Name: Frederic Chopin

Age: 39 years old

Place of Birth: Zelazowa Wola, Poland

A place of death: Paris, France

Activity: Polish composer, pianist, teacher

Family status: wasn't married

Frederic Chopin - biography

Polish composer who created works for piano, which formed the basis for learning to play the piano. In his arsenal of compositions, Chopin does not have any music composed for orchestra, but this does not detract from his skill as the creator of the Polish musical school of piano playing.

Childhood, composer's family

Frederick's father was a teacher who was often hired as a tutor for children. The mother was of intelligent noble origin. Music and poetry are the two main forms of art that were given great attention in the family. In addition to the only son, the family had three girls. Only the boy inherited the ability to play the piano from his mother: she could sing and play the piano beautifully. Chopin's entire biography as a composer took shape thanks to the upbringing instilled in him by his parents. The musical instrument did not tire the boy for hours; he enjoyed learning new pieces, choosing familiar melodies.

Chopin's concert activities

He began giving concerts that made Chopin popular at the age of nineteen. Warsaw and Krakow applauded the talent. The musician goes on tour to Germany, where he learns that the uprising in his homeland, in favor of which he always spoke out, was suppressed. It was impossible to return to Poland, and Frederick was hiding in Paris. The musician is applauded by Vienna and the entire capital of France. Many famous composers admired Chopin's musical genius. Among them were the German Robert Schumann and the Hungarian composer Franz Liszt.

Chopin's work

The fate of the Motherland worries the composer, and he composed 4 ballads about his beloved country based on the poems of Adam Mickiewicz. He did not limit himself to this and wrote dance melodies, offering mazurkas, waltzes, and polonaises to admirers of his talent. He is autobiographical in his music, but at the same time brings it closer to folk music.

In his composition and performance, the familiar nocturne sounds in a new way. Now this is not a quiet night song. This is a description of nature with deep lyrical overtones with the tragic experiences of the composer. During the period of Chopin's passion for Bach's work, he created twenty-four preludes, which also expand the possibilities of this classical piece of music.

Pedagogical activity of the composer

The Polish composer proved himself to be a brilliant creator of a unique technique that began to be used in training young pianists. The teacher had many students, but only one name went down in the history of Polish music: pianist and music editor Adolf Gutman. Chopin had many friends among real masters in the fields of literature, painting and photography. Most of them created portraits of the composer.

Frederic Chopin - biography of personal life

In the composer’s personal life, not everything was as rosy as in his work. She was full of tragedy. Frederick inherited a sensitive, gentle and vulnerable soul from his mother. But I did not find happiness and peace in my women. The first to whom he opened his heart was young Maria Wodzinska, born in Poland just like him. An engagement took place, after which the bride’s parents decided to make sure that their daughter’s groom was wealthy. The composer's financial well-being seemed insufficient to them, and the wedding did not take place. Chopin reflected all his sorrow in music.

Death of Chopin

Frederic Chopin was getting worse. The final break with his beloved plunged the musician into despondency, but he took a trip to the UK for concerts. He was accompanied on his journey by his student Jane Stirling. After returning to Paris, he gave several more musical performances, fell ill and did not get out of bed until his death.

A famous musician and interesting person is Frederic Chopin. His short biography is presented in this article. He was born on March 1, 1810 near Warsaw.

The family of the future composer was very educated. His father had the rank of officer, served in the army, and then was engaged in teaching at the Warsaw Lyceum. He also played the piano, violin and flute quite well. Frederic's mother loved music. Therefore, it is not surprising that a great musician and composer was born into such a family.

His musical gift manifested itself in his early years, and his first composition was published already in 1817. Frederik's first mentor was Voytech Zhivny. It was he who taught the future composer to understand and love classical music. The boy had a serious illness - congenital tuberculosis.

Chopin's biography says that his first public concert took place in 1818. Frederick played the piano. In the period 1823-1829. he studied at the music lyceum, and then at the main music school, where his own father taught. There Frederic studied Polish literature, history, aesthetics and mastered other humanities. At that time, the future composer was fond of drawing caricatures, writing plays and poems. During his years of study, Frederic toured the entire territory of Poland with performances, visited Vienna and Berlin. His first style of playing the piano was formed under the influence of Hummel. In the Polish capital, Frederic participated in various musical circles.

