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 8 th 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