Chopin: Miscellaneous Works

Chopin had requested that all his unpublished manuscripts be destroyed after he died. However, with the approval of Chopin's mother and sisters, Chopin's friend Julian Fontana (1810 - 1869; Polish pianist, composer, lawyer, author, translator, and entrepreneur) selected 23 unpublished Chopin piano-pieces and grouped them into eight posthumous opus numbers (Opus 66 to Opus 73). These works were published in 1855, and include the Marche funèbre, the Fantaisie-Impromptu, eight mazurkas, five waltzes, three polonaises, three écossaises, a nocturne, a rondo. In 1857, seventeen of Chopin’s Polish songs were published as Opus 74.

Various other works have been subsequently published, but have not been given opus numbers. They are identified by alternative numbers from the catalogues of Maurice J. E. Brown (B), Krystyna Kobylańska (KK), and Josef Michał Chominski (A, C, D, E, P, S).

Chopin's Marche funèbre, Opus 72, Number 2, was composed between 1827 and 1829, and published in 1855. It is not to be confused with the famous Funeral March from Chopin's Piano Sonata No. 2, in B flat minor, Opus 35.

Frédéric Chopin (1810 - 1849), who wrote mostly for solo piano, is generally considered to be one of the great masters of Romantic music. His work, often sounding like spontaneous improvisation, is characterized by beautiful rhythmic melodies expressive of heart-felt emotion.

Tutorials

• Cantabile in B-flat Major, B. 84

• Marche funèbre, Op.72, No.2 Sheetmusic

• Fantaisie-Impromptu

• Mazurkas

• Nocturnes

• Polonaises

• Waltzes

• Wiosna (Spring)