Western art music.Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin Essay

Western art music.Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin - Essay Example Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin, the world's acclaimed genius: a composer, pianist and teacher, born 1810 March 1 to "French migr father (a schoolteacher working in Poland) and a cultured Polish mother,with three sisters in â€Å"the region of Mazovia, which was part of the Duchy of Warsaw†2. Controversially, Chopin's baptismal certificate revealed that he was born 1810 February 22. Either date does not upset the gifted composer/pianist to conquer international prominence. In the years of "lively domestic music-making"3 Fryderyk was then five, his sister Izabela described her little brother, "'soon began to display a sensitivity to musical impressions by crying'"3 (qtd in Chopin Diary, http://en.chopin.nifc.pl). Chopin's talent was not concealed from public from his early childhood as he was commended the "child prodigy for his keyboard and composition skill"4 (Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin Biography, www.last.fm/music/Fr) which had been closely equated with Mozart as he showcased his gift with "two polonaises (in G minor and B flat major), the first being published in the engraving workshop of Father Cybulski. The prodigy was featured in the Warsaw newspapers",5 as young as seven years old. (Music History, www.nivmusic.com). From this period, "little Chopin" was the adornment of the aristocratic salons in Warsaw. Seven was the age that Chopin made had his first concert. In the next twenty years, Chopin stayed in Warsaw. Chopin's first formal piano lessons after his piano practices with his mother was with Wojciech Zywny and played his first public appearance at a charity concert by Czech composer Adalbert Gyrowetz. After Chopin stopped his piano lessons with Zywny, he started to learn compositions with Jozef Elsner taking organ lessons simultaneously with Wilhelm Wuerfl. Chopin's formal schooling was attended at the Warsaw Lyceum where he spent most of his summer holidays in various parts of the countryside and developed keen interest to folk music and country traditions and "became well acquainted with the folk music of the Polish plains in its authentic form, with its distinct tonality, richness of rhythms and dance vigour"5 thereby, composing his first Mazurka. (Music History, www.nivmusic.com). From his holiday vacations, he wrote to his parents, "'Through God's grace I am well and time always passes most pleasurably. I neither read nor write, but I play, drawn, run, make the most of the fresh air...'"3. This first letter was followed by a series of "amusing 'letters'3, known as the 'Kurier Szafarski' [Szafarnia Courier], parodying the 'Kurier Warszawski' [Warsaw Courier]."3 (qtd in Chopin Diary, http://en.chopin.nifc.pl). At age 15, Chopin was already a published composer with a soft heart to the impoverished ones where he performed charity concerts. The growing Chopin is exposed to political flux which at one time and another influenced his compositions, At Surname 3 Warsaw, young Chopin witnessed "arrests [] made among the members of the Narodowe Towarzystwo Patriotyczne" 3. (qtd in Chopin Diary, http://en.chopin.nifc.pl). At Warsaw School of Music, Chopin started to study the theory of music. However, he showed disinterest in his piano class and did not attend classes by which was leniently tolerated by the school head Elsner in view of understanding the personality and temperament of Chopin being aware of his unmistakable superior talent of which he acclaimed in writing, "Chopin, Fryderyk, third year student, amazing talent, musical genius".6 (qtd. in Academy of Music, www.hrovatmusic.com). Previously, in the first and second year of young Chopin, he was commended "'First-year: Chopin Fryderyk - special ability, second-year: Dobrzyski Ignacy - rare ability...'" 3. In another view of Chopin, Wilhelm Kohlberg recalls the time they were learning English, "[]These lessons