Sonata for Cello and Piano in G minor, Op. 65: II. Scherzo. Allegro con brio (feat. cello: Yo-Yo Ma, piano: Emanuel Ax)
Frédéric François Chopin (1 March 1810 – 17 October 1849) was a Polish comp… Read Full Bio ↴Frédéric François Chopin (1 March 1810 – 17 October 1849) was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist of the Romantic era who wrote primarily for solo piano. He has maintained worldwide renown as a leading musician of his era, one whose "poetic genius was based on a professional technique that was without equal in his generation."
Chopin was born Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin in the Duchy of Warsaw and grew up in Warsaw, which in 1815 became part of Congress Poland. A child prodigy, he completed his musical education and composed his earlier works in Warsaw before leaving Poland at the age of 20, less than a month before the outbreak of the November 1830 Uprising. At 21, he settled in Paris. Thereafter—in the last 18 years of his life—he gave only 30 public performances, preferring the more intimate atmosphere of the salon. He supported himself by selling his compositions and by giving piano lessons, for which he was in high demand. Chopin formed a friendship with Franz Liszt and was admired by many of his other musical contemporaries (including Robert Schumann). In 1835, Chopin obtained French citizenship. After a failed engagement to Maria Wodzińska from 1836 to 1837, he maintained an often troubled relationship with the French writer Amantine Dupin (known by her pen name, George Sand). A brief and unhappy visit to Majorca with Sand in 1838–39 would prove one of his most productive periods of composition. In his final years, he was supported financially by his admirer Jane Stirling, who also arranged for him to visit Scotland in 1848. For most of his life, Chopin was in poor health. He died in Paris in 1849 at the age of 39, probably of pericarditis aggravated by tuberculosis.
All of Chopin's compositions include the piano. Most are for solo piano, though he also wrote two piano concertos, a few chamber pieces, and some 19 songs set to Polish lyrics. His piano writing was technically demanding and expanded the limits of the instrument: his own performances were noted for their nuance and sensitivity. Chopin invented the concept of the instrumental ballade. His major piano works also include mazurkas, waltzes, nocturnes, polonaises, études, impromptus, scherzos, preludes and sonatas, some published only posthumously. Among the influences on his style of composition were Polish folk music, the classical tradition of J.S. Bach, Mozart, and Schubert, and the atmosphere of the Paris salons of which he was a frequent guest. His innovations in style, harmony, and musical form, and his association of music with nationalism, were influential throughout and after the late Romantic period.
Chopin's music, his status as one of music's earliest superstars, his (indirect) association with political insurrection, his high-profile love-life, and his early death have made him a leading symbol of the Romantic era. His works remain popular, and he has been the subject of numerous films and biographies of varying historical fidelity.
Over 230 works of Chopin survive; some compositions from early childhood have been lost. All his known works involve the piano, and only a few range beyond solo piano music, as either piano concertos, songs or chamber music.
Chopin was educated in the tradition of Beethoven, Haydn, Mozart and Clementi; he used Clementi's piano method with his own students. He was also influenced by Hummel's development of virtuoso, yet Mozartian, piano technique. He cited Bach and Mozart as the two most important composers in shaping his musical outlook. Chopin's early works are in the style of the "brilliant" keyboard pieces of his era as exemplified by the works of Ignaz Moscheles, Friedrich Kalkbrenner, and others. Less direct in the earlier period are the influences of Polish folk music and of Italian opera. Much of what became his typical style of ornamentation (for example, his fioriture) is taken from singing. His melodic lines were increasingly reminiscent of the modes and features of the music of his native country, such as drones.
Chopin took the new salon genre of the nocturne, invented by the Irish composer John Field, to a deeper level of sophistication. He was the first to write ballades and scherzi as individual concert pieces. He essentially established a new genre with his own set of free-standing preludes (Op. 28, published 1839). He exploited the poetic potential of the concept of the concert étude, already being developed in the 1820s and 1830s by Liszt, Clementi and Moscheles, in his two sets of studies (Op. 10 published in 1833, Op. 25 in 1837).
Chopin also endowed popular dance forms with a greater range of melody and expression. Chopin's mazurkas, while originating in the traditional Polish dance (the mazurek), differed from the traditional variety in that they were written for the concert hall rather than the dance hall; as J. Barrie Jones puts it, "it was Chopin who put the mazurka on the European musical map." The series of seven polonaises published in his lifetime (another nine were published posthumously), beginning with the Op. 26 pair (published 1836), set a new standard for music in the form. His waltzes were also written specifically for the salon recital rather than the ballroom and are frequently at rather faster tempos than their dance-floor equivalents.
