Zitate von Frédéric Chopin
Frédéric Chopin
Geburtstag: 22. Februar 1810
Todesdatum: 17. Oktober 1849
Andere Namen: Frédéric François Chopin
Frédéric François Chopin oder Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin war ein polnisch-französischer Komponist, Pianist und Klavierpädagoge. Er gilt als einer der einflussreichsten und populärsten Pianisten und Komponisten von Klaviermusik. Als Sohn eines Franzosen und einer Polin in Warschau aufgewachsen, lebte er nach dem gescheiterten Novemberaufstand ab 1831 im Paris der Julimonarchie und der Zweiten Französischen Republik.
Chopin zählt zu den bedeutendsten Persönlichkeiten in der Geschichte Polens. Der Internationale Chopin-Wettbewerb, die Fryderyk-Chopin-Musikuniversität in Warschau, die Baltische Fryderyk-Chopin-Philharmonie in Danzig und der Internationale Chopin-Flughafen Warschau tragen seinen Namen.
Zitate Frédéric Chopin
„Mutter, meine arme Mutter.“
Letzte Worte, 17. Oktober 1849
Original poln.: "Matka, moja biedna matka."
„How great a joy I feel in my heart. That a day so pleasant, so dear and glorious begins, a day that I greet with the wish. That long years may pass in happiness. In health and vigour, peacefully, successfully. May the gift of heaven fall richly upon you“
As quoted in his letter to his father, dated December 6th 1817[citation needed]
„Time is still the best critic, and patience the best teacher.“
As quoted in Chopin : Pianist and Teacher as Seen by His Pupils.
Quelle: Chopin : Pianist and Teacher as Seen by His Pupils (1986) by Jean-Jacques Eigeldinger, Roy Howat, Naomi Shohet, and Krysia Osostowicz, p. 23

„You already know when I'm writing, so don't be surprised if it's short and dry, because I'm too hungry to write anything fat“
As quoted in his letter to Jan Bialoblocki, written in Zelazowa Wola and dated back to December 24th 1826[citation needed]
„I could express my feelings more easily if they could be put into the notes of music, but as the very best concert would not cover my affection for you, dear daddy, I must use the simple words of my heart, to lay before you my utmost gratitude and filial affection“
As quoted in Chopin's Letter.
Quelle: Chopin's Letter (1988) by Henryk Opieński,E. L. Voynich, p. 4
„Play Mozart in memory of me— and I will hear you.“
Murmured by Chopin on his death-bed.
Quelle: The opera reader, Biancolli, 1953, p. 271
„I wish I could throw off the thoughts which poison my happiness.“
As quoted in Chopin.
Variant translation: I wish I could throw off the thoughts which poison my happiness. And yet I take a kind of pleasure in indulging them.
Variante: I wish I could throw off the thoughts that poison my happiness, and yet I love to indulge in them;
Quelle: Chopin's Letters
„Simplicity is the final achievement. After one has played a vast quantity of notes and more notes, it is simplicity that emerges as the crowning reward of art.“
As quoted in If Not God, Then What?
Quelle: If Not God, Then What? (2007) by Joshua Fost, p. 93
„I have met Rossini, Cherubini, Baillot, etc.—also Kalkbrenner. You would not believe how curious I was about Herz, Liszt, Hiller, etc. — They are all zero beside Kalkbrenner. I confess that I have played like Herz, but would wish to play like Kalkbrenner. If Paganini is perfection, Kalkbrenner is his equal, but in quite another style.“
His letter to Tytus Woyciechowski in Poturzyn. Paris, 12 December 1831.
„Concerts are never real music, you have to give up the idea of hearing in them all the most beautiful things of art.“
Said to one of his students, according to "Chopin: Pianist and Teacher: As Seen by His Pupils" by Jean-Jacques Eigeldinger
„I am cross and depressed, and people bore me with their excessive attentions. I can't breathe, I can't work; I feel alone, alone, alone, although I am surrounded. There are a whole lot of ladies, 70 to 80 year-old lords, but no young folk: they are all out shooting. One can't get out of doors because it has been raining and blowing for several days.“
Quelle: Cited in chopin-society.org.uk http://www.chopin-society.org.uk/articles/chopin-britain.htm
„One needs only to study a certain positioning of the hand in relation to the keys to obtain with ease the most beautiful sounds, to know how to play long notes and short notes and to [attain] certain unlimited dexterity… A well formed technique, it seems to me, [is one] that can control and vary a beautiful sound quality.“
As quoted in Chopin : Pianist and Teacher as Seen by His Pupils.
Quelle: Chopin : Pianist and Teacher as Seen by His Pupils (1986) by Jean-Jacques Eigeldinger, Roy Howat, Naomi Shohet, and Krysia Osostowicz, p. 16
„Messieurs, I should like to be granted the favour of performing at one of your admirable concerts, and this I beg to ask of you. Trusting, since I lack other qualifications to obtain this, in your goodwill towards artists, I dare to hope that you will greet my request favourably, I have the honour to be, Messieurs, your very humble servant.
Frédéric Chopin
Cité Bergère, No. 4“
Letter of application to the Société des Concerts du Conservatoire.
Quelle: (13 March 1832); published in At the Piano with Fauré (1963) by Marguerite Long, p. 31
„I'm a revolutionary, money means nothing to me.“
Quoted in Arthur Hedley, Chopin (1947).