Frederic Chopin

Born:

March 1, 1810 - Zelazowa Wola (near Warsaw)

Died:

October 17, 1849 - Paris

Chopin Quick Facts:

• Chopin's unique style and genre's (Etude, Mazurka, Nocturne, and Waltz) were clearly established before he left Warsaw.
• Chopin preferred to give private, more intimate concerts to smaller crowds of high class "socialites".

• Chopin was able to charge lofty fees for private piano lessons. His tutorship was highly demanded.

Chopin's Family Background:

Chopin's father, Mikolaj, tutored the son of Countess Justyna Skarbek at the Countess's estate in Zelazowa Wola. Chopin's mother, Tekla Justyna Kryzanowska, had also been employed there, but at a much younger age. She was the Countess's companion and housekeeper. In 1806, Chopin's parents married. Frederic Chopin was only seven months old when they moved out of the estate to Warsaw. Mikolaj secured a post at the Lyceum and lived in the right wing of the Saxon Palace. Chopin had three siblings.

Childhood:

Given the current living circumstances, Chopin met and associated with three different classes of people: professors of academia, middle gentry (most of the students attending Lyceum), and the wealthy aristocrats. In 1817, the Lyceum, along with the Chopins, moved to the Kazimierzowski Palace next to the University of Warsaw. Chopin quickly gained several lasting friendships with the boys attending the school long before he enrolled in the university. He was home-schooled until 4th grade.

Teenage Years:

Chopin received several years of private lessons from Józef Elsner before attending the High School of Music in 1826. He also took organ lessons in 1823 from Wilhelm Würfel. However, these lessons did not contibute to Chopin's extradordinary keyboard ability; he taught himself. Chopin did learn rules of composition, though, while attending high school. After graduation, he traveled and performed. Back in Warsaw at the age of 20, he performed the F minor Concerto to a crowd of 900.

Early Adult Years:

Chopin, depressed by the uncertainty of his future (should he be a public performer or not)and by his secret love of Konstancja Gadkowska, set off to Vienna in November of 1830. During his short stay in Vienna, Chopin managed to compose his first nine mazurkas. Chopin departed Vienna in 1831, and headed toward Paris. While in Paris, Chopin gave a concerts and earned the friendships of other great pianists such as Liszt and Berlioz. He became the "premiere" piano instructor.

Mid Adult Years:

In 1837, Chopin met a novelist by the name of George Sand. She came from a social class Chopin would consider "bohemian." He once said, "What an unattractive person La Sand is. Is she really a woman?" Nevertheless, a year later they met again and instantly fell in love. Chopin became very ill while staying in Majorca with Sand. However, he was still able to write. He mailed several preludes to his friend, Pleyel. Upon his recovery, Chopin moved to Sand's manor in Nohant.

Late Adult Years:

Many of Chopin's greatest works were composed during his summer stays in Nohant. Although Chopin's works were blossoming, his relationship with Sand was slowly deteriorating. Many family feuds broke out between Sand's children and Chopin. Tensions between Sand and Chopin also increased; apparent in her later writings, "...a strange conclusion to nine years of exclusive friendship." Chopin never fully recovered from the break up. Chopin died of consumption in 1849.

Selected Works by Chopin:

Piano

Mazurka

• Op. 68/2 - a minor - 1827
• Op. 68/3 - F Major - 1830
• Op. 68/1 - C Major - 1830
• Op. 67/1 - G Major - 1835
• Op. 67/3 - C Major - 1835
• Op. 41/1 - e minor - 1838
• Op. 68/4 - f minor - 1846
• Op. 67/4 - a minor - 1846
• Op. 67/2 - g minor - 1848

Nocturne

• Op. 72/1 - e minor - 1829
• Op. 15/3 - g minor - 1832
• Op. 27/1 - c sharp minor - 1835
• Op. 27/2 - D Major - 1835
• Op. 37/1 - g minor - 1838
• Op. 37/2 - G Major - 1839

Polonaise

• Op. 71/1 - d minor - 1828
• Op. 71/2 - B flat Major - 1828
• Op. 71/3 - f minor - 1828
• Op. 40/1 - A Major - 1838
• Op. 40/2 - C Major - 1839
• Op. 44 - f sharp minor - 1841
• Op. 53 - A flat Major - 1843

Nessun Dorma Lyrics and Text Translation

It's pretty safe to say everyone in the modern world is familiar with the famous aria, "Nessun Dorma," thanks to Luciano Pavarotti's 1990 performance of the aria at the FIFA World Cup in Italy. (Learn why Pavarotti's performance of "Nessun Dorma" is so special.) Below you will find the Italian lyrics and English translation of the beloved aria. Now you can sing along in Italian and understand what you are singing!

