Fr

1
Frédéric François Chopin
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Music Etude in E major (Chopin)
2
Chopin was born on March 1st., 1810 in Zelazowa
Wola, Poland. He died in Paris on October 17,
1848.
3
Here, Chopin lived the first few months of his
life. His family moved to Warsaw where his father
worked as a college professor.
4
In Warsaw Chopin was considered a "second
Mozart." By the age of 7 he had composed two
polonaises. The child prodigy was featured in the
Warsaw newspapers, and "little Chopin" became the
attraction at receptions given in the
aristocratic salons of Warsaw. Chopin gave his
first piano recital at the age of 8.
5

The Warsaw Concert Hall, where Chopin gave his
first concerts.
6
Maria Wodzinska was Chopins student she painted
this portrait and gave it to him. They became
engaged, but her family convinced her to break
the engament, due to Chopins poor health.
Chopin was devasted, and always kept her letters
with a hadwritten note of his saying My Sorrow.
7
Chopin preferred more intimate settings for a
recital, like the home of Count and Countess
Radziwil, as he didnt like large concert halls.
8
While visiting Vienna, he heard about an uprising
in Warsaw, and decided not to return to Poland.
He stayed in Vienna for a few more months before
visiting Munich and Stuttgart, Germany, where he
learned of Poland's occupation by the Russian
army.
1830
9
Chopin moved to Paris in 1830. He was 20 years
old and had already composed many works for the
piano, including his two concertos and some of
his Études Opus 10.
Church of Notredame guardian of the night. Paris.
10

Notredame Cathedral.
In Paris, Chopin formed personal friendships with
the artists Franz Lizst, Hector Berlioz, Felix
Mendelssohn, and Vincenzo Bellini. Robert
Schumann wrote "Hats off, gentlemen! A genius.
11
Chopin formed a strong friendship with Camille
Pleyel, owner of the Pleyel piano factory. From
that time on, Chopins pianos where manufactured
by Pleyel. Often Chopin would go to the piano
factory, to explain how he wanted his new piano.
12
In 1838 his friend Eugène Delacroix painted this
portrait. Chopin was already very ill with
tuberculosis, and had to give private classes and
perform in public, to support himself, having
little time for what he really wanted to do,
compose for the piano.
13
In 1836, at a party hosted by Countess Marie
d'Agoult, fiancée of composer and close friend
Franz Liszt, Chopin met Amandine-Aurore Dupin,
Baroness Dudevant, better known by her pseudonym
George Sand, a writer.
Franz Lizst
14
Baroness Dudevant fell in love with Chopin, and
wanted to take care of him, so that his health
would improve, so that he would dedicate more
time to composing . Finally, he said Yes.
They spent long summers in her country state,
Nohant. Very often, she invited several of his
friends to spend weekends with them. Frequent
visitors were Franz Lizst, and Eugène Delacroix
(1).
15
Chopin spent long periods of time in Nohant, from
1838 to 1847, where his health improved markedly.

16
In 1845 problems emerged in Chopin's relationship
with Aurore at the same time of a further
deterioration in his health. These problems
finally brought an end to their relationship in
1847.
Aurore by Eugène Delacroix.
17
Jane Stirling, Chopins student from England,
helped him to get settled in a new apartment
located in the Place Vendôme, Paris.
18
In his new apartment, Chopin composed his last
play.
19
Place Vendôme, place of Chopins last residence.
20
In 1847 Chopin gave concerts in England and
Scotland with Jane Stirling, although he was
severely ill. He returned to Paris in 1848, but
was unable to teach or perform. His sister
Ludwika came from Poland to take care him at his
home in Paris he died there on October 17, 1848.
21
Chopin being cared for by his sister, his doctor,
and closest friends.
22
Chopin requested that Mozart's Requiem be sung at
his funeral, at the Church of the Madeleine, and
attended by nearly 3,000 people this church
didnt allow female singers in its choir,and the
funeral was delayed for almost 2 weeks, until the
church finally granted Chopin's final wish. The
female singers remained behind a black velvet
curtain.
23

Chopin is buried in the Père Lachaise cemetery in
Paris at his own request, his heart was removed
and sent, in an urn, to Warsaw, where it is
sealed in a pillar in the Church of the Holy
Cross. His grave attracts many visitors and is
always decorated with flowers, even during
winter.
24

The Church of the Holy Cross in 1945, after
Warsaw was bombed by the Allies, to free Poland
from the Nazis. The pillar where Chopins heart
rests remained intact.
The Church of the Holy Cross after
reconstruction.
25

This is the pillar in the Church of the Holy
Cross in Warsaw where the urn with Chopins heart
is sealed. The exact spot is the small niche at
the bottom, where the little flower bouquet is
placed.
The end