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A few words on Chopin PKN ORLEN has always done its best to perceive and support the needs of society. This includes taking care of our national heritage, one important example of which is the work of the great Polish composer Frederick Chopin.
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Rafa∏ Blechacz
Our adventure with Chopin’s music started at
of Frederick Chopin’s birthday, which included
– won the 15th
the end of 2004 when we co-funded the pur-
two performances featuring the accomplished
International
chase of the valuable manuscript Etude in C#
pianists
Frederick Chopin Piano
minor op. 10 No. 4 by Frederick Chopin
Anderszewski.
Rafa∏
Blechacz
Competition in Warsaw
Having brought the manuscript to Poland in
Requiem Concert held to mark the anniversary
February 2005, we donated it to the Frederick
of the death of Frederick Chopin.
We
also
and
sponsored
Piotr the
Chopin Museum in Warsaw. Below is a historical account of the creation of In subsequent years we helped organise the
Frederick Chopin’s magnificent Etudes, and
15th Frederick Chopin International Piano
one of them in particular – Etude in C# minor
Competition, granting a scholarship and a top
Op. 10 No. 4.
class Steinway piano to the winner of the competition, Rafa∏ Blechacz, one of the finest pianists in the world. We also sponsored a series of Chopin concerts and festivals. One of them, “The International Music Festival –
Purchase of the autograph of Etude in C# minor op. 10 No. 4. by Frederick Chopin
Chopin and His Europe”, was awarded first place in the Polityka ranking and was acknowl-
On 31 January 2005 the manuscript of Etude
edged as being the most important event in
in C# minor op. 10 No. 4. by Frederick Chopin
the field of classical music in 2006. Together
was formally presented to the Frederick
with the Frederick Chopin Institute in Warsaw
Chopin Museum in Warsaw, its purchase hav-
we organised a concert to mark the occasion
ing been funded by PKN ORLEN. This 173-
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year-old document, purchased at Sotheby’s
of collector Zeune-Spitta. In 1908 the auto-
auction house in London, is the only known
graph was sold at the Stargardt auction
autograph of this work in the world. The
house in Berlin. In 1934 it was auctioned
museum’s collections now include manu-
again, this time at the Heck auction house in
scripts of nine of the twelve etudes compris-
Vienna. In the beginning of the 1950s it was
ing Opus 10. Only six of these are original
part of the fine collection of Louis Koch in
autographs, while two are manuscript copies
Germany, after which it was probably trans-
drawn up by another person. The autograph
ferred to Switzerland, to the collections of
we purchased is a three-page working manu-
Rudolf and Gisela Flörsheim. It was only in
script containing the full notation of the piece
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Manuscript of the C# minor Op. 10 No. 4 Etude by Frederick Chopin Castle Square in Warsaw – Canaletto’s drawing
with corrections and Chopin’s comments. It is
November 1997, more than forty years later,
also bears a date: 6 August 1832, which is
that it appeared at auction again, at Stargardt
thought to be the date when the work was
in Berlin. The buyer, Dr Matthew Malerich
completed (the adjacent manuscript, Etude in
from California, was the last owner of the
E major op. 10 No. 3, bears the same date).
autograph before it was purchased at
The Frederick Chopin Society is currently
Sotheby’s in December 2004 by the Frederick
transferring the collections of the Frederick
Chopin Museum in Warsaw, with the help of
Chopin Museum to the Frederick Chopin
PKN ORLEN.
Institute, which is run by the Ministry of National Heritage.
Following the trail – the creation of Etudes Op. 10 The history of Chopin’s autograph The period when Etude in C# minor Op. 10 Let us now consider the history of Etude in
No. 4 and the other eleven etudes from
C# minor op. 10 No. 4. The first owner of the
Opus 10 were created was a time of exten-
autograph was a student of Frederick Chopin,
sive travelling for Frederick Chopin and per-
Friederika Müller, an Austrian pianist to whom
haps the most eventful period of his life.
Chopin gave the manuscript as a gift in 1841.
The period 1829-1831 had a critical effect
Subsequently, the document was included in
on the development of the young compos-
the collection of the German pianist Eduard
er. When Chopin began Opus 10 he was a
Franck, after which it passed into the hands
19-year-old living in Warsaw, and he was
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composing in the pre-romantic, drawing-
Theatre at which he performed his Concerto
room style known as brillant. At this time his
in E minor op.11 and Fantasia in A major on
fame did not reach beyond the borders of
Polish Airs op.13, which were enthusiastical-
his homeland, and he was just beginning to
ly received by both audience and critics. A
consider embarking on an international
few days before his departure, one of his
career. Three years later Frederick Chopin
friends held a wild farewell party in his par-
was in Paris, the series of twelve Etudes
ents’ house (taking advantage of their tempo-
was finished, and he was well-known and
rary absence). The assembled company
highly-regarded all over Europe and a fully-
danced and sang until the early hours of the
fledged romantic composer.
morning.