It is said that after completing his studies (1830), he gave three large concerts in Warsaw, which became triumphant. That same year, Frederick went on a trip abroad and left his homeland forever. Having visited many European cities, Chopin finally settled in Paris. In 1835 he went to Leipzig, where he met Schumann.

In 1836, the composer met a Polish girl named Maria Wodzinska. They began an affair. However, her parents did not give consent to the wedding. This relationship lasted only a year, and the young people broke up. This leads to the fact that in 1838 Frederic Chopin travels to Mallorca. His biography says that on this island he met Georges Sand, a famous writer from France. Her real name was Aurore Dupin. Frederick often spent the summer at the writer’s estate. She was a rather eccentric person for her time. Aurora wore men's clothing and, despite this, the writer had two children. The romance of famous people lasted about 9 years.

Chopin constantly developed his talent and realized himself creatively, but he was negatively affected by the break with George Sand, which occurred in 1848. The composer also experienced financial difficulties, and his strength was undermined by tuberculosis. Chopin's biography shows that in 1848 he went to Britain, but his health did not allow the composer to give the planned concerts in London. Frederick returned to Paris broken and exhausted.

Chopin's biography says that in 1849 he died of consumption. He was interred in the French capital. However, according to the will, the heart was taken to Warsaw, where it was buried in a church.

😉 Greetings to art lovers and site guests! The article “Frederic Chopin: biography, facts and video” is about the life of the famous Polish composer and pianist. Here you can listen to the works of the brilliant composer.

At a party dedicated to his departure for a tour to Vienna, friends solemnly presented Frederick with a cup of earth - to make it easier to endure separation from his homeland. He considered it a good joke - he was leaving for a short time.

The same cup with the native land will be brought nineteen years later. On the day of his funeral, his heart will return to the Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris, and to Poland, according to the last will of the genius. The column of the Warsaw church in which it is walled up will become a place of pilgrimage for millions of admirers of his talent from all over the world.

Biography of Frederic Chopin

Frederic Franciszek Chopin was born near Warsaw on March 1, 1810 into an intelligent and very musical Polish-French family. My mother played the piano and sang beautifully. The father was an excellent musician - according to legend, he played the violin even at the time of his son’s birth.

The house in Zelazowa Wola where Frederic Chopin was born

As befits a true genius, the child showed extraordinary abilities very early. As a five-year-old child, not yet mastering musical notation, he picked out folk melodies and simple pieces on the piano by ear. At the age of seven he gave his first concert. All of Poland started talking about him. This is where Chopin's two geniuses are very similar.

The audience admired the amazing, “Polish” music of the young composer, and even more his virtuoso playing.

By the age of twenty, Chopin was considered the best Polish pianist. He successfully graduated from the Lyceum and Higher Music School. He was fluent in German and French and was an excellent drawer.

He was a welcome guest in fashionable aristocratic salons. High society from all over the country came to listen to new works by the “spirit and soul of the piano.”

In 1829, his first performance abroad took place. The enormous success and enthusiastic reception given to the young pianist by the spoiled Viennese public inspired him to embark on a longer concert tour.

In the late autumn of 1830, Frederick set off to conquer Europe. Two weeks after his departure, an uprising broke out in Poland and was brutally suppressed. Repression began and returning home became impossible.

Paris

Instead of Warsaw, in 1831 he came to Paris - the city he had dreamed of since childhood. A new life began, if not very happy, then at least quite prosperous. The first concert of the “piano poet” was a great success.

Airy mazurkas, sophisticated etudes, proud polonaises, solemn funeral marches, romantic ballads, sad nocturnes and inexpressibly beautiful waltzes - unusual, unusual music surprised and fascinated. The manner of the game evoked mystical awe.

The composer's best works were written. He was idolized by his listeners, famous poets, musicians, and artists were friends with him.

Publications of works, private lessons for “high-ranking” students, rare public and frequent salon concerts, and performances for crowned heads made it possible to lead a secular lifestyle without particularly worrying about money. Everything would have been fine if it weren’t for the painful homesickness that gave me no peace.

