- Miscellaneous compositions (Chopin)
-
The great bulk of Frédéric Chopin's output consists of pieces for solo piano: his ballades, études, impromptus, mazurkas, nocturnes, polonaises, preludes, rondos, scherzos, sonatas and waltzes. There are also the two piano concertos, four other works for piano and orchestra, and a small amount of chamber music.
However, Chopin also produced a number of other compositions, mostly for solo piano, but some for other forces. Some of these are well-known, such as the Barcarole in F-sharp, the Fantaisie in F minor, the Berceuse in D-flat, and some of the 19 Polish songs. Most of the other lesser-known works were published only after his death, contrary to his express wishes that all his unpublished manuscripts should be burned.
While often disregarded in the concert repertoire (particularly the posthumously published works), these miscellaneous works are nevertheless part of his oeuvre and most have been recorded, in some cases numerous times.
Contents
Posthumous opus numbers and other catalogue designations
Chopin expressed a death-bed wish that all his unpublished manuscripts be destroyed. However, at the request of the composer's mother and sisters, Julian Fontana selected 23 unpublished piano pieces and grouped them into eight posthumous opus numbers (Opp. 66–73). These works were published in 1855, and include the Fantaisie-Impromptu, 8 mazurkas, 5 waltzes, 3 polonaises, 3 écossaises, a nocturne, a rondo, and a Marche funèbre. In 1857, 17 of Chopin’s Polish songs were published as Op. 74.
Various other works have been subsequently published, but have not been given opus numbers. They are identified by alternative numbers from the catalogues of Maurice J. E. Brown (B), Krystyna Kobylańska (KK), and Josef Michał Chominski (A, C, D, E, P, S).
Extant miscellaneous works
Title Forces* Key Composed Published Opus Brown Kobylańska Chominski Notes Album Leaf (Moderato) E major 1843 1910 B. 151 KK. IVb/12 Allegro de concert A major 1841 1841 Op. 46 B. 72 Originally intended to be a third piano concerto Andantino G minor * B. 117 An arrangement for piano alone of the piano part of the song Wiosna; * 5 MS exist whose dates range from April 1838 to 1 September 1848 Barcarole F-sharp major 1846 1846 Op. 60 B. 158 Berceuse D-flat major 1844 1845 Op. 57 B. 154 Bolero - 1833 1834 Op. 19 B. 81 Two Bourrées G major, A major 1846 1968 B. 160b KK. VIIb/1-2 Canon F minor 1839 1948 B. 129b KK. IVc/1 Cantabile B-flat major 1834 1931 B. 84 KK. IVb/6 Three Écossaises D major, G major, D-flat major 1826 1855 Op. posth. 72/3 B. 12 Fantaisie F minor 1841 1841 Op. 49 B. 137 Fugue A minor 1841-42 1898 B. 144 KK. IVc/2 3 Fugues A minor, F major, D minor KK. VIIa/2 Arr. from Cherubini's Cours de contrepoint et de fugue Galopp A flat 1846 KK. IVc/13 P. 2/13 Galop Marquis Introduction and Variations brillantes on the Rondeau favori "Je vends des scapulaires" from Hérold's Ludovic B-flat major 1833 Op. 12 B. 80 Klavierstück B-flat major 1834 P. 2/6 Klavierstück E-flat major 1837 P. 2/5 Klavierstück E-flat major 1840 1955 B.133 KK IVb/10 P. 2/10 Marked simply "Sostenuto"; sometimes classified as a Waltz Largo E-flat major 1837 1938 B. 109 KK. IVb/5 Marche funèbre C minor 1827 1855 Op. posth. 72/2 B. 20 17 Polish songs Voice and piano 1827-47 1857 Op. posth. 74 various various 2 Polish songs Voice and piano 1830, 1840 1910 B. 51, 132 KK.IVa/11, IVb/9 Tarantelle A-flat major 1841 1841 Op. 43 B. 139 Variation No. 6 for Hexameron E major 1837 1839 B. 113 Variations on an Irish National Air (from Thomas Moore) 2 pianos D major 1826 1965 B. 12a P. 1/6 Also known as Introduction, Theme and Variations in D on a Venetian air; Variations on Le Carnival de Venise (unknown why catalogues list it as an Irish National Air) Variations on the air "Der Schweizerbub" E major 1826 1851 B. 14 KK. IVa/4 aka Introduction et Variations sur un Lied allemand Variations in A, Souvenir de Paganini A major 1829 1881 B. 37 KK. IVa/10 - * All for piano solo except where otherwise indicated.
