Top 10 interesting facts about Frederic Chopin

Frederic Francois Chopin is a great composer. He is considered the founder of the Polish national school of composers. He had a great influence on world music. Surprisingly, in all the years of his work, he did not create a single work for a symphony orchestra, but he succeeded in another. His compositions for pianoforte are still considered the pinnacle of world pianistic art.

The composer’s life story, like his music, touches to the depths of the soul. Frederic François was a deeply unhappy man. A serious illness, unhappy love, homesickness …

If you are a fan of the work of this composer, our article will be useful for you. Below is a rating of interesting facts about Chopin. This information will help you build a more detailed picture of his life.

10 Craving for music since childhood

Frédéric François had a strong passion for music since childhood. This is the merit of his mother Tekla Justyna Krzyzanowska. The young woman had noble roots and received an excellent education. She willingly taught the children everything she knew herself. French, music, singing.

Soon Krzyzhanovskaya noticed that her son had unique musical abilities. As a child, he was compared to Mozart. He also subtly felt the instrument, improvised freely. The boy was very sensitive, emotional, music sometimes made him cry.

At the age of 5 he played his first concert, at 7 he composed his first piece of music, at 12 he became a real virtuoso pianist, who in many ways surpassed adult and experienced musicians.

9. Sisters with musical ability

By the way, Chopin’s father was also an intelligent man. He worked as a teacher. A special atmosphere reigned in the family, conducive to the development of gifted children. It is not surprising that they were all drawn to knowledge.

Chopin had three sisters who also showed distinctive musical abilities., but they were far from their brother, who was called a child prodigy and a musical genius.

8. Invented the finger stretcher

Little Frederick loved music so much that he could sit at the instrument for hours. Surprisingly, because children do not have perseverance. Apparently, it was a unique child.

Chopin invented the finger stretcher himself when he had difficulty with some difficult chords.. He wore it for the rest of his life, overcoming the pain. The composer did not take it off even at night. For the sake of music, he would not have made such sacrifices yet.

7. in the dream of spirits and the dead

Great people, without exception, look strange in the eyes of others. Chopin’s behavior also differed from the typical, standard.

He talked about seeing ghosts. An incident that occurred during a concert in 1848 is a direct confirmation of this. Chopin stopped playing and left the stage without explaining anything. Then he admitted that strange creatures were sitting at the piano, who asked him to stop the performance.

His beloved George Sand also shared her memories. In 1838 they went on a trip to Spain, stopping at a monastery on the way. There was an unpleasant situation, Frederic Francois was tormented by visions.

Not so long ago, scientists managed to find out the true nature of Chopin’s hallucinations. For a long time it was believed that the opium was to blame, which the composer used to drown out another bout of illness. Another version is bipolar mental disorder. In fact, Chopin suffered from epilepsy, which caused the appearance of “spirits and the dead.”

6. Used to playing in the dark

This strange habit manifested itself in childhood. The boy often jumped up in the middle of the night and ran to the piano to play the piece he dreamed of. Subsequently, Chopin did not refuse it. He said that only in such an environment he feels inspired.

Being a famous composer, Federic François even asked the lights to be turned off at parties.

5. Computer game “Eternal Sonata”, the hero – Chopin

“Eternal Sonata” is not the first attempt by the developers to combine the impossible: video games and classical music. Apparently, in this way they are trying to introduce the younger generation to the beautiful. The developers chose Chopin as the main character. Role-playing game will allow you to plunge into the world of his dreams and visions.

Frederic Francois appears here as a mysterious young man who must find a cure for a terrible disease. Players will spend the last hours of his life with him. The game world here is nothing but the embodiment of the fantasies of the dying Chopin.

Interesting fact: this is not the only computer game where Chopin acts as the main character. If you don’t like sad stories, choose “Frederic: Resurrection of Music”. In this game, Chopin returns from the dead to save the world of music from pop music and annoying labels. It will be fun…

4. Attractive appearance

Frederic François was very attractive. Slender physique, long hair, blue eyes – an angel, not a man. With a height of 1,76 m, he weighed only 48 kilograms. True, in those days, women paid attention not only to the muscles, and Chopin was a very talented person.

Thanks to his musical abilities and angelic appearance, he formed a large circle of fans who attended his every performance with pleasure.

3. Favorite composer – Mozart

It has already been noted above that Chopin was often compared with Mozart. For the composer, this was the highest praise, because he considered Wolfgang Amadeus a genius and admired his music.

Chopin did not like deliberateness, impatience, unbridledness. The stunning effects also did not delight him. That is why Mozart’s work was to his liking. After all, even now the music of this composer is considered the best option for relaxing and relieving stress, it is calm and unobtrusive.

Frederic Francois wrote a will, according to which Mozart’s Requiem was performed at his funeral.

2. Waltzes by Chopin – his diary

Chopin’s waltzes are considered an “autobiographical” genre. An adherent of this version, art critic Isabella Khitrik, found a relationship between real events that took place in the life of Frederic Francois and these musical works.

1. Relations with George Sand

George Sand is the pseudonym of the French writer, her real name is Amandine Aurora Lucile Dupin. To put it mildly, she was an extravagant woman. At the time of her acquaintance with Chopin, she was over thirty. Behind the convent, unsuccessful marriage, childbirth, escape from her husband.

Frederic François was amazed by Sand. She behaved very boldly, wore a man’s suit, smoked. Chopin called her “a disgusting woman”. Surprisingly, after a while, real feelings broke out between two such different people. They began to secretly meet, then lived together.

Chopin was ill with tuberculosis, because of this, the lovers had to go through many difficult moments. The children of George Sand added fuel to the fire. 10 years after they met, Chopin and Sand broke up. The composer loved this woman very much, he remembered her even before his death. Chopin said these words:She promised that I would die in her arms“…