CHOPIN, Frederic
b Zelazowa Wola (Poland), 1 March 1810
d Paris, 17 October 1849, aged thirty-nine
His father was a teacher. Chopin studied at horn e until the age of thirteen, before entering the Warsaw Lyceum, and, at sixteen, the newly founded Warsaw Conservatory, where he became interested in the national music of Poland. In 1829 he went to Vienna, but an unrequited love affair and political unrest made him leave for Paris in 1831. At first he had acute financial problems, and his concerts were received with some reservations; but a meeting with the Rothschild family, and consequent playing and teaching in the great houses of Paris, restored him. He paid a nostalgic visit to Poland in 1835, where he fell in love again; but the girl's parents refused consent to marriage because of Chopin's ill-health. He returned to Paris, where he met George Sand. They went to Majorca together in 1838, but returned abruptly to Marseilles when Chopin fell seriously ill. In 1839 he was well enough to return to Paris, and now commanded high fees as pianist and teacher. He and George Sand separated in 1847, and early in 1848 he went to Scotland with a pupil who was in love with him; but he could not compose there, and returned to Paris in November. Eleven months later he died.
1817 (7)
Polonaises No 13 in G minor, and No 14 in Bb major
1821 (11)
Polonaise No 15 in Ab major
1822 (12)
Polonaise No 16 in G minor
1825 (15)
Polonaise No 8, Op 71/1
1826 (16)
Three Ecossaises
Polonaise No 11 in Bb minor
Introduction and Variations in E minor, on Der Schweizerbub
1827 (17)
Nocturne No 19, Op 72
1828 (18)
Krakowiak, concerto rondo for orchestra
Fantasia on Polish Airs, in A major, for piano and orchestra
Rondo in C major for two pianos
Piano Sonata No 1 in C minor
Polonaises No 9 and 10,0p 71
1829 (19)
Piano Concerto No 2 in F minor
Introduction and Polonaise in C major for cello and piano
Twelve Grand Studies for piano (No 5 'Black Keys', No 12 'Revolutionary')
Polonaise No 12 in Gb major
Variations on a theme by Paganini in A major
Waltz No 10, Op 69/2
Waltz No 13, Op 70/3
1830 (20)
Piano Concerto No 1 in E minor
1830-1 (20-1)
Nocturnes No 1-3, Op 9
Nine Mazurkas for piano
1830-3 (20-3)
Nocturnes No 4-6, Op 15
1831 (21)
Waltz No 1 in Eb major
Waltz No 3
1831-4 (21-4)
Andante Spianato, and Grand Polonaise Brillant, in Eb
1832 (22)
Allegro de Concert in A major (sketched, completed 1841)
Scherzo No 1
1833 (23)
Bolero in C major
Introduction and Variations on a Theme by Herold, in Bb major
1834 (24)
Fantaisie Impromptu in C, sharp minor
Prelude No 26 in Ab major
1834-5 (24-5)
Polonaises No 1-2
1834-6 (24-6)
Etudes No 13-24
1835 (25)
Nocturnes No 7-8
Waltz No 2
Waltz No 9
Waltz No 11
Ballade, Op 23
1836-7 (26-7)
Nocturnes No 9-10
1836-9 (26-9)
Ballade, Op 38
Preludes No 124
1837 (27)
Impromptu, Op 29
Scherzo No 2
Nocturne in C minor (p posthumous)
1838 (28)
Waltz No 4
1838-9 (28-9)
Nocturnes No 11-12
Polonaises No 3-4
1839 (29)
Etudes No 25-7 in Fm: Ab: Db
Impromptu, Op 36
Scherzo No 3
Piano Sonata No 2 in B flat minor
1840 (30)
Waltz No 5
1840-1 (30-1)
Ballade, Op 47
Fantasia in F minor
1841 (31)
Nocturnes No 1 Op 14
Polonaise No 5
Prelude No 25
Waltz No 12
1842 (32)
Impromptu, Op 51
Polonaise No 6
Scherzo No 6
Ballade, Op 52
1843 (33)
Berceuse in D flat major (revised 1844), Op 57
Nocturnes No 1 Op 16
1844 (34)
Piano Sonata No 3 in B minor
1845-6 (35-6)
Cello Sonata in G minor, Op 65
Barcarolle in F# minor, Op 60
Polonaise No 7
1846 (36)
Nocturnes No 17-18
1846-7 (36-7)
Waltzes No 18, Op 64