#CHOPIN SCHERZO 2 LESSON SERIES#

From now on absolutely nothing could be taken for granted. The bonhomie of his early waltzes, the gentle nostalgia of the mazurkas and all-purpose Sturm und Drang of his First Scherzo were now synthesized into a mesmerising stylistic collective. Driven to paroxysms of blind terror whenever performing in front of a large audience вЂ“ вЂњI feel asphyxiated by its eager breath, paralysed by its inquisitive stare, silenced by its alien facesвЂќ вЂ“ he retired from the platform in 1832 having made only 30 concert appearances in his entire career.Д«y the mid-1830s Chopin was on the verge of true greatness. The intimacy of Parisian artistic life suited ChopinвЂ™s quiet nature to a tee. He discovered a keen taste for the luxurious, supporting himself mainly by giving piano lessons to the rich and famous. вЂњTheyвЂ™re kind, but only from habit, not kindness.вЂќДespondent and disillusioned, Chopin quit Vienna in July 1831 for Paris, where he found himself welcomed as a celebrity by the frequenters of the cityвЂ™s fashionable salons. вЂњThe people here mean nothing to me,вЂќ he noted in his diary.

The irony was that, having made such extraordinary efforts to establish himself in the musical capital of the world, Chopin was deeply unhappy in Vienna. No one could have imagined that he would never set foot in his homeland again.

Overcome by their mastery, Schumann exclaimed: вЂњWe may be sure that a genius like Mozart, if he were live today, would write concertos like ChopinвЂ™s and not like MozartвЂ™s!вЂќД¬hopin left Poland on November 2, 1830, bound for Vienna. Indeed, the two piano concertos he penned between 18 were intended to establish his reputation there once and for all. However, by now he was hankering after the bright lights of Vienna. Under the influence of the visiting Irish piano virtuoso John Field he wrote the first of 21 nocturnes вЂ“ long-phrased, introspective works that would become one of ChopinвЂ™s most treasurable genres. Word was soon out that Poland had вЂњMozartвЂ™s successorвЂќ in its midst, as was triumphantly confirmed when Chopin made his public debut just short of his eighth birthday playing a virtuoso concerto by the Bohemian note-spinner Adalbert Gyrowetz.Д¬hopin constantly amazed his tutors at the Warsaw Conservatory.

#CHOPIN SCHERZO 2 LESSON SERIES#

A year later he composed a pair of polonaises that opened the floodgates on a whole series of dance-style pieces written during his formative years. Yet, driven by a lifelong quest to вЂњget to the heart of our national musicвЂќ (or perhaps more accurately, his own creative psyche), Chopin often says more in half a minute than many of his contemporaries could manage in half an hour.Д«y the time Chopin was six he was already happily writing poetry and extemporising at the piano. Almost uniquely for one of the great composers there are no symphonies, operas, string quartets or choral works.

Chopin scherzo 2 lesson