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Polish songs (Chopin)

January 06, 2023

Although Frédéric Chopin is best known for his works for piano solo, among his extant output are 19 songs for voice and piano, set to Polish texts.

Chopin at 25, by Maria Wodzińska, 1835

Background

Chopin wrote these songs at various times, from perhaps as early as 1827 when he was 17, to 1847, two years before his death. Only two of them were published in his lifetime (Życzenie and Wojak were published in Kiev in 1837 and 1839 respectively).[1][2]

In 1857 the 17 then known songs were collected for publication by Julian Fontana as Op. 74, but they were not arranged in chronological order of composition within that opus. Due to censorship restrictions, he was only able to publish 16 of them initially. These appeared in Warsaw as Zbiór śpiewów polskich Fryderyka Chopina (A Collection of Polish Songs by Frédéric Chopin), published by Gebethner & Wolff; and in Berlin as 16 Polnische Lieder, published by A M Schlesinger. The 17th song, Śpiew z mogiłki (Hymn from the Tomb) was published separately in Berlin with a French title, Chant du tombeau.[3]

A further two songs were published in 1910. Some references now include all 19 published songs in Op. 74.

Chopin is known to have written a number of other songs that are now lost. Some extant songs have been attributed to Chopin but are now considered spurious or doubtful.

Texts

All but one of the texts of the Chopin songs were original poems by his Polish contemporaries, with most of whom he was personally acquainted. The sole exception is Piosnka litewska (A Lithuanian Song), which was set to a Polish translation by Ludwik Osiński of a Lithuanian song.

Ten of them are by a friend of Chopin’s family, Stefan Witwicki, from his Piosnki Sielskie (Idylls, 1830). (Chopin also dedicated his Mazurkas, Op. 41, to Witwicki.) Three were by Józef Bohdan Zaleski. Two were by Adam Mickiewicz. Wincenty Pol's revolutionary Songs of Janusz (1836) inspired Chopin to write up to a dozen songs, but only one survives. Zygmunt Krasiński, the lover of Delfina Potocka, was another poet who inspired Chopin to write a song.[3]

The songs have been translated into over a dozen languages. Various English titles have been applied to some of the songs.

Recordings

Those who have recorded the 17 songs of Op. 74, or all 19 known songs, include:

Other singers have recorded selected songs.

Arrangements

Chopin himself arranged the piano part of Wiosna as a piece for piano alone, Andantino in G minor, B. 117. There exist five manuscript versions of this arrangement, dated between April 1838 and 1 September 1848.

Between 1847 and 1860, Chopin's friend Franz Liszt arranged six of the Op. 74 songs as piano transcriptions under the title Six Chants polonais, S.480, a set which has long been a concert and recording favourite. The six are:

  • 1. Mädchens Wunsch (No. 1: Życzenie – The Wish)
  • 2. Frühling (No. 2: Wiosna – Spring)
  • 3. Das Ringlein (No. 14: Pierścień – The Ring), which leads without a break into ...
  • 4. Bacchanal (No. 4: Hulanka – Merrymaking)
  • 5. Meine Freuden (No. 12: Moja pieszczotka – My Darling)
  • 6. Heimkehr (No. 15: Narzeczony – The Bridegroom).

In this arrangement, Das Ringlein leads without a break into Bacchanal, and towards the end of the latter song, immediately before the coda, Liszt includes a short 6-bar reprise of the earlier song.

