Composer of the Week: Chopin

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Composer of the Week

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Composer of the Week - Brand

An informative guide to composers' lives and their music.

An informative and accessible guide to composers' lives and their music.

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

Incognito

Fryderyk Chopin (1810-1849)

BBC Radio 3 - Composer of the Week, Fryderyk Chopin (1810-1849), Incognito

Donald Macleod explores the first visit Chopin made to Britain in 1837.

Donald Macleod explores the first time Chopin visited Britain in 1837, when he secretly accompanied his friend, pianist and piano maker Camille Pleyel, on his trip to London

Donald Macleod explores the first visit Chopin made to Britain in 1837.

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. Over the course of 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. In Monday’s episode, Donald explores the first time Chopin visited Britain in 1837 when the composer was in the midst of a heartbreaking romantic breakup. Chopin wanted to remain incognito, and so he travelled under a pseudonym, so that he could secretly accompany his friend - the pianist, piano maker, publisher and concert hall owner Camille Pleyel - on a trip to London.

Mazurka no. 47 in A minor, Op. 68 no.2 - Lento
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (piano)

Etudes in C sharp minor, Op.10 no.4 “Torrent”; in F major, Op. 25 no. 3 “Horsemen”; in B minor, Op. 25 no. 10 “Octave”; and in C minor, Op. 25 no. 12 (Ocean)
Murray Perahia (piano)

Variations on “La Ci Darem la mano”, Op. 2 (version for piano and orchestra)
Jan Lisiecki (piano)
NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester
Krzysztof Urbański (conductor)

Impromptu no.1 in A flat, Op.29
Mikhail Pletnev (piano)

Scherzo no. 2 in B-flat minor, op.31
Janina Fialkowska (piano)


Producer: Sam Phillips

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

Live music and the arts: broadcasts more live music than any other radio network. Classical music is its core. Genres include world and new music, jazz, speech and drama.

Donald Macleod explores the two concert tours of Britain that Chopin made in later life.

Donald Macleod explores the two trips Chopin made to Britain, during which the virtuoso pianist gave six of the 30 public concerts he gave during the whole of his life.

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