To learn more about "Nessun Dorma," including interesting facts and notable singers, read the "Nessun Dorma" profile.

Italian Text

Nessun dorma! Nessun dorma!
Tu pure, o, Principessa,
nella tua fredda stanza,
guardi le stelle
che tremano d'amore
e di speranza.
Ma il mio mistero è chiuso in me,
il nome mio nessun saprà!
No, no, sulla tua bocca lo dirò
quando la luce splenderà!
Ed il mio bacio scioglierà il silenzio
che ti fa mia!
(Il nome suo nessun saprà!...
e noi dovrem, ahime, morir!)
Dilegua, o notte!
Tramontate, stelle!
Tramontate, stelle!
All'alba vincerò!
vincerò, vincerò!

English Translation of "Nessun Dorma"

Nobody shall sleep!...
Nobody shall sleep!
Even you, o Princess,
in your cold room,
watch the stars,
that tremble with love and with hope.
But my secret is hidden within me,
my name no one shall know...
No!...No!...
On your mouth I will tell it when the light shines.
And my kiss will dissolve the silence that makes you mine!...
(No one will know his name and we must, alas, die.)
Vanish, o night!
Set, stars! Set, stars!
At dawn, I will win! I will win! I will win!

Romantic Piano Music

• Goldberg Variations for keyboard, BWV 988: Aria - Bach
• Clair de Lune - Debussy
• Melodies for piano, Op 3: Melody in F - Rubenstein
• Rêverie, for piano, L. 68 - Debussy
• Prelude for piano No. 15 in D flat major, Op. 28/15, CT. 180 - Chopin
• Liebesträume, notturno for piano in A-flat major No. 3 (O Lieb, so lang du lieben kannst), S. 541/3 (LW A103/3) - Liszt
• Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (Introduction and 24 Variations), in A minor for piano & orchestra, Op. 43: Variation 18 - Rachmaninoff
• Nocturne for piano in E flat major, Op. 9/2, CT. 109 - Chopin
• Estudios en los tonos naturales mayores, for piano, Op. 65, B. 11: No. 2, Tango - Albéniz

Piano Classical Music - A Beginners Guide to Great Classical Music for the Piano

Piano Classical Music Styles:

Piano classical music or classical music for piano, no matter what you call it, there's a lot of it. From relaxing to invigorating, and everything in between, there is piano classical music for everyone and every mood. Though many of you learned about the many styles of piano classical music in a past article called "Classical Piano Music Styles," the most common styles of piano classical music are:

• Piano Concerto
• Piano Sonata
• Piano Trio
• Piano Quintet
• and Solo Piano, which includes
  • Etude
  • Prelude
  • Polonaise
  • Nocturne
  • Mazurka
  • Waltz
  • Ballade
  • and the Scherzo

The Great Composers of Piano Classical Music (or at least the most famous!):

For beginners, knowing which composer to start with can be an intimidating task. Though there are many wonderful composers, there are a few well known composers that are without a doubt some of the greatest piano classical music masters to have ever lived. They include:

• Frederic Chopin
• Sergei Rachmaninoff
• Franz Liszt
• Johann Sebastian Bach (though the piano wasn't invented during his lifetime)
• Claude Debussy
• Maurice Ravel
• and last but certainly not least, Ludwig van Beethoven

These composers will give you a solid base of piano classical music to which you can begin listening.

Piano Classical Music - Recommended Works:

Here are a few of my favorite classical works for piano written by the composers listed above. I've provided a video link to YouTube for you to listen to the piece in it's entirety.

• Frederic Chopin - Polonaise Op. 53
• Sergei Rachmaninoff - Prelude Op. 23 No. 5
• Franz Liszt - Consolation No. 3
• Johann Sebastian Bach - Well-Tempered Clavier 2, Prelude F Sharp minor
• Claude Deubussy - The Sunken Cathedral
• Maurice Ravel - Miroirs, No. 5 La vallee des cloches
• Ludwig van Beethoven - Sonata No. 28, mvmt. 3

Notable Pianists:

If you're not sure which composers to start with, it's often best to start with the pianist. Great pianists have extensive repertoires, which means you'll get a large selection of music from many different composers. Here are a few notable pianists:

• Vladimir Horowitz
• Arthur Rubenstein
• Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli
• Glen Gould
• Lang Lang
• Walter Gieseking
• and Pascal Roge.

Classical Piano Music Styles-Different Genres of Classical of piano music

Intro to Classical Piano Music:

Classical piano music comes in a variety of musical genres. While most genres are noticeably different, many people are unable to identify any given genre due to lack of terminology. In this article I hope to distinguish the most common genres of classical piano music and provide recommendations of notable works.