Chopin and George Sand

And also love - a soul-exhausting ten-year relationship with a “poisonous plant” - the famous writer George Sand. The novel ended in a painful breakup, which ultimately drove the composer to his grave, aggravating his lung disease.

Amandine Aurora Lucille Dupin, pseudonym - George Sand (1804-1876)

He died young - at 39 years old, in October 1849. Chopin expressed the main mood of all his works in one word - “pity.” And, really, it’s a pity that he died so early, didn’t manage to do much, lived in a foreign land, was unhappy.

On the other hand, if there had not been a minor in his life, humanity would have lost his most piercing and reverent works. “Only he creates in whom the heart cries...”

This video contains detailed information on the topic “Frederic Chopin: biography and creativity.” Watch and listen to music!

Wonderful music by Frederic Chopin. Dear friend, forget about everything for a while. Listen to music that has survived centuries and continues to delight and fill the soul ↓

Frederic François Chopin (French Frédéric François Chopin; Polish Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin, Frederic Franciszek Chopin). Born on March 1 (or February 22), 1810 in the village of Zhelyazova-Wola, near Warsaw - died on October 17, 1849 in Paris. Polish composer and virtuoso pianist, teacher.

Author of numerous works for piano. The largest representative of Polish musical art. He reinterpreted many genres: he revived the prelude on a romantic basis, created a piano ballad, poeticized and dramatized dances - mazurka, polonaise, waltz; turned the scherzo into an independent work. Enriched the harmony and piano texture; combined classical form with melodic richness and imagination.

Among Chopin's works are 2 concertos (1829, 1830), 3 sonatas (1828-1844), fantasy (1842), 4 ballads (1835-1842), 4 scherzos (1832-1842), impromptu, nocturnes, etudes, waltzes, mazurkas, Polonaises, preludes and other works for piano, songs.

Chopin, before leaving for the West, lived in a territory that was part of the Russian Empire, due to the fact that Poland ceased to exist as a state back in 1795, and Warsaw, following the Napoleonic Wars, was located on territory that became part of the Russian Empire.

In 1830, news arrived of an uprising for independence in Poland. Chopin dreams of returning to his homeland and taking part in the battles. The preparations were completed, but on the way to Poland he was met with terrible news: the uprising was suppressed, the leader was captured. Chopin deeply believed that his music would help his native people achieve victory. “Poland will be brilliant, powerful, independent!” - this is what he wrote in his diary. Frederic Chopin's last public concert took place on November 16, 1848 in London. The composer bequeathed that his heart be transported to Poland after his death.

The composer's father, Nicolas Chopin (1771-1844), from a simple family, moved from France to Poland in his youth.

From 1802 he lived on the estate of Count Skarbek Zhelyazov-Vola, where he worked as a teacher for the Count’s children.

In 1806, Nicolas Chopin married a distant relative of the Skarbecks, Tekla Justyna Krzyzanowska (1782-1861). The Krzyzanowski (Krzyzanowski) family of the coat of arms Piggy traces its origins back to the 14th century and owned the village of Krzyzanowo near Koscian.

The Krzyzanowski family included, among others, Wladimir Krzyzanowski, the nephew of Justyna Krzyzanowski. According to surviving evidence, the composer’s mother received a good education, spoke French, was extremely musical, played the piano well, and had a beautiful voice. Frederick owes his first musical impressions to his mother, who was instilled with a love of folk melodies from infancy.

In the autumn of 1810, some time after the birth of his son, Nicolas Chopin moved to Warsaw. At the Warsaw Lyceum, thanks to the patronage of the Skarbeks, he received a place after the death of the teacher, Pan Maheu. Chopin was a teacher of French and German languages ​​and French literature, and ran a boarding school for lyceum students.

The intelligence and sensitivity of the parents united all family members with love and had a beneficial effect on the development of gifted children. In addition to Frederic, there were three sisters in the Chopin family: the eldest, Ludwika, married to Jedrzejewicz, who was his especially close and devoted friend, and the younger ones, Isabella and Emilia. The sisters had versatile abilities, and Emilia, who died early, had outstanding literary talent.

