Fryderyck (Frédéric) Chopin (1810–49)

Chopin,
Photo by Louis Bisson, c. 1849

F. Phillip,
Silhouette of Chopin at the piano

Date Biography Select Compositions

1823–6 Recognised as a child prodigy from early age (a ‘second
Mozart’), performing for the Warsaw aristocracy
Studied at Warsaw Lyceum; spent holidays in Polish
countryside, performing with folk musicians
1826–9 Studied music theory and composition at Warsaw High
School of Music
1829 Travelled to Vienna, gave successful public performances Variations, Op. 2 (1830)
1830–1 Two big public concerts in Warsaw Concerto no. 1 in E minor (Op. 11);
Embarked on European tour; stayed in Vienna after Polish Concerto no. 2 in F minor (Op. 21);
uprising and subsequent Polish-Russian war 12 Etudes (Op. 10); 4 Mazurkas
1831 Moved to Paris, along with thousands of Polish exiles (the (Op. 6); 5 Mazurkas (Op. 7)
‘Great Emigration’)
Growing reputation as performer, preferred private salon Scherzo no. 1 in B minor (Op. 20)
gatherings to public concerts. 2 Polonaises (Op. 26);
Befriends pianist Frédéric Kalkbrenner, and Liszt, Ballade no. 1 in G minor (Op. 21)
Mendelsohn and Berlioz. 2 Nocturnes (Op. 27)
Earned living through lucrative private piano teaching, and
secured publishing deals in Paris, Leipzig and London;
reputation spread across Europe
1836 Proposed marriage to 17-year old Maria Wodzinski; her
parents rejected the match after one year
1837 Entered relationship with novelist Georges Sand
1838–9 Spent winter on isle of Majorca, Spain, confined to bed due 24 Preludes (Op. 28); Polonaise in C
to onset of tubercolosis minor
1839–46 Moved to Sand’s residence at Nohant, central France, Piano sonata no 2 in Bb minor (Op.
spending summers there composing and winters teaching 35); 4 Mazurkas (Op. 41); 2
and performing in Paris Nocturnes (Op. 37); Impromptu
Sand’s novel Lucrezia Floriani (1846) interpreted as an No. 2 in F# major (Op. 36); Fantasia
autobiographical account of her relationship with Chopin in F minor (Op. 49); 3 Mazurkas
1847 End of relationship with Sand; composing activity decreased (Op. 50); Polonaise in Ab major
1848 Tour of England and Scotland organised by Scottish pupil ‘Heroic’ (Op. 53)
Jane Stirling; health deteriorated further
1849 Died of tubercolosis at Paris residence, 17 Oct.