Frederic Chopin (1810 - 1849) Bio and Chronology

Frederic Chopin was born and raised in Warsaw, Poland. His parents ran a successful boarding school. The family was surrounded by intellectual neighbors and a rich cultural life within the city. Because Chopin was home schooled, this allowed extra time for piano studies. A colorful old character named Woyciech Zywny first taught piano to both Frederic and his sister. He made his first public piano performance at the age of nine. Chopin had three sisters and was closest to Ludwika, also a gifted pianist and composer.

Chopin studied with Jozef Elsner in music composition and theory prior to enrolling in the Warsaw High School of Music. Chopin always held his mentor in high esteem, and years later sent a letter to Elsner stating, "I love you still as a son, as an old son, as an old friend." Elsner recognized Chopin's prolific genius as a composer and encouraged him. He hoped that Chopin would write for opera, but instead Chopin focused solely on the piano where he had ‘discovered everything" (as Debussy has described it).

Chopin departed Warsaw for a European tour in late 1830, a few weeks before the Polish uprising in Warsaw against the Russians. He would never return to Poland, his friends and family. In 1831 Chopin reached Paris during a concert tour and was so warmly received he decided to remain there permanently. Chopin thrived in the salons, performing for small groups of the French aristocracy and leading artists. His contemporaries read like a Who's Who of European celebrities. Chopin would play duets with Franz Liszt and collaborate with cellist Auguste Franchomme. He became acquainted with opera composers Meyerbeer and Rossini and renowned pianists, artists, poets and writers. Chopin was acquainted with Robert Schumann, Felix Mendelssohn and Hector Berlioz. Chopin and Mendelssohn remained in touch for many years.

An excellent teacher, Chopin taught piano lessons for twelve years while composing original and captivating etudes, nocturnes and ballades for the piano. Chopin was an exemplary artist, popular for his congenial personality and wit. He was an entertaining mimic and enjoyed doing impersonations. He would improvise before his friends well into the evenings, and all accounts were that these performances were magical.

Unfortunately, Chopin's health had been seriously compromised during his teen years, when, in 1826, both he and his sister Emilka became ill. It is believed they both contracted a degenerative lung disease during the cold winter. Emilka died at the age of fourteen in 1827, when Chopin was eighteen.

By 1836, rumors had spread through Europe that Chopin had died from respiratory failure. Because of his failing health, his engagement to Maria Wodzinska was called off by her parents. Maria was the same age as Clara Schumann, and also a gifted young artist and musician. This was a painful time emotionally for Chopin. He subsequently became involved with writer George Sand, one of the first feminist authors, all the while composing masterpieces for piano that contained sweeping melodies, unusual harmonies and amazing contrasts. Nostalgic Polish dance rhythms and melodies permeate his compositions, as if Chopin intended to bring his childhood memories and Polish country back to life.

The affair with Sand lasted about seven years, when the couple took up residency in Paris and Sand's country estate, Nohant. Despite rapidly declining health, Chopin continued composing magnificent masterpieces for piano which influenced composers from Liszt, Debussy and Satie to Ravel and Ellington. Cared for by sister Ludwika and close friends, Chopin died at the age of 39 in his own Paris apartment.

Chopin's genius translated into outstanding piano literature which did not contain any descriptive titles that were customary in Romantic music. However, in his nocturnes, scherzi, waltzes, Polish dances, etudes, impromptus and sonatas we can find endless romanticism, lyricism and poetry created from the keyboard. Chopin advised his student Friederike Muller, "Simplicity is everything. After having exhausted all the difficulties, after having played immense quantities of notes, and more notes, then simplicity emerges with all its charm, like art's final seal."


Suggested listening: Everything including the Four Ballades

1810 Born Zelazowa Wola, near Warsaw
1816 Began piano studies with Woyciech Zywny
1818 First public concert
1822 Studies with Jozef Elsner
1831 Arrived in Paris
1836 Met George Sand
1838 Island of Majorca
1848 Last concert in Paris; French revolution;
Chopin departs for London and Scotland
1849 Died in Paris