List of Polish songs by Chopin

No. Polish title[1] English translation[1] Alternative title(s) Text by[1] Date composed[1] Published[1] Opus no.[1] Other catalogue nos. Key Notes
1. Życzenie A Maiden's wish A Young Girl's Wish Stefan Witwicki c. 1829 1837, Kiev; later 1857, Berlin 74/1 WN 21, B. 33 G major Franz Liszt used this melody as No. 2 (Mélodie polonaise) of his Glanes de Woronince, S.249 (1847); Liszt also transcribed the song for piano solo as No. 1 of his Six Chants polonais, S.480 (composed 1847-1860); Chopin also used a motif from the song in his posthumous Nocturne in C-sharp minor, Lento con gran espressione[5]
2. Wiosna Spring - Witwicki 1838 1857, Berlin 74/2 B. 116 G minor Chopin rewrote the piano part as Andantino, B. 117; there exist 5 manuscripts of this arrangement, dated between April 1838 and 1 September 1848; Franz Liszt also transcribed the song for piano solo as No. 2 of his Six Chants polonais, S.480 (composed 1847-1860)
3. Smutna rzeka Troubled Waters The Mournful Stream, Sad River Witwicki 1831 1857, Berlin 74/3 B. 63/1 F-sharp minor
4. Hulanka Drinking Song - Witwicki August 1830 1857, Berlin 74/4 WN 32, B. 50 C major Franz Liszt transcribed the song for piano solo as No. 4 of his Six Chants polonais, S.480 (composed 1847-1860)
5. Gdzie lubi A Fickle Maid A Maiden’s Love, A Girl’s Desire Witwicki c. 1829 1857, Berlin 74/5 WN 22, B. 32 A major
6. Precz z moich oczu Remembrance A Leave-taking, Out of my sight Adam Mickiewicz 1830 1857, Berlin 74/6 WN 33, B. 48 F minor
7. Poseł The Messenger The Message Witwicki 1830 1857, Berlin 74/7 WN 30, B. 50 D major
8. Śliczny chłopiec Handsome Lad Charming Lad; My Beloved Józef Bohdan Zaleski 1841 1857, Berlin 74/8 B. 143 D major
9. Melodia Melody Elegy; Lamento; Onward Zygmunt Krasiński 1847 1857, Berlin 74/9 B. 165 E minor
10. Wojak The Warrior Before the Battle Witwicki 1830 1839, Kiev; later 1857, Berlin 74/10 WN 34, B. 47 A-flat major
11. Dwojaki koniec The Double-End The Twofold End; The Two Corpses; Death's Divisions; United in Death Zaleski 1845 1857, Berlin 74/11 B. 156/1 D minor
12. Moja pieszczotka My Darling My Joys; My Delight Mickiewicz 1837 1857, Berlin 74/12 B. 112 G-flat major Franz Liszt transcribed the song for piano solo as No. 5 of his Six Chants polonais, S.480 (composed 1847-1860)
13. Nie ma czego trzeba I Want What I Have Not Faded and Vanished; Melancholy; Lack of Light Zaleski 1845 1857, Berlin 74/13 B. 156/2 A minor A simpler version was published in 1910 as Dumka
14. Pierścień The Ring - Witwicki 8 September 1836 1857, Berlin 74/14 B. 103 E-flat major Chopin wrote this song into the album of Maria Wodzińska, to whom he had just become betrothed;[5] Franz Liszt also transcribed the song for piano solo as No. 3 of his Six Chants polonais, S.480 (composed 1847-1860)
15. Narzeczony The Bridegroom's return The Return Home, The Betrothed Witwicki 1831 1857, Berlin 74/15 WN 40, B. 63/2 C minor Franz Liszt transcribed the song for piano solo as No. 6 of his Six Chants polonais, S.480 (composed 1847-1860)
16. Piosnka litewska Lithuanian Song - trans. Ludwik Osiński 1830 (1831)? 1857, Berlin 74/16 WN 38, B. 63/3 F major Translated from a Lithuanian folk song
17. Śpiew z mogiły Poland's Dirge Leaves are falling Wincenty Pol 8 May 1836 1857, Berlin 74/17 WN 49, B. 101 E-flat minor
- Dumka Reverie Dirge; Mist Before My Eyes Zaleski 25 March 1840 22 October 1910, Lwów (74/19)? B. 132, KK.IVb/9 A minor Sometimes included in Op. 74; this is an earlier, simpler version of Nie ma czego trzeba.
- Czary Witchcraft - Witwicki 1830 (?) 1910, Leipzig (74/18)? WN 31, B. 51, KK.IVa/11 D minor Sometimes included in Op. 74; the 1910 publication was of a facsimile reproduction of an album Chopin had sent to Maria Wodzińska. It was not finally published in normal form till 1954.
- Płótno Linen - ? ? - - KK.Vd/5 ? Lost; mentioned in a letter from Julian Fontana to Chopin's sister Ludwika Jędrzejewicz, dated 2 July 1852
- Jakież kwiaty Which Flowers - I. Maciejowski 22 August 1829 1856, Warsaw - B. 39, KK.Iva/9 G major ded. Vaclav Hanka
- 3 songs ? ? ? - - KK.Vd/6-8 ? Lost; listed in a letter from Chopin's Scottish pupil Jane Stirling to Ludwika Jędrzejewicz, dated July 1852
- 4 songs ? Only the violin parts remain
- ? ? ? ? - - KK.Vc/10 ? Lost; mentioned in a letter from Ludwika Jędrzejewicz to her brother Chopin, dated 9 January 1841
- Dumka na Wygnaniu Song of the Exile - M Gosławski ? - - KK.Anh. Ic/1 ? Doubtful authenticity
- Tam na błoniu There on the Green - ? ? - - KK.Anh. Ic/2 ? Doubtful authenticity
- Trzeci maj The Third of May - S Starzeński ? - - KK.Anh. Ic/3 ? Doubtful authenticity
- O wiem, że Polska Oh, I know that Poland - Krasiński ? - - KK.Anh. Ic/4 ? Doubtful authenticity
- Pytasz się, czemu You Ask Why - Krasiński ? - - KK.Anh. Ic/5 ? Doubtful authenticity
- Pieśni pielgrzyma polskiego Songs of a Polish Pilgrim - K Gaszyński ? - - KK.Anh. Ic/6 ? Doubtful authenticity

