Chopin’s World of Sounds. Reverberations in Time
Chopin’s World of Sounds. Reverberations in Time

Summary/Abstract: Chopin asked his students to come close to the musical work, to ascend to its level and not distort it. Chopin sustained constantly that music should be given absolute autonomy. He thought that the meaning of a musical work should not consist of a story, by transforming it into a programmatic work. He stimulated his young disciples to play as they felt, never mechanically and indifferently. At the same time he never accepted emotional overreactions in piano playing and demanded a perfect self-control and very good taste. In his opinion, music bears resemblance to natural speech. His ideal involved large, generous phrases, which could ensure the integrity of musical thought. Referring to the rhythmical pulse, on the much disputed issue of Chopin’s rubato, we evoke testimonies of many contemporary friends and pupils. The liberties assumed by the composer are strictly related to the limits of a very well organized rhythm. This study will focus on the piano apparatus in Chopin’s manner: how to obtain an expressive playing, how to reach suppleness and freedom of fingers, how to deal with legato, touch, creative fingering and use of the pedals, how to “sing” at the piano. Chopin’s contribution in the harmonic field of music is also researched, trying to define a specific musical ethos: we stand before a triumph of the yin element against the yang one.Chopin brought the change especially in the field of musicality, of delicacy and refinement, lyricism and poetry, expressing musical contents naturally, with simplicity. For him, technique was the perfect equipment to express the most profound content of music. Due to the accomplished harmony and balance between musical contents and means, due to the spontaneity and directness of his musical discourse, due to the total lack of pomposity and at the same time the splendour and elegance of speech, Frédéric Chopin remains a modern musician.

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