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Frederic Chopin [show-PAN] was the only great composer who wrote mainly for the piano. He was not a songwriter nor did he compose for orchestras. Chopin composed during the Romantic Period, which lasted from about 1825-1900.
At the age of 21, Chopin moved from Warsaw, Poland to Paris, because at that time, Paris was the artistic capital of Europe. Chopin’s music is in the romantic style. Romanticism was a cultural movement that stressed 1) freedom in expressing one’s emotions; 2) using one’s imagination; 3) and developing one’s own individual style. This was different from the Classical style of Mozart and Beethoven, whose music often sounded similar to each other’s and was more controlled and restrained.
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CHOPIN'S STYLE:
By the age of eighteen, Chopin had developed his own personal and original music style. Most of his pieces are short, called miniatures. They suggest a variety of moods, and are always elegant, graceful, and melodic. No other composer has made the piano sound as beautiful as Chopin, who creates the illusion that the piano "sings". He uses graceful and delicate musical ornamentation of notes. He knew how to use the piano pedals in a sensitive manner. The way he used harmony, or chords, was very original and influenced later composers. |
LISTEN FOR . . .
Our listening example today is one of Chopin's popular works, called Nocturne in E-Flat Major. He wrote it in 1830, when he was about 20 years old. A nocturne is considered evening music, slow, peaceful and songlike. In this piece, he ornaments certain notes by circling above and below them, or using trills moving back and forth quickly between two notes. He also uses a rhythm technique called rubato, a slight pushing forward and pulling back of the beat. These techniques make Chopin's music sound very expressive. |
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During Chopin’s lifetime, European countries experienced a number of wars and political revolutions. In 1831, when Chopin was 21 years old, Russian armies invaded and took over his home city of Warsaw, Poland. This may have inspired him to compose a piano piece called the Revolutionary Etude [A-tude ].
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ETUDE
An etude is a study piece designed to help a performer master specific technical difficulties. For example, Chopin's Revolutionary Etude develops speed and endurance in a pianist’s left hand, which must play fast, running passages throughout the piece. Chopin’s etudes are more than just technical exercises. They are musical masterpieces that are exciting to listen to, and they are often played on stage by professional, concert pianists. |
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THE ROMANTIC MOVEMENT Chopin was one of the leading pianists of the romantic era. This was a time of significant changes in the arts. The romantic movement influenced all the different art forms and spread throughout the world. Artists of the romantic period were interested in subjects such as the supernatural, fantasy, dreams, history from the Middle Ages, romantic love, and especially nature. |
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While in Paris, Chopin was acquainted with the leading musicians, writers and artists of that time. For many years, he was a close friend of the novelist, Aurore Dudevant. In the 1800’s, women were not encouraged to pursue their artistic talents, so they often had to use a man’s name to have their works published.
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Chopin died at age 39. A death mask was made of his face and a cast was made of his hand. So many people were expected at his funeral, that tickets were issued. Over 3,000 people arrived in Paris without invitations, from as far as London; Berlin, Germany; and Vienna, Austria; and they had to be excluded from the service. Several films have been made about Chopin’s life and career.
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