AY Honors/Music/Chopin

Chopin, Frédéric François (1810-1849)

Chopin is considered the national composer of Poland, even though he was only half polish. His father was French, but had emigrated to Poland and married Frédéric's mother. He was taught music in Warsaw, Poland, but left for Paris at the age of 21 and spent the rest of his career there in France. Chopin is best known as a composer of music for the piano. He is, in fact, called “the poet of the piano”. A piano in a home in Chopin's time was the entertainment center for the family. His music is known for performing it with the characteristic of tempo-rubato - “borrowed time”. The accompaniment, usually in the left hand, was played in strict time, while above it, the right hand melody might fall behind or hurry ahead a little bit. In either case, the borrowing had to be paid back by the end of the phrase. Chopin wrote a number of piano pieces called Nocturnes, meaning “Night Music”. He wrote his most well known Nocturne (in C minor) in 1841.