Piano Concerto:

A concerto is a work consisting of an orchestral ensemble and a smaller group or soloist. In a piano concerto, the piano is the solo instrument. Throughout the work, the contrast between soloist and ensemble is maintained. Although not exclusively, the concerto is comprised of three contrasting movements (fast-slow-fast). Notable piano concerti are: Chopin - Piano Concerto No. 1 and Mozart - Piano Concerto No. 1

Piano Sonata:

The term sonata has many connotations, but the most common usage of the term refers to a form of music originating from the classical period. The sonata usually consists of three to four movements with the first movement almost always in sonata form. Therefore, a piano sonata is an unaccompanied work for solo piano usually in three to four movements. Notable piano sonatas are: Chopin - Piano Sonata No. 3(see video) and Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.

Piano Trio:

A piano trio is one of the most common forms of chamber music consisting of a piano and two other instruments. The most common instrumentation is a piano, violin, and cello. Notable works include Brahms - Piano Trio No. 1, Op. 8 and Schubert's Piano Trio No. 2 in E flat major, D. 929 (Op. 100).

Piano Quintet:

The most common form of the piano quintet, a piano with four other instruments, is a piano with a string quartet. Most notable works include Schubert's "Trout" Piano Quintet in A Major.

Solo Piano:

Works for solo piano come in many different genres including the etude, prelude, polonaise, nocturne, mazurka, waltz, ballade, and scherzo. Some of the greatest composers for solo piano include Scriabin, Chopin, Liszt, and Rachmaninoff.

• An etude (French for study) is a piece of music designed to train a performer a particular skill on a solo instrument.
• A prelude is a short piece of music with little or no particular internal form, sounding almost improvisatory.
• A polonaise is a slow dance of Polish origin normally in 3/4 time.
• A nocturne (French for nocturnal) is a piece of music inspired by the night.
• A mazurka is an upbeat Polish folk dance in triple meter.
• A waltz is another form of music relating to a folk dance in 3/4 time.
• A ballade is a large-scale one movement work with dramatic an narrative qualities.
• A scherzo usually was a name given to a movement of a larger body of work, though in the later classical music periods, composers took the scherzo and made it into its own work. Scherzos are usually light-hearted, but Chopin's are much darker and dramatic.

Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata Piano Sonata no. 14, c sharp minor - Op. 27 no 2

Background of the Moonlight Sonata

The original title of the sonata is “Quasi una fantasia” (It. almost a fantasy). The popular title of Moonlight Sonata actually didn’t come about until several years after Beethoven’s death. In 1836, German music critic, Ludwig Rellstab wrote that the sonata reminded him of the reflected moonlight off Lake Lucerne. Since then, Moonlight Sonata has remained the “official” unofficial title of the sonata.

Beethoven composed the famous Moonlight Sonata in 1801 and dedicated it to Countess Giulietta Guicciardi, a pupil of Beethoven. Shortly after their first few lessons, the two fell in love. After dedicating the Moonlight Sonata, it is believed that Beethoven proposed to her. Although she was willing to accept Beethoven’s proposal, forbiddance by one of her parents prevented her from marrying him.

Notes on the Moonlight Sonata

The Moonlight Sonata is divided into three separate parts.

• Adagio sostenuto
• Allegreto
• Presto agitato

The First Movement
The first movement of the Moonlight Sonata is easily the most well known. The famous mysterious, almost haunting melody is dark and whisper like. The form of the first movement is a sort of “condensed” sonata. In other words, it plays the main melody, develops it, and then plays it again very similar to how it was originally played.

The Second Movement
The second movement of the Moonlight Sonata is in the form of a scherzo (a comic composition, usually fast-moving and used in the place of a minuet and trio during Beethoven’s time). The key of the second movement is D flat major, which is unrelated to the overall key of c# minor.

The Third Movement
The third movement is completely different from the previous two movements. Its rapid progressions from note to note are invigorating and powerful. The third movement of the Moonlight Sonata is actually marked piano, but Beethoven’s use of sforzandos and fortissimos make the piece actually sound as if the overall dynamic was fortissimo.

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Top 10 Classical Works You Know, but You Don't Know You can sing it, but you can't name it!

As all forms of mass media continue to expand, many movies, television programs, and commercials are continually including classical music in their soundtracks. And as people are becoming more and more familiar with classical music, naturally, their desire to seek and find a particular work increases. However, the problem is that many people don't know the name or composer of the piece. My solution (although small and could never cover the vast amounts of classical music) is to provide you with a list of the top requested and inquired about classical works I receive on a continual basis. Here are ten classical music works you know, but you don't know.