Chopin was born Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin in the Duchy of Warsaw and grew up in Warsaw, which in 1815 became part of Congress Poland. A child prodigy, he completed his musical education and composed his earlier works in Warsaw before leaving Poland at the age of 20, less than a month before the outbreak of the November 1830 Uprising. At 21, he settled in Paris. Thereafter—in the last 18 years of his life—he gave only 30 public performances, preferring the more intimate atmosphere of the salon. He supported himself by selling his compositions and by giving piano lessons, for which he was in high demand. Chopin formed a friendship with Franz Liszt and was admired by many of his other musical contemporaries (including Robert Schumann). In 1835, Chopin obtained French citizenship. After a failed engagement to Maria Wodzińska from 1836 to 1837, he maintained an often troubled relationship with the French writer Amantine Dupin (known by her pen name, George Sand). A brief and unhappy visit to Majorca with Sand in 1838–39 would prove one of his most productive periods of composition. In his final years, he was supported financially by his admirer Jane Stirling, who also arranged for him to visit Scotland in 1848. For most of his life, Chopin was in poor health. He died in Paris in 1849 at the age of 39, probably of pericarditis aggravated by tuberculosis.
All of Chopin's compositions include the piano. Most are for solo piano, though he also wrote two piano concertos, a few chamber pieces, and some 19 songs set to Polish lyrics. His piano writing was technically demanding and expanded the limits of the instrument: his own performances were noted for their nuance and sensitivity. Chopin invented the concept of the instrumental ballade. His major piano works also include mazurkas, waltzes, nocturnes, polonaises, études, impromptus, scherzos, preludes and sonatas, some published only posthumously. Among the influences on his style of composition were Polish folk music, the classical tradition of J.S. Bach, Mozart, and Schubert, and the atmosphere of the Paris salons of which he was a frequent guest. His innovations in style, harmony, and musical form, and his association of music with nationalism, were influential throughout and after the late Romantic period.
Chopin's music, his status as one of music's earliest superstars, his (indirect) association with political insurrection, his high-profile love-life, and his early death have made him a leading symbol of the Romantic era. His works remain popular, and he has been the subject of numerous films and biographies of varying historical fidelity.
Over 230 works of Chopin survive; some compositions from early childhood have been lost. All his known works involve the piano, and only a few range beyond solo piano music, as either piano concertos, songs or chamber music.
Chopin was educated in the tradition of Beethoven, Haydn, Mozart and Clementi; he used Clementi's piano method with his own students. He was also influenced by Hummel's development of virtuoso, yet Mozartian, piano technique. He cited Bach and Mozart as the two most important composers in shaping his musical outlook. Chopin's early works are in the style of the "brilliant" keyboard pieces of his era as exemplified by the works of Ignaz Moscheles, Friedrich Kalkbrenner, and others. Less direct in the earlier period are the influences of Polish folk music and of Italian opera. Much of what became his typical style of ornamentation (for example, his fioriture) is taken from singing. His melodic lines were increasingly reminiscent of the modes and features of the music of his native country, such as drones.
Chopin took the new salon genre of the nocturne, invented by the Irish composer John Field, to a deeper level of sophistication. He was the first to write ballades and scherzi as individual concert pieces. He essentially established a new genre with his own set of free-standing preludes (Op. 28, published 1839). He exploited the poetic potential of the concept of the concert étude, already being developed in the 1820s and 1830s by Liszt, Clementi and Moscheles, in his two sets of studies (Op. 10 published in 1833, Op. 25 in 1837).
Chopin also endowed popular dance forms with a greater range of melody and expression. Chopin's mazurkas, while originating in the traditional Polish dance (the mazurek), differed from the traditional variety in that they were written for the concert hall rather than the dance hall; as J. Barrie Jones puts it, "it was Chopin who put the mazurka on the European musical map." The series of seven polonaises published in his lifetime (another nine were published posthumously), beginning with the Op. 26 pair (published 1836), set a new standard for music in the form. His waltzes were also written specifically for the salon recital rather than the ballroom and are frequently at rather faster tempos than their dance-floor equivalents.