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Kornel Michałowski and Jim Samson. "Chopin, Fryderyk Franciszek". Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
  2. ^ Jim Samson[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ a b c Hyperion
  4. ^ Music Web International
  5. ^ a b Ramin Rezaei, Frederic Chopin's Chamber Music and Polish Songs

External links

  • Polish Songs, Op.74 (Chopin, Frédéric): Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
  • The Spirit of Poland in Jim Samson: The Music of Chopin, pp 100, Oxford University Press 1985
  • "Frédéric François Chopin - 17 Polish Songs, Op.74". classicalarchives.com.

January 06, 2023
polish, songs, chopin, although, frédéric, chopin, best, known, works, piano, solo, among, extant, output, songs, voice, piano, polish, texts, chopin, maria, wodzińska, 1835, contents, background, texts, recordings, arrangements, list, polish, songs, chopin, r. Although Frederic Chopin is best known for his works for piano solo among his extant output are 19 songs for voice and piano set to Polish texts Chopin at 25 by Maria Wodzinska 1835 Contents 1 Background 2 Texts 3 Recordings 4 Arrangements 5 List of Polish songs by Chopin 6 References 7 External linksBackground EditChopin wrote these songs at various times from perhaps as early as 1827 when he was 17 to 1847 two years before his death Only two of them were published in his lifetime Zyczenie and Wojak were published in Kiev in 1837 and 1839 respectively 1 2 In 1857 the 17 then known songs were collected for publication by Julian Fontana as Op 74 but they were not arranged in chronological order of composition within that opus Due to censorship restrictions he was only able to publish 16 of them initially These appeared in Warsaw as Zbior spiewow polskich Fryderyka Chopina A Collection of Polish Songs by Frederic Chopin published by Gebethner amp Wolff and in Berlin as 16 Polnische Lieder published by A M Schlesinger The 17th song Spiew z mogilki Hymn from the Tomb was published separately in Berlin with a French title Chant du tombeau 3 A further two songs were published in 1910 Some references now include all 19 published songs in Op 74 Chopin is known to have written a number of other songs that are now lost Some extant songs have been attributed to Chopin but are now considered spurious or doubtful Texts EditAll but one of the texts of the Chopin songs were original poems by his Polish contemporaries with most of whom he was personally acquainted The sole exception is Piosnka litewska A Lithuanian Song which was set to a Polish translation by Ludwik Osinski of a Lithuanian song Ten of them are by a friend of Chopin s family Stefan Witwicki from his Piosnki Sielskie Idylls 1830 Chopin also dedicated his Mazurkas Op 41 to Witwicki Three were by Jozef Bohdan Zaleski Two were by Adam Mickiewicz Wincenty Pol s revolutionary Songs of Janusz 1836 inspired Chopin to write up to a dozen songs but only one survives Zygmunt Krasinski the lover of Delfina Potocka was another poet who inspired Chopin to write a song 3 The songs have been translated into over a dozen languages Various English titles have been applied to some of the songs Recordings EditThose who have recorded the 17 songs of Op 74 or all 19 known songs include Elisabeth Soderstrom with Vladimir Ashkenazy 4 Leyla Gencer with Nikita Magaloff Stefania Toczyska with Janusz Olejniczak Teresa Zylis Gara with Halina Czerny Stefanska Eugenia Zareska with Giorgio Favaretto Stefania Woytowicz and Andrzej Bachleda