There remain a number of works:
- whose MS are lost, destroyed, or unavailable to researchers; or
- whose authenticity is doubtful or spurious.
Title Forces* Key Composed Published Brown Kobylańska Chominski Status and Notes Allegretto and Mazurka A major, D minor KK. VIIb/7-8 MS sold Paris 21 November 1974 Andante dolente B-flat minor KK. Vb/1 Lost Contredanse G-flat major 1827 1934 B. 17 KK. Anh. Ia/4 A 1/4 Authenticity not universally accepted. The sole MS is not in Chopin's hand.[1] Écossaise KK. Ve/3 Lost Écossaise B flat major 1827 KK. Vb/9 Lost 3 Marches KK. Vd/1-3 Lost; perhaps includes the Marche funèbre in C minor, Op. posth. 72/2 Marches "early" KK. Vf Lost Mazurka B-flat minor KK. Anh. Ib Doubtful Mazurka KK. Ve/8 Mentioned in 1878 correspondence between Breitkopf & Hartel and Izabela Barczinska Mazurka KK. Ve/6 Mentioned in a note from Augener to C.A. Spina 21 May 1884 Mazurka (Mazurek) D major 1820 1910 B. 4 KK. Anh. Ia/1 A 1/1 Doubtful Mazurka D major 1826 KK. Ve/5 Referred to in literature but the MS is unknown Mazurka 1832 KK. Vc/2 Mentioned in a letter from Chopin dated 10 September 1832 Mazurka 14 September 1832 KK. Ve/7 Listed in an auction catalogue, Paris, 1906 Mazurka G major 22 August 1829 Setting of a poem by Ignaz Macicowski Mazurkas (several) "early" KK. Vf Lost Mazurka by December 1846 KK. Vc/4 Mentioned in a letter from Chopin Mazurka F-sharp KK. Anh. II/1 Spurious; by Charles Mayer Military March ?? 1817 KK. Vd/4 Lost; scoring for military band not by Chopin; dedicated to the Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich Nocturne (Nocturne oubliée) C sharp minor KK Anh Ia/6 A1/6 Spurious Polonaises (several) "early" KK. Vf Lost 2 Polonaises 1818 Lost; presented on 26 September 1818 to the Empress Maria Fyodorovna, mother of Tsar Alexander I of Russia, on the occasion of her visit to Warsaw Polonaise 1825 KK. Vf Lost; on themes by Rossini (The Barber of Seville) and Spontini; mentioned in a letter from Chopin dated November 1825 Polonaise 1831 (by July) KK. Vc/1 Lost; mentioned in a letter from Chopin to his family Polonaise 1832 KK. Vc/3 Mentioned in a letter from Chopin dated 10 September 1832 Prelude and Andantino animato F major 1930 KK Anh Ia/2-3 A 1/2-3 Doubtful 2 sacred works ?? by 1846 KK. Va/1-2 Lost; includes Veni Creator Sonata Piano four-hands 1835 KK. Vc/5 Lost; mentioned in a letter from Chopin to Breitkopf Song Plotno Voice and piano KK. Vd/5 Lost Song Voice and piano January 1841 KK. Vc/10 Lost; mentioned in a letter of 9 January 1841 3 songs Voice and piano KK. Vd/6-8 Lost 6 songs Voice and piano KK. Anh. Ic/1 Doubtful 4 songs Voice and ?? various Violin parts only remain Variations January 1818 KK Ve/9 Lost Variations Piano 4-hands or 2 pianos F major 1826 KK. Vb/2 Lost Variations on "Non più mesta" from Rossini's La Cenerentola Flute and piano E major 1824 1955 B. 9 KK. Anh. Ia/5 A 1/5 This work has been attributed to Chopin, but is generally considered spurious. Variations on a Ukrainian Dumka by Antoni Radziwill Violin and piano 1830 KK. VIIa/3 Lost Waltz E-flat major 1827-30 1902 B. 46 KK. Iva/14 P. 1/14 Spurious Waltz (Valse mélancolique) F sharp