The Classical Music Minute

Frédéric Chopin: From Illness To Inspiration

November 08, 2021 Steven Hobé, Composer & Host Season 1 Episode 28
The Classical Music Minute
Frédéric Chopin: From Illness To Inspiration
Show Notes Transcript

Description
Frédéric Chopin suffered from serious and chronic health problems throughout his life. This shaped many of the pieces he created as he searched for peace of mind and a quest for simplicity. Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop! Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop!

Fun Fact
Chopin generally bypassed the sketching process and proceeded directly from the piano to the engraver’s manuscript. As such, dealing with Chopin’s posthumous works was a rather complex undertaking. Chopin’s music was, for the late 19th century, “an intimate communication, an agent for cultural and even political propaganda, and a commodity.”

About Steven
Steven is a Canadian composer living in Toronto. He creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse being to offer the listener both the darker and more satiric shades of human existence. If you're interested, please check out his website for more.

A Note To Music Students et al.
All recordings and sheet music are available on my site. I encourage you to take a look and play through some. Give me a shout if you have any questions.

Got a topic? Pop me off an email at: TCMMPodcast@Gmail.com 

Support the show

Hi, I’m Steven Hobé.

Frédéric Chopin suffered from chronic health problems throughout his short life. 

He also experienced periods of severe depression, and complained of “hopelessness, apathy, and sleeplessness.” 

Yet, despite his health struggles, “Chopin reached a new plateau of creative achievement, marked by an eloquent simplicity.” 

It was in 1840, at the age of thirty that his health deteriorated both physically and mentally. He was particularly dismayed by the revolution that had broken out in Paris.

To clear his head, Chopin headed to England and Scotland for a round of appearances, lessons and parties.

But his exhaustion caught up to him and he was unable to compose. Shortly after in October of 1849 he died, after being unconscious for 24 hours.

Chopin spent his latter years focusing on a quest for perfection in his music, compelled to develop longer and more complex forms.