Transcript Frederic Chopin “The Poet of Piano”

Frederic Chopin
“The Poet of Piano”
By Maki Okubo
Chopin’s Life
Born on March 1, 1810 in Zelazowa Wola, Poland, into a middle-class
family.
He published his first composition by the age of 7 and began
performing soon after.
Entered the Warsaw Conservatory at 16
His name became known outside of Poland when his Variations, Op.
2, for piano and orchestra on Mozart's "La ci darem la mano" —
written when he was 17 — were published in 1830
Moves to Vienna
In 1831, he moved to Paris where he socialized and acquainted with
other high society members and was a well known piano teacher.
He falls in love with an author named, Aurore Dudevant also known
as George Sand. They are together and live in her estate for 8 years.
Chopin dies in 1849 at the age of 39 from tuberculosis.
Chopin’s Music
Chopin is responsible for making the the romantical era the piano’s golden age.
He is one of the most influential composers of that era.
He wrote well over 200 works including: 58 Mazurkas 19 Waltzes 27
Etudes 21 Nocturnes 17 Polonaises 2 Piano concertos 26 Preludes
All of his works, without exception, involve the piano, whether solo or
accompanied. They are predominantly for solo piano but include a small
number of works for piano and secondary instruments, including a second
piano, violin, cello, voice, and orchestra.
Several melodies of Chopin's have become well known; because of their unique
melodic shape. They are instantly memorable and easily recognized.
Chopin was the first to write Ballades, he invented the genre.
Fun Facts
When Schuman heard him
perform for the first time, he
instantly became a fan. He
declared, “Hats off gentle men… a
genius!”
Chopin was greatly inspired by
Bach. He urged his piano pupils
to practice Bach every day to
strengthen their fingers and
exercise their minds with the
mathematical music
It seems it's not just musicians are
inspired by the great composer. A
maker of fine vodka has borrowed
the composer's name as a
universal mark of quality.
Chopin: “Grande Valse”, Op.
42 in A flat major
Date: 1840
Genre: Waltz
What to Listen For:
Melody: Modal steps with embellishments, turns, and
arpeggios
Rhythm/Meter: 6/8 feel, triple meter, waltz
Harmony: Root chord chord, for the bass clef, melody
supported by turns and arpeggios
Texture: Light waltz texture, polyphonic
Performing Forces: Solo piano
Form: // A-A-B-C-B-D-B-E-B // A-A-B-C-B //, waltz and
variations.
Expression: Ritards or decrescendos at the end of 8 bar
phrases in a dance-like style
Listening Guide
Introduction
0:00 Slow chordal accompaniment added to trill.
A section
0:11 6/8 rhythm, super imposed over 3/4 time signature
0:22 A section repeated. Up one octave
B section
0:33 Straight 8th note runs and arpeggio’s
C section
0:44 Waltz on the dominant
0:58 Section B repeated
D section
1:08
1:24 Section B repeated
E Section
1:34 Key change, wanders slight tempo change
2:10 Bridge
2:19 Section B repeated
2:28 Section A repeated
2:39 Section A repeated, up an octave
2:53 Section B repeated in a variation, with cadenza
3:03 Section C repeated with cadenza
3:20 Section C repeated
3:38 Section B repeated