Warsaw successes
Travels and trials – Vienna
The beginning of 1830 saw Chopin perform-
On 2 November 1830, Chopin left his home-
Panorama of Vienna,
ing many successful concerts in Poland and
land never to return, although he was not yet
19th century
composing prolifically. At this time he had
aware of that fact (interestingly, this same
probably already written Etudes No. 8-11
date appears on the first two Etudes of Opus
from Opus 10 (F major No. 8, F minor No. 9,
10 dated by the composer, C major No.1 and
A flat major No. 10 and E flat major No. 11),
A minor No. 2). Via Kalisz the composer head-
as well as other major works including both
ed for Wroc∏aw, where he gave a public con-
the F minor and E minor Piano Concertos. He
cert, and then to Dresden and Prague, reach-
was also leading a lively social life and was
ing his goal, Vienna, three weeks later. His
generally in good spirits. As he wrote to Tytus
arrival coincided with the outbreak of the
Wojciechowski, one of his friends: “I started
November Uprising. This was a traumatic
[writing] a polonaise with an orchestra. It has
experience for the now twenty-year-old artist,
’gun, it has a ’ginning, but doesn’t yet have a
particularly since all his closest friends had
beginning”. He has also performed well-
gone to war. “If only I could, I would employ all
received concerts in the Kärtnertortheater in
the tones sent to me by my blind, furious,
Vienna. Eventually he decided to leave the
charged emotions to render at least part of the
country for a long spell to embark on a career
songs whose fragmented echoes still rever-
on the international stage. In October 1830
berate somewhere around the banks of the
he gave a farewell concert in the National
Danube, that were sung by Jan’s [Sobieski]
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¸azienki Królewskie, 19th century
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army [...] I curse my departure.” His first
Philharmonische Verein. From there he contin-
instinct was a desire to return to his country to
ued to Stuttgart, where he experienced what
fight, but those closest to him managed to
were perhaps the most difficult moments of
dissuade him. However, although he met a
his life: shortly after his arrival he received a
few influential musicians and lived in a presti-
message informing him of the collapse of the
gious tenement house on Kohlmarkt, he did
uprising and the capitulation of Warsaw. He
not enjoy the kind of success he had been
had no idea what fate had befallen his family.
confident of achieving. He felt isolated: “The
Isolated and distraught he wrote in the pages
people here are not my people […] all is super-
of his so-called Stuttgart diary: “The enemy
ficial, mediocre, it kills me”. He experienced
has invaded my homeland. [...] Oh God, if you
strong patriotic sentiments, writing “I am not
exist, why do you not take vengeance! Are
learning anything here that is essentially
Moscow’s crimes not enough for you – or are
Viennese [...] my piano has only played
you a Muscovite yourself?! [...] and I sit here
mazurkas”. It was probably at this time that he
idle – I sit here with empty hands – sometimes
produced the first sketches of Ballad in G
I just moan, fret at the piano, despair”. It is at
minor op. 23, Scherzo in B minor op. 20, and
this time that Chopin produced what were
Mazurkas op. 17. Although he eventually
probably his most dramatic works of that peri-
played a concert at the Kärtnertortheater, it
od – Etude in C minor op. 10 No. 12, the “rev-
met with little enthusiasm. The young artist
olutionary etude”, and the main outline of
began to think more and more about leaving
Scherzo in B minor. Etude in C# minor op. 10
for Paris – at that time the most important
No. 4 also had a romantic, tempestuous char-
artistic centre in Europe. In July 1831, eight
acter, so it is possible that Chopin also started
months after arriving in Vienna, he decided to
work on that piece at this time.
Panorama of Paris, 19th century Panorama of Stuttgart, 19th century
leave this unyielding city.
First successes – Paris Stuttgart Diary Finally, in September 1831, Chopin arrived in Via Linz and Salzburg, where he stopped for a
Paris. Although he was initially still an
while to look around Mozart’s birthplace,
unknown artist, his situation quickly changed.
Chopin travelled to Munich, where he per-
From his first public appearance in Paris on
formed
26 February 1832 he began to win the admi-
a
successful
concert
at
the
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ration of many reviewers and the lively inter-
such as Adam Czartoryski, Joachim Lelewel,
est of other eminent musicians of that time.