with Wanda Klimowicz Francoise Ogeas with Eva Osinska Maria Kurenko with Robert Hufstader Urszula Kryger with Charles Spencer 3 H Januszewska with M Drewnowski Joanna Kozlowska with Waldemar Malicki CDAccord ACD051 1999 Elzbieta Szmytka with Malcolm Martineau 1999 Ewa Podles with Garrick Ohlsson Aleksandra Kurzak soprano and Mariusz Kwiecien baritone accompanied by Nelson Goerner all 19 songs recorded in Warsaw in 2009 and issued by the Fryderyk Chopin Institute Olga Pasichnyk with Natalya Pasichnyk 2009 Mario Hacquard baritone and Anna Zassimova piano French version by Victor Wilder Recorded in Karlsruhe with a piano by Sebastien Erard 2017 Chopin Lieder Op 74 produced by Elegia Classics 2018 with Dominika Zamara sopran and Franco Moro pianoOther singers have recorded selected songs Arrangements EditChopin himself arranged the piano part of Wiosna as a piece for piano alone Andantino in G minor B 117 There exist five manuscript versions of this arrangement dated between April 1838 and 1 September 1848 Between 1847 and 1860 Chopin s friend Franz Liszt arranged six of the Op 74 songs as piano transcriptions under the title Six Chants polonais S 480 a set which has long been a concert and recording favourite The six are 1 Madchens Wunsch No 1 Zyczenie The Wish 2 Fruhling No 2 Wiosna Spring 3 Das Ringlein No 14 Pierscien The Ring which leads without a break into 4 Bacchanal No 4 Hulanka Merrymaking 5 Meine Freuden No 12 Moja pieszczotka My Darling 6 Heimkehr No 15 Narzeczony The Bridegroom In this arrangement Das Ringlein leads without a break into Bacchanal and towards the end of the latter song immediately before the coda Liszt includes a short 6 bar reprise of the earlier song List of Polish songs by Chopin EditNo Polish title 1 English translation 1 Alternative title s Text by 1 Date composed 1 Published 1 Opus no 1 Other catalogue nos Key Notes1 Zyczenie A Maiden s wish A Young Girl s Wish Stefan Witwicki c 1829 1837 Kiev later 1857 Berlin 74 1 WN 21 B 33 G major Franz Liszt used this melody as No 2 Melodie polonaise of his Glanes de Woronince S 249 1847 Liszt also transcribed the song for piano solo as No 1 of his Six Chants polonais S 480 composed 1847 1860 Chopin also used a motif from the song in his posthumous Nocturne in C sharp minor Lento con gran espressione 5 2 Wiosna Spring Witwicki 1838 1857 Berlin 74 2 B 116 G minor Chopin rewrote the piano part as Andantino B 117 there exist 5 manuscripts of this arrangement dated between April 1838 and 1 September 1848 Franz Liszt also transcribed the song for piano solo as No 2 of his Six Chants polonais S 480 composed 1847 1860 3 Smutna rzeka Troubled Waters The Mournful Stream Sad River Witwicki 1831 1857 Berlin 74 3 B 63 1 F sharp minor4 Hulanka Drinking Song Witwicki August 1830 1857 Berlin 74 4 WN 32 B 50 C major Franz Liszt transcribed the song for piano solo as No 4 of his Six Chants polonais S 480 composed 1847 1860 5 Gdzie lubi A Fickle Maid A Maiden s Love A Girl s Desire Witwicki c 1829 1857 Berlin 74 5 WN 22 B 32 A major6 Precz z moich oczu Remembrance A Leave taking Out of my sight Adam Mickiewicz 1830 1857 Berlin 74 6 WN 33 B 48 F minor7 Posel The Messenger The Message Witwicki 1830 1857 Berlin 74 7 WN 30 B 50 D major8 Sliczny chlopiec Handsome Lad Charming Lad My Beloved Jozef Bohdan Zaleski 1841 1857 Berlin 74 8 B 143 D major9 Melodia Melody Elegy Lamento Onward Zygmunt Krasinski 1847 1857 Berlin 74 9 B 165 E minor10 Wojak The Warrior Before the Battle Witwicki 1830 1839 Kiev later 1857 Berlin 74 10 WN 34 B 