Frederic François Chopin

Preface

So much has already been written concerning Frederic Chopin and his work, that it would at first sight seem unnecessary to add further to the list. Nevertheless, it is only quite recently that the truth concerning many points in his career has come to light. Moreover, a great part of the Chopin literature is so highly coloured and overdrawn, and contains so little that is reliable as to render it practically worthless. Therefore I have endeavoured to put forward a true, concise, and unexaggerated account of the composer's life, and to point out some of the most characteristic features of his work. To assist me towards the accomplishment of the first of these en-

VI PREFACE deavours, I have had the valuable assistance of, amongst others, Professor Niecks's excellent and comprehensive Life of Chopin, which is the most recent and exhaustive of the works on this musician. Further, my information has been derived from newspapers, magazines, foreign biographies, and from correspondence with a few of those who had the good fortune to make the master's acquaintance either abroad, or during the short time he spent in this country. The line of action which I have adopted with regard to the analysis of the works is neither wholly technical nor wholly emotional. Whatever the matter under discussion best admitted of, and whatever seemed to me most necessary, I have endeavoured to supply. In conclusion, while expressing my obligations to the authors and publishers of those works (a list of which is appended) to which I have referred, I may state

PREFACE Vll that I have used almost exclusively Messrs. Breitkopf & Hartel's edition of Chopin's complete works, except in such cases as where it has been necessary to compare the various

texts.

CHARLES WILLEBY.

London, I4=th February 1892.

LIST OF WOKKS CONSULTED

Frederic Chopin as a Man and Musician. By Frederick Niecks. (London : Novello, Ewer & Co.)

Chopin, and other Musical Essays. By Henry T. Finck. (London : T. Fisher Unwin.)

Frederic Chopin. By Franz Liszt, translated by M. W. Cook. (London : W. Keeves.)

Life and Letters of Frederic Chopin. By Moritz Karasowski, translated from the German by Emily Hill. (London : W. Reeves.)

The Works of Frederic Chopin, and their Propter Interpretation. By Jean Kleczynski, translated by A. Whittingham. (London : W. Reeves.)

Musical Studies. By Francis Hueffer. (Edinburgh: A. & C. Black.)

George Sand. By Bertha Thomas. (London: W. H. Allen & Co.)

Letters from Majorca. By Charles W. Wood, F.R.G.S. (London : Bentley & Son.)

Frederic Chopin. By Joseph Bennett. (Novello, Ewer &Co.)

Histoire de ma Vie and Correspondance. George Sand. (Paris : Calmann Levy.)

FrMric Chopin. Sa vie et ses ceuvres. Par Mme. A. Audley. (Paris : E. Plon et Cie.)

Les trois Fomans de FrMiric Chopin. Par le Comte Wodzinski. (Paris : Calmann Levy.)

F. Chopin, Essai de Critique Musicale, Par H. Barbedette. (Paris : Heugel et Cie.)

Les Musiciens Poionais. Par Albert Sowinski. (Paris: Le Clere, 1857.)

Chapter I Page

Poland and the Poles— Birth of Nicholas Chopin — His marriage to Justina Krzyzanowska — Their children — Birth of Frederic Chopin — Nicholas Chopin appointed Professor to the Warsaw Lyceum — Chopin's first pianoforte master — His first appearance in public — His master in harmony and counterpoint, Joseph Eisner, . . 1-20

Chapter II

General misapprehension of the character of Chopin — His delicacy — His early education — His love of mimicry — His holidays — Early improvisation — He gives two concerts in Warsaw — His first publication — Liszt's exaggerations— Chopin goes to Reinerz — He visits Prince Radziwill — Leaves the Lyceum — His early works, Op. 1, 2, and 3, and Three Polonaises, posthumously published as Op. 71, 21-38

Chapter III

Frederic's first journey to Berlin, 9th September 1828 — Letter to his parents — His impressions of the opera — More letters — Returns to Warsaw via Posen and Ziillichau (anecdote) — Improvisation, its effect upon his compositions— The Rondo, Op. 5 — Description of the Mazurka — The Mazurkas, Op. G and 7 — Trio for piano, violin, and violoncello, Op. 8, 39-60

Chapter IV

Journey to Vienna, July 1829 — First concert in Vienna — His sensibility to criticism — Second concert — He attends

CONTENTS the opera — Return via Prague, Breslau, and Dresden — His first love, Constantia Gladkowska — He visits Prince Radziwill at Antonin — Concert in Warsaw — Eulogism on the part of the press — The effect of Romanticism upon pianoforte technique — His Etudes, . . . 61-82