Already in his childhood, Chopin showed extraordinary musical abilities. He was surrounded by special attention and care. Similarly, he amazed those around him with his musical “obsession,” his inexhaustible imagination in improvisations, and his innate pianism. His sensitivity and musical impressionability manifested themselves vigorously and unusually. He could cry while listening to music, jump up at night to pick out a memorable melody or chord on the piano.

In its January issue for 1818, one of the Warsaw newspapers published a few lines about the first musical piece composed by a composer who was still in elementary school. “The author of this “Polonaise,” the newspaper wrote, “is a student who is not yet 8 years old. This is a true genius of music, with the greatest ease and exceptional taste. Performing the most difficult piano pieces and composing dances and variations that delight connoisseurs and connoisseurs. If this prodigy had been born in France or Germany, he would have attracted more attention."

Young Chopin was taught music with great expectations placed on him. Pianist Wojciech Zywny (1756-1842), a Czech by birth, began studying with a 7-year-old boy. The classes were serious, despite the fact that Chopin, in addition, studied at one of the Warsaw schools. The boy's performing talent developed so quickly that by the age of twelve, Chopin was on par with the best Polish pianists. Zhivny refused to study with the young virtuoso, declaring that he could teach him nothing more.

After graduating from college and completing his seven-year studies with Zhivny, Chopin began his theoretical studies with the composer Joseph Elsner.

The patronage of Prince Anton Radziwill and the Chetvertinsky princes brought Chopin into high society, which was impressed by Chopin's charming appearance and refined manners.

Here's what Franz Liszt said about it: “The general impression of his personality was quite calm, harmonious and, it seemed, did not require additions in any comments. Chopin's blue eyes shone with more intelligence than they were clouded with thoughtfulness; his soft and subtle smile never turned bitter or sarcastic. The subtlety and transparency of his complexion captivated everyone; he had curly blond hair, a slightly rounded nose; he was small in stature, fragile, thin in build. His manners were refined and varied; the voice is a little tired, often muffled. His manners were full of such decency, they had such a stamp of blood aristocracy that he was involuntarily greeted and received like a prince... Chopin brought into society that evenness of spirit of people who are not bothered by worries, who do not know the word “boredom”, who are not attached to no interests. Chopin was usually cheerful; his caustic mind quickly found the funny even in such manifestations that not everyone notices.”.

Trips to Berlin, Dresden, Prague, where he attended concerts of outstanding musicians, contributed to his development.

In 1829, Chopin's artistic activity began. He performs in Vienna and Krakow, performing his works. Returning to Warsaw, he left it forever on November 5, 1830. This separation from his homeland was the cause of his constant hidden grief - longing for his homeland. Added to this at the end of the thirties was his love for, which gave him more grief than happiness in addition to parting with his bride.

Having passed Dresden, Vienna, Munich, he arrived in Paris in 1831. On the way, Chopin wrote a diary (the so-called “Stuttgart Diary”), reflecting his state of mind during his stay in Stuttgart, where he was overcome by despair due to the collapse of the Polish Uprising. During this period, Chopin wrote his famous “Revolutionary Etude”.

Chopin gave his first concert in Paris at the age of 22. It was a complete success. Chopin rarely performed in concerts, but in the salons of the Polish colony and the French aristocracy, Chopin's fame grew extremely quickly. There were composers who did not recognize his talent, such as Kalkbrenner and John Field, but this did not prevent Chopin from gaining many loyal fans, both in artistic circles and in society. A love of teaching music and pianism was a hallmark of Chopin, one of the few great artists who devoted much time to it.

In 1837, Chopin felt his first attack of lung disease (most likely it was tuberculosis). The connection with Georges Sand (Aurora Dupin) coincides with this time. Staying in Mallorca with George Sand had a negative impact on Chopin's health; he suffered from bouts of illness there. However, many of the greatest works, including the 24 Preludes, were created on this Spanish island. But he spent a lot of time in the countryside in France, where George Sand had an estate in Nohant.

A ten-year cohabitation with George Sand, full of moral trials, greatly undermined Chopin’s health, and the break with her in 1847, in addition to causing him significant stress, deprived him of the opportunity to relax in Nohant.