minor 1838 1932 KK Ib/7 A 1/7 Spurious Waltz C major 1824 KK. Vb/8 Lost Waltz A minor 1824 KK. Vf Lost Waltz C major 1826 KK. Vb/3 MS destroyed; copy of first line made by Chopin's sister Ludwika is extant Waltz A-flat major 1827 KK. Vb/4 MS destroyed; copy of first line made by Chopin's sister Ludwika is extant Waltz (La Partenza) D minor 1828 KK. Vb/6 MS destroyed; copy of first line made by Chopin's sister Ludwika is extant Waltz A minor 1829 Discovered 1937; was in possession of H. Hinterberger of Vienna, but now believed destroyed Waltz A flat major 1829-30 KK. Vb/5 Mentioned in a letter from Chopin to his family, 21 December 1830; MS destroyed; copy of first line made by Chopin's sister Ludwika is extant Waltz E-flat major 1829-30 KK. Vb/7 MS destroyed; copy of first line made by Chopin's sister Ludwika is extant Waltz C major 1831 MS destroyed; copy of first line made by Chopin's sister Ludwika is extant Waltz by 1845 KK. Ve/12 Mentioned in diary of L. Niedźwiecki Waltz B major 12 October 1848 B.166 KK. Va/3 MS in private hands and unavailable Waltz B-flat major 1849 Discovered 1952; in possession of Arthur Hedley Waltz KK. Vb/7 Mentioned in letters from Breitkopf to Izabela Barcińska in 1878 Waltz KK. Ve/10 Listed in auction catalogue, Paris, March 1906 Waltzes (several) KK.Vf Lost Several works Violin and piano Lost 2 works Aeolopantaleon KK. Ve/1-2 Lost - * For piano solo unless otherwise indicated.
References
Miscellaneous extant works by Frédéric Chopin With opus numbers: Variations brillantes in B-flat major on "Je vends des scapulaires" from Hérold's Ludovic, Op. 12 • Bolero, Op. 19 • Tarantelle in A-flat major, Op. 43 • Allegro de concert, Op. 46 • Fantaisie in F minor, Op. 49 • Berceuse in D-flat major, Op. 57 • Barcarole in F-sharp major, Op. 60 • Marche funèbre in C minor, Op. posth. 72/2 • Three Écossaises, Op. posth. 72/3 • 17 Polish songs, Op. posth. 74
Without opus numbers: Album Leaf (Moderato) in E major, B. 151 • Andantino in G minor (arr. of the piano part of the song Wiosna), B. 117 • 2 Bourrées, B. 160b • Canon in F minor, B. 129a • Cantabile in B-flat major, B. 84 • Contredanse in G-flat major (doubtful), B. 17 • Fugue in A minor, B. 144 • 3 Fugues; arr. from Cherubini's Cours de contrepoint et de fugue, KK. VIIa/2 • Galopp in A flat (Galop Marquis), P. 2/13 • Introduction, Theme and Variations in D on a Venetian air, for piano 4-hands, KK. IVa/6 • Klavierstück in B flat (1834), P. 2/6 • Klavierstück in E flat (1837), P. 2/5 • Klavierstück in E flat (1840), P. 2/10 • Largo in E flat, B. 109 • 2 Polish songs, B. 51, 132 • Variations in A, Souvenir de Paganini, B. 37 • Variation in E for Hexameron, B. 113 • Variations in E for flute and piano on "Non più mesta" from Rossini's La Cenerentola, B.9, KK. Anh. Ia/5 • Variations in E major on the air "Der Schweizerbub", aka Introduction et Variations sur un Lied allemand, B. 14
List of compositions by Frédéric Chopin by musical form
List of compositions by Frédéric Chopin by opus numberCategories:- Compositions by Frédéric Chopin
- Solo piano pieces
- Piano compositions by composer
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