Józef
One newspaper reported: “Listening to his
Niemcewicz,
muse and refusing to model his work on that
Mickiewicz, and the poets Stefan Witwicki
of any other artist, he [...] revitalises the art of
and Bohdan Zaleski. He was also accepted in
the
Mendelssohn-
1832 into the Polish Literary Society that
Bartholdy extols: “His method of playing the
brought together Polish artists living abroad.
piano is completely new, the most original
Chopin often visited the Polish Club on Rue
and the most artistic of all contemporary
Godot de Mauroy, and was also a frequent
methods”. Unfortunately, Chopin’s financial
guest at meetings in private houses. Juliusz
situation was not keeping pace with his repu-
S∏owacki said of one of these soirées: “The
tation and he complained: “I am making my
guests were bored stiff from ten till two
way in the world, but I only have a ducat in
o’clock in the morning, but at the end Chopin
my pocket”. However, following the praise of
got drunk and played some lovely improvisa-
the reviewers Chopin began to gain populari-
tions on the piano”.
piano”,
while
Felix
Bem,
Walenty
Radziwi∏∏,
Julian
Juliusz
S∏owacki,
Adam
ty among the Parisian public. “He attracts the attentions of all the French ladies and provokes jealousy in the men. He is now so much in fashion that soon we will all be wear-
Mutual inspiration: Chopin and Liszt
ing gloves á la Chopin”, wrote Antoni Or∏owski. The artist himself admitted in one
A particularly important relationship for
of his letters that: “I am under siege from all
Chopin at this time was his friendship with the
sides. I have entered the highest echelons of
eminent Hungarian romantic composer living
society, I sit amongst ambassadors, princes,
in Paris, Franz Liszt, to whom he dedicated the
and ministers. [...] This is exactly what I need
entire series of Etudes op. 10. Liszt, admired
most at this time, after all this is the source
above all for his piano work, was considered
of good taste; after all, if you’ve been heard
the best musician in Europe. Liszt pulled off
in the English or Austrian embassy of course
such outstanding performances of Opus 10
you must be enormously talented”.
that Chopin himself declared: “I would like to steal from him his interpretation of my own
Another key factor in his success was new,
pieces”. However, according to one famous
closer friendships with the most important
anecdote, when Chopin first gave Liszt the
musicians of the day. These included, apart
sheet music for Etudes, shortly afterwards the
from
Feliks
Hungarian pianist left Paris for a few weeks. It
Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (author of the still
turned out that the greatest piano player of his
popular Wedding March from the music writ-
time, who was able to play new pieces at
ten for Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s
sight, without any prior preparation, had met
Dream), Franz Liszt, to whom Chopin dedicat-
his match for the first time – Chopin’s Etudes
ed the soon to be completed series of Etudes
were simply too difficult! Liszt therefore shut
op. 10, Hector Berlioz, the accomplished
himself away in his house and worked on his
pianists Friedrich Kalkbrenner and Ferdynand
interpretation, only performing it publicly a
Hiller, the cellist Auguste Franchomme, and a
few weeks later. Liszt was hugely impressed
little later also Heinrich Heine, Vincenzo
by the Etudes. In a famous quote from 1884,
Bellini, and Giacomo Meyerbeer. Chopin was
he said of Chopin’s Etudes op. 10: “I have
also warmly received by Polish expatriates
known them by heart for fifty years”.
the
previously
mentioned
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The playing style of the two musicians was
Chopin managed to negotiate an exclusive
quite different. Chopin astonished audiences
contract with him, and Schlésinger was also
with a style that was full of dynamic nuances
the first to publish the later works of the Polish
and delicacy, while Liszt was unrivalled in the
composer. A little later in the same year, the
charisma of his performances: his playing
works were published in Germany and
electrified the audience and was charged with
England by Friedrich Kirstner in Leipzig and
wild energy and almost devoid of any physical
Wessla & Co. in London, which led to Chopin’s
limitations. The fascination of the musicians
work becoming far more widely known in
was mutual, and concerned both piano play-
Europe.
ing and composing. They performed together
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Frederick Chopin portrait Franz Liszt portrait Panorama of Paris, 19th century
at many concerts in Paris. Chopin seemed to
Chopin’s 12 Etudes op. 10 are musical works
be partially influenced by the style of the
of unparalleled accomplishment and were
Hungarian virtuoso’s works, while Liszt, clear-
unrivalled by other European piano com-
ly inspired by Chopin’s originality, in subse-
posers of the time. According to many
quent years composed pieces that displayed a
experts, no composer before or after Chopin
greater degree of innovation than before.
has created works that come close to the Etudes, in terms of either artistic expression
Surviving Chopin by almost 40 years, Franz
or precision of construction. Tadeusz A.
Liszt eventually wrote the first ever book
Zieliƒski, one of Chopin’s biographers, writes:
about Chopin. Published in 1852, it was the
“In Chopin, individuality coexists with a mas-
starting point for a series of later biographies
tery of composing technique. Although he
about Poland’s most eminent composer.
was a wonderful improviser with a rich imagination, when he was composing a work he also ensured that it was logical and polished
The ideal work
each detail of the piece. The beauty of his thematic ideas is therefore always accompa-
The Etudes op. 10 were published by one of
nied by perfection of construction worthy of
the most influential publishers in Europe,
the greatest masters of form”.
Maurice Schlésinger, in Paris in June 1833.