Composer of the Week - Fryderyk Chopin (1810-1849)

Donald Macleod explores Chopin’s time in Britain

Chopin made just two trips to Britain, both in later life. These visits are often portrayed as a disaster - a calamitous mistake of no worth to Chopin which hastened the composer’s death. This week, Donald Macleod explores these two trips in depth, during which the virtuoso pianist gave six of the thirty public concerts he gave during the whole of his life, and also made many private appearances meeting the great and the good of British society.

Music Featured:

Mazurka No 47 in A minor, Op 68 No 2 Etude in C sharp minor, Op 10, No.4 “Torrent” Etudes, Op 25 (Nos 3, 10 & 12) Variations on “La Ci Darem la mano”, Op 2 (version for piano and orchestra) Impromptu No 1 in A flat, Op 29 Scherzo No 2 in B-flat minor, Op 31 Mazurka in F minor, Op posth. 68, No 4 (Andantino) Barcarolle, Op 60 Andante Spianato & Grande Polonaise Mazurka No 16 in A flat major, Op 24, No 3 Mazurka No 18 in C minor, Op 30, No 1 Mazurka No 19 in B minor, Op 30, No 2 Mazurka No 31 in A flat major, Op 50, No 2 3 Waltzes, Op 64 Prelude in C sharp minor, Op 45 Fantasy on Polish Airs, Op 13 Ballade No 2 in F, Op 38 Piano Concerto No 1 (I. Allegro Maestoso) Two Nocturnes, Op 55 Mazurka No 44, Op 67, No 1 Wiosna, Op 74, No 2 Krakowiak, Op 14 Nocturne Op 37, No 2 Sonata in G minor for Cello and Piano (II. Scherzo) Berceuse in D flat major, Op 59 Piano Concerto No 2 in F minor, Op 21 (III. Allegro Vivace) Ballade No 4 in F minor, Op 52 Sonata No 2 in B flat minor, Op 35 Etudes, op.25 No 1 & No 2 17 Polish Songs, Op 74, No 13 “Nie ma czego trzeba” (I Want What I Have Not)

Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Sam Phillips

For full track listings, including artist and recording details, and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after broadcast) head to the series page for Fryderyk Chopin (1810-1849) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000v86m

And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles

Published on Friday, 23rd April 2021.

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