Chopin as I See Him

Free investigation by Asya Lazar ARDOVA

Listen to the soundtrack "Chopin as I See Him” performed by Asya Lazar Ardova (piano) on the page ardSOUND  of ardisonata.net.

             Frederic Chopin is such a wonderful composer, such a comfortable hero of our unbridled imagination — how handsome he is and so frail at the same time…

Pianists, ladies and gentlemen, all over the world either lose their hearts to him, or consider themselves his flesh and blood. Musicologists, inspired by Chopin’s romantic biography, can’t help searching now Polish revolutionary protests, now some concealed yet unpublished love story having determined the great composer’s outlook. And most crazy extreme fans scrutinize his hand’s mould, comparing physical similarity with their own ones.

We also understand, that his passages of pearls need exceptional strength and special brilliance (very often changed for just speed and velocity) and his cantilena originates from true Italian bel canto (very often changed for just accompanied pop singing, when melody is reproduced by ear, while the way of corresponding harmonies is felt after).

Chopin’s contemporaries do not lag behind the future generations. Although having been Chopin’s close friend, George Sand preferred to take him for the young attractive adorable gypsy Mario from “Les Beaux messieurs de Bois-Doré”, or reckless prince Karol from “Lucrezia Floriani”.

  Although being Chopin’s colleague and trusty friend, glorious Franz Liszt (not without the influence of sanctimonious woman Carolina Wittgenstein) described him as some tender Polish angel with religious catholic inclinations, dreaming only of a silent cottage and a grove on the bank of the river Świteź with Slavonic lassies, resembling mermaids, who would sing in round dance under the guidance of pious Pani Carolina herself.

Even Miss Jane Sterling, Chopin’s pupil, had such esteem for this delicate, noble and kind teacher as to be interested only in his useful performing method and unfortunate destiny, but not in his philosophy.

Why don’t we ever ask, what Chopin was really pondering over, when such ample polyphonic facture (resembling Bach’s one) was conceived in his mind?! Just follow his overtones and action of key modulations and discover how deep he managed to peer inside the human psyche and even analyze every emotion’s impulse.

  His orchestra is suitable for any Italian opera written by Bellini, or Donizetti. Piano sound is his soloist, his singer and dancer with musical ballet tiptoes, while revolutionary topics are his tribute to romanticism — something from Byron, Shelley, Mickiewicz, Hugo…

 I am sure Chopin is not actually interested in music and especially pedagogical problems, he is not going to develop European music culture, nor does he serve the flourishment of love, or revolution. And there is no audience he wants to win, or lady he wants to charm. Meanwhile Chopin is far from narcissism or autophilia.

Simply, he is given the most complicated inner world, that is missing every passed moment, evoking nostalgic doubt, lest there should not appear something wonderful in this world.

 He is searching for new emotions, what a pity, when his passion fades away — “zhal, i. e. sorry” — he says to worked out fancies.  

Hence his music is always new and young. His inner world Chopin confides to piano for to cope with his polyphonic contemplative nature producing philosophical psycho-music investigations about the world around, that are not deprived of true irony…