Chapter V

Letter to Titus Woyciechowsky — Chopin's indecision of character — His third concert in Warsaw — He departs once more for Vienna — Is joined at Kalisz by his friend Titus — A halt at Breslau (anecdote) — His proposed visit to Italy prevented — Disappointment at his reception by the Viennese — Publishers refuse his works — Titus obliged to return to Poland — More about Chopin's weakness of character — His daily life — Dr. Malfatti — Chopin's disinclination to give a concert — He plays at one given by Madame Garcia Vestris — The momentous question of ways and means — His departure for Paris — Unsatisfactory result of his sojourn in Vienna — The Concertos 83-109

Chapter VI

Paris in 1831 — Chopin visits Kalkbrenner — He announces his first concert in Paris — Its postponement — It finally takes place, 26th February 1S32 — Criticism by Fetis — A little affaire d' amour — Financial difficulties — He proposes to emigrate — His project circumvented by Prince Radziwill — Chopin introduced to the Rothschilds— The turn of the tide— His Nocturnes, . 110-130

Chapter VII

Amelioration in Chopin's position, artistic and financial — His physical and mental aspect — His cynicism — John Field — His opinion of Chopin — Rellstab's criticisms — Chopin's reply thereto — His opinion of Moscheles — Chopin and Mendelssohn — The Lower Rhine Festival

CONTENTS XI

— A musical evening — His dislike to large audiences — His friendship and admiration for Bellini — His various works — The Bolero, Op. 19; Polonaise, Op. 22 — Definition of the Scherzo — Chopin's Scherzos, Op. 20, ,31,39, and 54, 131-151

Chapter VIII

Another love affair — His fickle disposition — His ' Ideal ' Maria Wodzinska — His early acquaintance with her — Frederic journeys to Carlsbad to meet his father — His serious intentions towards Miss Wodzinska — At Marienbad — He proposes to and is refused by Miss Wodzinska — Fickleness on her part — Chopin returns to Leipsic — His meeting with Robert Schumann — Schumann's high opinion of Chopin — Return vid Heidelberg — Madame George Sand — Her parentage and early life— Chopin's Ballades, Op. 23, 38, 47, and 52, . . . . 152-174

Chapter IX

Chopin's opinion of Schumann — His antipathy to the compositions of Liszt — His favourite composers — The meeting with George Sand — His first impression of the novelist — A short visit to London — His delicate health — His visit to the South with George Sand — The voyage to Palma — Their arrival and discomfort — Severe weather — Description of the Carthusian monastery— Their privations — Chopin's Preludes, . 175-196

Chapter X

Life in Majorca — Poor Chopin without a piano — Scarcity of good food — Madame Sand's description of Palma — Chopin's health becomes worse — His desire to return — His sufferings — Utterly prostrated — They leave Majorca — The journey to Marseilles — Description of the Polonaise — Chopin's Polonaises, . . . 197-212

Xll CONTENTS

Chapter XI Page

Chopin in the doctor's hands — His condition improves — He plays at the funeral service of Adolphe Nourrit — A short tour in the Italian Riviera — Returns to Nohant — Madame Sand's country home — Daily life — Chopin's negotiations with his publishers — His sense of humour — His good friend Julius Fontana — Chopin's particularity in dress — His instructions to Fontana — Arrival in Paris of Madame Sand and Chopin — Chopin plays at the court of St. Cloud — His musical activity — The Sonatas, ......... 213-231

Chapter XII

Chopin's power at its zenith — He gives a concert — An aristocratic audience — His pianoforte playing — The tempo rubato — His use of the pedals — His English pupils and publishers — George Sand's attention to Chopin — His friends M. and Mme. Leo — His thoughtlessness— Relations between Chopin and George Sand — His Impromptus, 232-251

Chapter XIII

The severance of Chopin's connection with George Sand — Both sides of the question — Lucrezia Floriani and Prince Karol — Chopin proposes to visit London again — He gives a farewell concert at Pleyel's rooms in Paris — He arrives in London — Goes into London society — He visits the Italian Opera and makes the acquaintance of Jenny Lind — Some private matinees — Mr. Chorley's criticisms — Chopin in Scotland — His description of his life there — More criticisms — Returns to London — His Waltzes, 252-273

Chapter XIV

Chopin to Grzymala — His despondency and increasing illhealth — His anxiety to return to Paris — He remains in London for a further two months — He returns to Paris — The advance of his disease — Death of his favourite

CONTENTS Xlll physician, Dr. Molin — Writes to Titus Woyciechowski to come to him — Chopin installed in the Rue Chaillot — Financial difficulties once more — Timely assistance by Miss Stirling — Her generosity — He is removed to the Place Vendome — His relatives have to be informed of his condition — He grows worse and worse — His faithful friend and pupil Gutmann — The Countess Delphine Potocka — Callousness of Madame Sand — His last moments — His death — The funeral service and burial, 274-290