47 A flat major11 Dwojaki koniec The Double End The Twofold End The Two Corpses Death s Divisions United in Death Zaleski 1845 1857 Berlin 74 11 B 156 1 D minor12 Moja pieszczotka My Darling My Joys My Delight Mickiewicz 1837 1857 Berlin 74 12 B 112 G flat major Franz Liszt transcribed the song for piano solo as No 5 of his Six Chants polonais S 480 composed 1847 1860 13 Nie ma czego trzeba I Want What I Have Not Faded and Vanished Melancholy Lack of Light Zaleski 1845 1857 Berlin 74 13 B 156 2 A minor A simpler version was published in 1910 as Dumka14 Pierscien The Ring Witwicki 8 September 1836 1857 Berlin 74 14 B 103 E flat major Chopin wrote this song into the album of Maria Wodzinska to whom he had just become betrothed 5 Franz Liszt also transcribed the song for piano solo as No 3 of his Six Chants polonais S 480 composed 1847 1860 15 Narzeczony The Bridegroom s return The Return Home The Betrothed Witwicki 1831 1857 Berlin 74 15 WN 40 B 63 2 C minor Franz Liszt transcribed the song for piano solo as No 6 of his Six Chants polonais S 480 composed 1847 1860 16 Piosnka litewska Lithuanian Song trans Ludwik Osinski 1830 1831 1857 Berlin 74 16 WN 38 B 63 3 F major Translated from a Lithuanian folk song17 Spiew z mogily Poland s Dirge Leaves are falling Wincenty Pol 8 May 1836 1857 Berlin 74 17 WN 49 B 101 E flat minor Dumka Reverie Dirge Mist Before My Eyes Zaleski 25 March 1840 22 October 1910 Lwow 74 19 B 132 KK IVb 9 A minor Sometimes included in Op 74 this is an earlier simpler version of Nie ma czego trzeba Czary Witchcraft Witwicki 1830 1910 Leipzig 74 18 WN 31 B 51 KK IVa 11 D minor Sometimes included in Op 74 the 1910 publication was of a facsimile reproduction of an album Chopin had sent to Maria Wodzinska It was not finally published in normal form till 1954 Plotno Linen KK Vd 5 Lost mentioned in a letter from Julian Fontana to Chopin s sister Ludwika Jedrzejewicz dated 2 July 1852 Jakiez kwiaty Which Flowers I Maciejowski 22 August 1829 1856 Warsaw B 39 KK Iva 9 G major ded Vaclav Hanka 3 songs KK Vd 6 8 Lost listed in a letter from Chopin s Scottish pupil Jane Stirling to Ludwika Jedrzejewicz dated July 1852 4 songs Only the violin parts remain KK Vc 10 Lost mentioned in a letter from Ludwika Jedrzejewicz to her brother Chopin dated 9 January 1841 Dumka na Wygnaniu Song of the Exile M Goslawski KK Anh Ic 1 Doubtful authenticity Tam na bloniu There on the Green KK Anh Ic 2 Doubtful authenticity Trzeci maj The Third of May S Starzenski KK Anh Ic 3 Doubtful authenticity O wiem ze Polska Oh I know that Poland Krasinski KK Anh Ic 4 Doubtful authenticity Pytasz sie czemu You Ask Why Krasinski KK Anh Ic 5 Doubtful authenticity Piesni pielgrzyma polskiego Songs of a Polish Pilgrim K Gaszynski KK Anh Ic 6 Doubtful authenticityReferences Edit a b c d e f g Kornel Michalowski and Jim Samson Chopin Fryderyk Franciszek Grove Music Online Oxford Music Online Retrieved 7 January 2011 Jim Samson permanent dead link a b c Hyperion Music Web International a b Ramin Rezaei Frederic Chopin s Chamber Music and Polish SongsExternal links EditPolish Songs Op 74 Chopin Frederic Scores at the International Music Score Library Project The Spirit of Poland in Jim Samson The Music of Chopin pp 100 Oxford University Press 1985 Frederic Francois Chopin 17 Polish Songs Op 74 classicalarchives com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Polish songs Chopin amp oldid 1023557527, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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