Show rin the he C centenary centenary of chopin bora marat t 1 1809 0 J years ago march tui 1 1809 there hero was waa born in 01 ol y poland a child who was wab s to hold a very important place in the world of mil sic francois frederick chopin chopin wits was called by schumann the boldest and proudest poetic spirit of hla his times and grove says schumann might with equal truth have named him a composer for the plano torto preeminent pre eminent beyond comparison par lson A musician of exceptional training a pianist of wonderful skill and power it ife 19 as as composer tor for the piano he bo holds cb 1 t claim to attention lon ile he was cho it clr first of dt all the composers to understand stand the limitations and possibilities of the piano hla his compositions are all works for tile the piano or with the piano compared with other composers lie did not leave behind a largo large quantity of work but that left Is of quality the solo pieces include etudes eludes preludes mazur mazurkas ma kils polonaises polon aises bal lades nocturnes noc turnes waltzes and other works tile the compositions for piano with orchestra include include two concertos don giovanni Glovan nt fantasia krakoviak a rondo E flat blat Polon polonaise alse and a fantasia on polish airs he Is author of three works for piano and cello a piano trio and a rondo for two planes pianos in hla his day lie he met with much appreciation cia tion many honors valued by his fellow artists petted and feted by tile the world of fashion ile he was an odd mixture this polish genius ills his a most contradictory nature on the one side truckling to the aristocracy on the other never relinquishing ills his artistic ideals and always a pathetic personality sona lity in physique so trail frail so appealing of temperament so highly artistic the owner was ill III fitted for the tempest of living ile ho was of refined highbred high bred appearance chopin was born in the village of wa wola son of a teacher of french his father french fionch its ills mother polish the boy seems to havo have received but a superficial general education but in music was well taught and early showed remarkable promise made a public appearance at the tender ago age of eight years ile ho became it a great favorite was adored by the ladles ladies musicians spoke of him as a second AT mozart afore ho he was 11 ho he attempted composition wrote a march dedicated to the Itus russian sian grand duke constantine Constant lne a piece of music tho the duke had scored for a military band at 12 he entered tile tho lyceum and about this time began the study of harmony and counterpoint at the war saw conservatory during the years ot of chool i hool work carried on oil ills his musical cill studies on leaving the lyceum adopted music as a profession in 1830 he set forth as a traveling virtuoso appeared in breslau dresden prague vienna munich and stuttgart and on rei reaching ching parts paris tarried there it was just prior to his arrival in paris the russians had seized warsaw and french sympathy for downtrodden poland may have added to the warmth of welcome held out to tile the young polish musician artistic circles admitted him with will acclaim the doors of wealth and fashion opened wide for him ho ale was sought as a teacher lie he found encouragement sympathy understanding now new incentive for writing presently lie he appeared less and less as public pianist devoting his time to composition over in germany robert schumann always generous in app appreciation cia tion was the first to give to his music full recognition and in an article oft quoted wrote in regard to chopin hats off gentlemen a genius reference has been made to cho pins liking of tho the favor of tho the nobility a weakness suggested in that so much of ills his work is dedicated to countesses count esses and bar barones ses sea a couple of princesses in the list of titled personages never robust very susceptible to tho the influence of surroundings it may be lie he found an atmosphere of ease case and luxury very restful restoring when 1 11 11 able to afford tt it ho he mado made strenuous effort to keep up appearances before tho the people ot of wealth with whom lie he associated was very fast fastidious idt about hta his personal belongings i always approved of 0 the dolica doll cato te and refined rather than the showy and ornate I 1 friends to servo serve and obey appear not to havo have been wanting and we now come to that mysterious famous friendship attachment atta climent historians not able to agree on the right name between chopin and george sand dime dunevant Du devant tile the novelist tho two met at the instigation of liszt some time early ln in 1837 the woman of masculine brain the man af effeminate in his refinements found each the ho other strangely congenial unlike in their tastes of widely differing mental caliber they entered into a companionship a union that lasted several years continued until shortly before Ch choelas Chop oplas lna death at the timo time of at tile tho meeting chapins Cho pins health was becoming more and mo more re frail an affection of the tha lungs making headway plans prepared for a sojourn on the island of majorca in search of health ame mme sand to accompany tho the invalid and an late tn in 1838 chopin with alme sand her two children and a servant set sat forth for the island taking up residence in palma at first all was rose hued delightful but the ho commonplace mon place accompaniments of illness soon banished romance chopin became so BO miserably III his landlord refused to have one so much an invalid in his house louse and there were strenuous days for both ill III and well on return to france chopin and ioime mme sand spent their summers at the lat batters country place in Noli nohant ant their winters in paris devoted nursing was reward edby partial return to health of the invalid and chopin in this period labored assiduously at composition taught and occasionally played but at last nursing and companionship panion ship ceased tile the union came to a disastrous end in 1847 after a violent quarrel the couple separated in the history of her life and in a sketch of the days in majorca fa jorca george sand gives a very different picture of her companion than is presented ted in a work published tile the year of the separation wherein chopin is 18 drawn as a flighty and exasperating invalid ho he never recovered from the effects of at tile tho quarrel the excitement and distress attending the rupture aro are thought to have hastened ills his death disappointment and poverty as well as ag ill health marked his later days in february 1848 ho he played for the tha list last time in paris then fleeing from the revolution went over to london ile he was not at all strong but persisted sted in trying to work played when he had to be carried upstairs to the concert room lie ile engaged in a tour in scotland and made some visits there but finally had to surrender to the fact that the end was not far off that work and play must bo be laid a aside I 1 1 I e shortly after return to parts paris lie he died on the morning of october 17 IS 19 at he imbres sive funeral services held in honor bonor of the great musician Moz arts requiem was sung sting A resting place tor for him bini was chosen beside tile the graves of cherubini and bellint bellini KATHERINE KATHE niNE POPE |