger sister Emily played skits for the family.  He played the organ during masses for high school students and continued to compose.  The barely 16-year old Fryderyk was admitted to the Composition faculty at Warsaw School of Music, where he graduated later with the comment: musical genius.  His great popularity in Warsaw as a versatile piano performer who also played his own compositions  encouraged him and his family to consider a European career.   First, as a 19 year old piano virtuoso and composer, he appeared in Vienna – the most influential music center, second only to Paris, where he was enthusiastically received.  Upon his return to Warsaw, he composed two piano concertos (F minor and E minor), successfully performed in the National Theater in Warsaw in 1830.  This concert turned out to be his farewell to Poland, as he never returned to his home country from his European tour in November 1830 in order to avoid oppressions after a failed uprising against the Russian rule in Poland.   Paris became not only his new place of residency, but also friendship and love - to a French novelist Aurore Lucile Dupin, known as George Sand.  He composed and toured across Europe, gaining a well deserved popularity as charismatic personality pianist.  He was also famous in Paris as a piano teacher.  The lessons he delivered to local aristocracy yielded him substantial wealth.

There is no doubt that the course of Chopin’s life would have been much different if it had not been the tormenting lung disease that he suffered from for many years.  Doctors and health spas rendered no cure.  Chopin died in October 1849, aged only 39.  He was buried in Pčre Lachaise cemetery in Paris, but his heart, in accordance with his will, was moved to Poland where it is entombed within a pillar at the Holy Cross Church in Warsaw.

Chopin left behind wonderful music, full of unique expression and charm.  His music can be easily recognized by the unique themes, ornamented with lightness and virtuoso brilliance, that include elements of meditation, grief, reflection, concentration and seriousness.  His new composing style set him ahead of his time.  He was a Romantic musician in non-Romantic period.   He composed mainly piano pieces, and the best known are polonaises, mazurkas, ballades, etudes, waltzes, sonatas, nocturnes, songs for solo voice and piano, and the most popular: piano concertos.

Chopin’s most mature polonaises were composed abroad.  Some are full of tragic accents, expressing his emotions on Polish struggle for independence.  The other, like Polonez A-flat major, are full of energy and charm and paint the musical vision of Poland’s might.

Mazurkas represent the most native part of his works.  They correspond to Chopin’s early childhood fascination with Polish folklore, that he was exposed to while vacationing in the village of Szafarnia, in Kujawy region.  He witnessed the native rites and played in the bands accompanying court dances, and wrote down melodies and lyrics of local native songs and dances, called mazurki, oberki and kujawiaki.  This exposure to the rhythm and melody inspired, in his later years, 57 artistically styled mazurkas.  They have variable format: long or short, fast or slow.  They have spontaneous or dancing character, and some are lyrical. All of them express Chopin’s deep love to his homeland.

Chopin’s etudes are perhaps the best manifestation of his musical talent.   Until his time, piano teachers considered etudes as pieces intended mainly for technique practice.  Chopin advanced them to new art level with his refined, beautiful melodies.  Each of his etudes imposes technical demands on the performer, while being a musically perfect masterpiece.  Some researchers consider Chopin’s etudes the pinnacle of his genius.

Chopin waltzes represent his artistic perfection.  Some are slow, lyrical and melancholic, other masterly fast, as Walc D-flat major also known as “minute waltz “ because of its dizzying tempo.

He also wrote 19 songs over the course of his life.  They were created spontaneously, to the mood sparked by the moment.  Most of them were inspired by poems written by his friend Stefan Witwicki.  Although some songs, like “The Wish”, are truly beautiful, they remain largely overshadowed by Chopin’s piano works.

Chopin’s music belongs to the world’s cultural heritage.  To honor his genius, Chopin International Piano Competitions have been held in Warsaw every 5 years since 1927 (except during WW II).   There, the world best performers gather to play Chopin’s compositions and to compete for valuable recognition.  Year 2010 marks 200^th birthday of this prominent composer and is celebrated as "Chopin Year" in Poland. The XVI Chopin Competition will be held in October 2010 to commemorate this anniversary.