No. 1: O Fortuna from Carmina Burana, by Carl Orff

• By far the most inquired about classical work, O Fortuna is played in hundreds of movies, television programs, commercials, and other forms of media. Many who have heard this famous piece can hum the melody and often describe it as haunting, foreboding, and big. O Fortuna is the opening movement to Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, a work for large orchestra, choir, and solo vocalists.
• Hear O Fortuna in the movies Cheaper by the Dozen, Natural Born Killers, and The Bachelor.

No. 2: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 in C-sharp minor, by Franz Liszt

• When I heard this piece for what I thought was the first time, I was surprised by how familiar it was. After listening to it several more times, it suddenly hit me… I heard it in a Bugs Bunny cartoon 15 years ago (Rhapsody Rabbit, 1946). He was performing the piece in front of a large audience amongst many distractions. I don’t think cartoons are made like that anymore.
• Hear Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 in C-sharp minor in the movies Delirious, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and Shine.

No. 3: Sous le dôme épais (Flower Duet) from Lakme, by Delibes

• Already well known, Delibes’s Flower Duet was made ever-increasingly popular by British Airway’s use of the work in a fairly recent advertising campaign. This classic piece features a duet between a coloratura soprano and and a mezzo-soprano.
• Hear Delibes’s Flower Duet in the movies The American President, Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, and Meet the Parents.

No. 4: Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin

• Almost anyone can recognize Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. Like, Orff's O Fortuna, Rhapsody in Blue is featured in many movies and television shows. Some consider it strictly jazz while others say it's classical, when in all actuality, it's a perfect combination of both. Here's an interesting fact, when Gershwin was commissioned to write the piece, he wrote it so speedily he didn't have time to compose the part for piano. At its first performance, Gershwin improvised the piano part. Later, it was finally composed.
• Hear Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue in the movies Fantasia 2000 and Manhattan.

No. 5: Dies Irae from Verdi’s Requiem

• A great “power” song, people all over the world, even those who dislike classical music, appreciate this work. Verdi’s Dies Irae is arguably the most well known and recognizable movement of the work. Although, many classical music lovers can tell you the name and composer of the piece, the great majority of the world cannot. Its heart pounding rhythms and driving melodies are truly awe inspiring.
• Hear Verdi’s Dies Irae in the movies Battle Royale and Water Drops on Burning Rocks.

No. 6: Dies Irae from Mozart’s Requiem

• Although drastically different from Verdi’s, Mozart’s Dies Irae does not lack in intensity and ferociousness. Composed in 1791, this was the last work written by Mozart. The Requiem is a very popular piece, not only due to its beauty, but also for its mystery. There are many myths surrounding the exact details on how the Requiem was completed. Mozart died before the work was finished; it was Süssmayr who actually completed the work.
• Hear Mozart’s Dies Irae in the movies X-Men 2, Duplex, and The Incredibles DVD – Jack-Jack Attacks.

No. 7: Nessun Dorma from Turandot, by Puccini

Nessun Dorma, a deliriously beautiful aria, is known by millions of people, but if you ask them to sing it, they can’t. Why? Because many of them don’t put the name with the song. Nessun Dorma became a household tune, possibly due to the huge success and marketability of the three tenors (Jose Carreras, Luciano Pavarotti, and Placido Domingo), as well as being played in many movie soundtracks.

Hear Puccini’s Nessun Dorma in the movies Chasing Liberty, Man on Fire, and Bend in like Bekham.

No. 8: Movement 2 from Symphony No. 7, Beethoven

The second movement, or Funeral March, of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 is an extremely memorable piece. Its ethereal melodic line, repeated throughout the movement’s entirety, gives its listeners chills as it progresses. This movement is the most popular of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7. Completed in 1812, it has been enchanting audiences ever since.

Hear Movement 2 of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 in the movies Mr. Hollands Opus, Immortal Beloved, and Cowards Bend the Knee.

No. 9: Ride of the Valkyries from Die Walküre, by Wagner

• Featured in cartoons and movies, and everything in between, children and adults alike are very familiar with this piece. To many, Ride of the Valkyries represents the stereotypical large opera female festooned with braids, horned helmet, and metal breastplate with spear in hand. Although a wonderful piece, Ride of the Valkyries loses some of its magic among all this pop culture.
• Hear Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries in the movies Apocalypse Now, The Blues Brothers, and Full Metal Jacket.

No. 10: Peer Gynt Suite No.1, 'Morning', by Grieg

• Synonomous with the rising sun, Grieg’s 'Morning' from Suite No. 1 is known by one and all. Children become familiar with this piece early on, as it is played in many cartoons. Unfortunately, the song titles of songs played are not credited in the ending credits, and even if they were, would kids even notice? I doubt it.
• Hear Grieg’s 'Morning' from Suite No. 1 in the movies Raising Cain and Soylent Green.

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