A few words on Chopin

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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.