Chopin. Mazurkas op.24
Frédéric Chopin composed in many substantial forms, such as concertos, sonatas, variations and ballades; in these works, Chopin tells the pure romantic story of the archetypal 19thcentury struggling Hero. His works of those genres have been linked to heroic romantic literature of the time, particularly works of a proud, folk-like nature.
However, I believe that Chopin opens his heart to us fully in his short works. The mazurka, a national polish dance, becomes a form of very intimate confession for him. Using the particular but inconsistent and flexible movement of the dance, Chopin is able to create a unique musical gesture, one which cannot be – using musician’s language – fully “decided” upon while practicing these beautiful pieces. Just like a sigh, a brief thought, a breathtaking moment, these mazurkas fade away into silence only to be revived and reenergized in ever-changing emotional shapes.
Franz Schubert. Sonata C minor D958
The great Franz Schubert was another champion of the dance. In fact, he was first known as a composer of dances and songs; his piano sonatas and symphonies were discovered only after his death, when immediately won their place in the forefront of the classical music repertoire.
The sonata in C minor belongs to the group of pieces that were his last piano musical thoughts, completed just a few months before his tragic death. Schubert lived a truly miserable life, almost completely unrecognized and unappreciated.
Reading the first biography of the great composer written in 1864 we discover that his best-known work was the symphonic overture Rosamunde; there is not a mention of his late sonatas, late symphonies, or chamber music works.
In this C minor sonata we hear Beethoven’s influence. The beginning is immediately reminiscent of the theme from famous Beethoven’s 32 variations for piano. Full of drama, anxiety, warmth, charm, despair, and glimpses of hope, this sonata ends with a Tarantella dance as its finale. Schubert once said: “We happily dance through life towards a welcomingly open coffin,” This finale is a vivid picture of an anxious dance which ultimately sees our hero spiraling into an abyss.
Modest Mussorgsky. Pictures at the exhibition.
Mussorgsky belongs to a group of the most iconic and mysterious Russian composers. His music frequently turns towards very dark images and plots – his famous operas Boris Godunov and Khovanshina, the song cycle “Dances and Songs of Death” and finally Pictures at the Exhibition. Some sources suggest that Mussorgsky was one of the last people to see his dear friend, the artist Victor Hartmann, alive. Hartmann died of a heart attack the same evening he met with Mussorgsky to discuss the possibility of presenting Hartmann’s work at an exhibition. Mussorgsky was absolutely devasted by the death of his friend, and decided to realize the project in sound. “Pictures at an Exhibition” represents Hartmann’s paintings and installations with the same titles. But Mussorgsky also introduces Promenades, moments in the music which illustrate an exhibition visitor walking from one painting to another, the character of each promenade carrying the emotional impression of each painting.
The piece is very often perceived as just a colorful music painting which is fun and entertaining. But being aware of certain life events, and Mussorgsky’s imagination, inflamed by his alcohol addiction, we could try to take a different approach.
Gnomus, Il Vecchio Castello, Bydlo, Two Jews, and Baba Yaga – all these pieces are “painted” with dark, gloomy colors. And as we discover similar thematic motives appearing in “With the dead in dead language” as well as in the Promenades, connecting with those pieces above, we may see that the composer wants us to remember the events that have influenced the creation of this composition. Even in the grand ending of the whole cycle Mussorgsky inserts the famous Russian church funeral liturgy motive as a quiet and intimate farewell to his dear friend.
