Life / Chronicle of life and works
Chronicle of life and works
Edited by Mieczysław Tomaszewski
English translation: Aleksandra Rodzińska-Chojnowska
1810 - 1816. PROLOGUE
1826 - 1835. METAMORPHOSIS
1835 - 1846. APOGEE
1846 - 1849. EPILOGUE
1810 - 1826. PROLOGUE: first signals of talent.
Works in the post-Classical and Sentimental style
Childhood, 1810 -1816
1810
1 III (22 II) - the birth of Fryderyk Chopin in the village of Zelazowa Wola in Mazovia, son of Justyna, née Krzyzanowska (1782-1861) from Dlugie in Kujawy and Mikolaj Chopin (1771-1844) from Marainville in Lorraine, tutor to the sons of Count Skarbek
23 IV - Fryderyk is christened in the parish church in Brochow near Sochaczew
1 X - Mikolaj Chopin begins teaching in the Warsaw Lyceum, and his family moves to Warsaw
1811
9 VII - the birth of sister Izabella
1812
1 I - Mikolaj Chopin becomes a lecturer in French language at the School of Artillery and Engineering
20 XI - the birth of sister Emilia
1814
1 VI - Mikolaj Chopin is nominated a lecturer in French literature and language at the Warsaw Lyceum
Homestudy, 1816-1823
1816
- Chopin begins taking piano lessons with Wojciech Zywny; plays duets for four hands together with sister Ludwika (b. 1807)
1817
- first attempts at composition: the Polonaise in B flat major, in the handwriting of Mikolaj Chopin, and other (lost) dances, variations and marches
XI - the Polonaise in G minor, dedicated to Wiktoria Skarbek, is published by Father J. J. Cybulski
1818
24 II - Chopin plays the Concerto in E minor by Vojtech Jirovec at a soirée of the Charity Society, arranged by Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz in the Radziwill palace; Zygmunt Krasinski recites a poem
1821
23 IV - dedicates the Polonaise in A flat major to W. Zywny
1822
- the end of piano lessons with W. Zywny and the beginning of private lessons of composition with Józef Elsner; possibly organ lessons with Vilem Würfel
1823
24 II - Chopin plays the Concerto by Ferdinand Ries at a concert of the Charity Society, organized by Józef Jawurek
Lycee, 1823-1826
1823
IX - Chopin enters the fourth form of the Warsaw Lyceum, headed by Samuel B. Linde
1824
VIII/IX - holidays in Szafarnia (the region of Dobrzyn) with the family of Dominik Dziewanowski; here, Chopin mixes with the local gentry and becomes acquainted with country traditions at wedding and harvest and with Jewish folk music
10 VIII - sends the first known letter to his parents; from 16 August - writes humorous letters called "Kurier Szafarski" (Szafarnia Courier)
15 VIII - plays the Concerto by Friedrich W. Kalkbrenner in Szafarnia for a local audience
- together with sister Emilia, writes a comedy entitled Omylka , czyli Mniemany filut (The Mistake, or the Pretended Rogue), and establishes a children's "Literary Amusement Society"s
- composes Variations in E major on a theme of a Swiss song and the Polonaise in G sharp minor as well as (lost) mazurkas, valses, polonaises, and marches
1825
27 V - improvises on the aeolopantaleon, invented by J. Dlugosz, at a concert at the Conservatory
2 VI - A. Brzezina publishes the Rondo, op. 1
7 VI - "Kurier Warszawski" reports improvisations on the aeolomelodicon, an invention of F. A. Brunner, given by Chopin in the Protestant church
26 - 28 VI - receives an award at a public concert in the Lyceum; plays the Concerto by Ignaz Moscheles (?) in the Conservatory concert hall
VIII - the second holiday in Szafarnia; a trip to Torun and a visit to the house of Copernicus; youthful friendship with Jan Bialoblocki and Jan Matuszynski
24 VIII - on a visit to Obrów Chopin notes down a village song
26 VIII - reports about new contacts with Jewish folklore
30 X - impressed by Il Barbiere di Siviglia by Gioacchino Rossini
XI - becomes the Lyceum organist in the Church of the Visitant Nuns
1825/26
- presumably composes dances and variations
1826
I - II - composes the Funeral march in C minor, op. 72 no. 2; takes part in the funeral of Stanislaw Staszic which became a patriotic demonstration
II - the first report of an illness
3 VII - attends the Warsaw premiere of Der Freischütz by Carl M. von Weber
27 VII - graduates "cum laude" from the Lyceum; school friends include Julian Fontana, Wilhelm Kolberg, J. Matuszynski and Tytus Woyciechowski
- attends a performance of La Gazza ladra by G. Rossini; a theme from this opera is used for the trio in the Polonaise in B flat minor
25 VII - departs together with his mother for Duszniki via Lowicz, Kutno, Kalisz and Wroclaw
2 VIII - 11 IX - together with his sisters Ludwika and Emilia takes a cure in Duszniki; on 11(?) and 16 August gives charity concerts