Wanting to leave Paris for a change of scenery and expand his circle of acquaintances, Chopin went to London in April 1848 to give concerts and teach. This turned out to be his last journey. Success, a nervous, stressful life, the damp British climate, and most importantly, a periodically worsening chronic lung disease - all this completely undermined his strength. Returning to Paris, Chopin died on October 5 (17), 1849.

The entire musical world deeply mourned Chopin. Thousands of fans of his work gathered at his funeral. According to the wishes of the deceased, at his funeral the most famous artists of that time performed Mozart’s “Requiem” - the composer whom Chopin valued above all others (and called his “Requiem” and the “Jupiter” symphony his favorite works), and his own prelude was also performed No. 4 (E minor). At the Père Lachaise cemetery, Chopin's ashes rest between the graves of Luigi Cherubini and Bellini. Chopin's heart was, according to his will, sent to Warsaw, where it was walled up in a column of the Church of the Holy Cross.

Frederic Chopin- a brilliant musician with a rare melodic gift, a virtuoso pianist, whose works are distinguished by deep lyricism, clarity, a subtle and sensitive sense of the mood of national songs and dance motifs. This man was able to reinterpret and convey many musical genres, to make various musical genres (prelude, waltz, mazurka, polonaise, ballad, etc.) more romantic and at the same time dramatic. This is a composer who is considered a national treasure, and in whose honor many museums have been opened, monuments have been created, and musical institutions have been named.
On March 1, 1810, in the Polish village of Zhelazova Wola, located near Warsaw, the future musical genius, Frederic Franciszek Chopin, was born. The boy’s parents noticed his interest and ability in music at an early age and supported him in every possible way. While still a small five-year-old child, Chopin already performed in concerts. And at the age of 7 he was sent to study music with the then famous Polish pianist Wojciech Zhivny. And after just five years of study, Frederick turned into a real virtuoso pianist, in no way inferior to experienced adult musicians. And in 1817 the future composer composes his first piece of music (polonaise).
Since 1819 Chopin played music as a pianist in various aristocratic salons in Warsaw. In 1822 He completes his studies with V. Zhivny and goes to study with the famous Warsaw musician Jozef Elsner, from whom he takes composition lessons. In 1823 Frederic goes to study at the Warsaw Lyceum. At the same time, the growing composer travels and visits various opera houses in Prague, Warsaw, and Berlin. He manages to win the favor and patronage of the then influential Polish prince A. Radziwill and become accepted into Polish high society.
1826 was marked for F. Chopin by entering the Main School of Music, located in Warsaw. While studying at this conservatory, the talented young man composed a number of plays, including Variations for piano and orchestra (Mozart’s opera “Don Giovanni”), First Sonata, etc. Having graduated in 1829. training, the young man performs in concerts as a pianist in Krakow and Warsaw, also performing his own works. These performances were a huge success and brought the young talent well-deserved popularity both among listeners and in musical circles.

In 1830 the musician goes on a tour to Berlin and Vienna. And these performances were also crowned with unprecedented success. But in the same year, in the pianist’s homeland, Poland, there was an uprising that ended in defeat. Chopin was a supporter of Polish independence, and this unpleasant news greatly upset the musician. He refused to return to Poland and remained to live in France, where he was recognized as the best pianist of our time. The young man meets the Parisian aristocrats, the musical and artistic elite of France. He travels a lot. In 1835-36. traveled to Germany, 1837 - in England. These years become the heyday of his creative activity.
But Chopin is known to us not only as a brilliant pianist and composer, he also proved himself to be a rather talented teacher. He taught future pianists using his own method, which helped them fully develop their talent and become real virtuosos in the future. At the same time, in 1837. he meets the French writer Georges Sand, a young and fairly emancipated person. Their relationship was not easy and ten years later, in 1847. the couple broke up. The separation did not have the best effect on the health of Chopin, who had been in a relationship since 1837. the first asthma attacks were observed.
In 1848 the composer finally settled in London, where he continued to teach. He abandoned concert activities due to poor health. The pianist's last performance took place in November 1848. And in October 1849 the great composer dies of pulmonary tuberculosis.