Sonata for Cello and Piano in G minor Op. 65: II. Scherzo. Allegro con brio
Frédéric Chopin Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Frédéric Chopin:
Dwojaki koniec Rok się kochali a wiek się nie widzieli Zbolały serca oboje…
Gdzie lubi Strumyk lubi w dolinie Sarna lubi w gęstwinie Ptaszek lubi p…
Hulanka Szynkareczko szafareczko Co ty robisz stój Tam się śmiejesz …
Melodia Z gór gdzie dźwigali Strasznych krzyżów brzemię Widzieli z d…
Moja Pieszczotka Moja pieszczotka gdy w wesołej chwili Pocznie szczebiotać i …
Narzeczony Wiatr zaszumiał między krzewy Nie w czas nie w czas koniu Ni…
Nie Ma Czego Trzeba Mgła mi do oczu zawiewa z łona W prawo i w…
Nocturne My books lie unopened We’ve barely left a word unspoken Exp…
Nocturnes My books lie unopened We’ve barely left a word unspoken Exp…
Posel Rośnie trawka ziółko Zimne dni się mienią Ty wierna jaskółko…
Precz Z Moich Oczu Precz z moich oczu Posłucham od razu Precz z mego serca I se…
Sliczny Chlopiec Wzniosły smukły i młody O nielada urody Śliczny chłopiec cze…
Smutna Rzeka Rzeko z cudzoziemców strony Czemu nurt twój tak zmącony Czy …
Spiew Z Mogilki Leci liście z drzewa Co wyrosło wolne Znad mogiły śpiewa Jak…
Śpiew z mogiły Leci liście z drzewa Co wyrosło wolne Znad mogiły śpiewa Jak…
Wojak Rży mój gniady ziemię grzebie Puśćie czas już czas Ciebie oj…
Zyczenie Gdybym ja była słoneczkiem na niebie Nie świeciłabym jak tyl…
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PL Cooper
My Cello and Orchestra arrangement of this piece as "Cello Concerto in G minor":
Woodwinds:
2 Flutes
2 Oboes
2 Clarinets (in Bb and C)
2 Bassoons
Brass:
4 Horns (1 and 2 in Bb alto and F, 3 and 4 in G, D and Eb)
2 Trumpets (in C and D, Largo tacet)
Bass Trombone (Largo tacet)
Percussion:
Timpani (Largo tacet)
Strings
Vindictus EmeraldMage
As someone who has learned both piano and cello, I can easily say they are both the same amount of difficult, but in completely different ways.
As you said, as long as the piano is tuned, whatever key you press will always play an in tune note BUT it will never sound the same every time. The speed, pressure, and yes, even the place you hit the key matters. And since the piano can easily play many notes at once, you have to think about every finger. Just like playing the past 5th position on the cello, the slightest difference makes an entirely different sound. At face value, the piano looks really easy, but the technique that it requires is immense. Every finger on the piano needs to do the job of both hands on a cello with the slight handicap of always being in tune (as long as you don't mess up and hit the wrong key).
Here's an example of just how difficult it is to play a piano. Slurs. It is literally impossible to play a slur on a piano because every key has an attack, while a slur indicates that the group of notes must have only one attack (on the first note). Easy on a cello, just don't change bow direction. Slurs still exist in piano pieces though, so pianists have to make it work. To slur on a piano you have to make sure the previous note is still playing while you play the next note at the perfect volume so the attack is barely noticeable but the note isn't so quiet that you can only barely hear the next note. Not to mention if that second note is too quiet, the third note will have to be even quieter and everything just falls apart at that moment. A lot to think about for such a single curved line right? And the piano's polyphonic. Chord slurs? Nightmare. Multiple voice slurs? Death.
Sure the piano is easy to start with, because you can't be out of tune, but it very quickly gets difficult. A beginner pianist will stick out like a sore thumb because they don't have the technique. A professional sticks out by figuratively ripping your heart out with how engaging they are. Halfway between is impressive, but it won't feel as great.
A beginner cellist will stick out because they can't play in tune and a professional sticks out because of all the flare they put on their playing. I'm not saying that it's not engaging, but you can totally get away with taking the flare out, and it'll still sound amazing.
TLDR Every instrument has a million hidden layers of difficulty. Non fretted strings are more difficult than just playing in tune, and keyed instruments are so much more than simply pressing the right key. That's why the best musicians only play one instrument. None of them are easy, all of them take insane amounts of time.
Jonathan Chavez
The way the pianist keeps the chord at 12:06 sustained and then uses that resonance as a backdrop for the dolce passage afterwards is such an amazingly subtle detail that makes the sound so warm and full. Love this piece
Sebastian-Benedict Flore
@Tjokkaflens tf
Sebastian-Benedict Flore
I just realised the pianist is Kathryn Stott! I met her recently after her concert where she played Vaughan-Williams concerto for 2 pianos and orchestra with Noriko Ogawa and the BBCSO
Marko Kare
So true!
cinnamonsteakhaus
Brilliant ears !
rain3906
I think if Chopin lived longer, he would've written for a lot more instruments just as Liszt did in his later years and expanded his style a lot more like this piece, it has so many new elements.
MrCoffeeparty
If Russia had not taken Polish brutally, Chopin would not have had to go to France and perhaps he would have lived longer and left more works.
Vincent
I disagree. Chopin would have written mostly for piano, like he always did.
Luke Heuser
@Sebastian-Benedict Flore Yes, probably. Liszt's compositions were clearly better if you look at the "technical" side...but of course that is just one part of great art. But hey, disagreeing but still being polite is rare in the internet, so that's great here haha
Sebastian-Benedict Flore
@Luke Heuser However, I certainly think Chopin was much more consistently "good".