Chopin

Master Musicians Series

by Jim Samson

Celebrating its 100th anniversary, this extraordinary series continues to amaze and captivate its readers with detailed insight into the lives and work of music's geniuses. Unlike other composer biographies that focus narrowly on the music, this series explores the personal history of each composer and the social context surrounding the music. In a precise, engaging, and authoritative manner, each volume combines a vivid portrait of the master musicians' inspirations, influences, life experiences, even their weaknesses, with an accessible discussion of their work-all in roughly 300 pages. Further, each volume offers superb reference material, including a detailed life and times chronology, a complete list of works, a personalia glossary highlighting the important people in the composer's life, and a select bibliography. Under the supervision of music expert and series general editor Stanley Sadie, Master Musicians will certainly proceed to delight music scholars, serious
musicians, and all music lovers for another hundred years.
In this profound look at Chopin, Jim Samson interweaves biographical and musical commentary to produce a well-rounded portrait the man and the musician. Incorporating the most recent research, it succeeds in presenting it without recourse to unduly complex technical language. Samson addresses such questions as pedagogy, musical influences, and pianistic idiom. He examines the composer's mature musical style, considers his unique approach to the genres of nineteenth-century piano music, and investigates the nature of his compositional process as revealed through manuscripts and early printed scores. Readers to understand why this frail and fastidious musician from Warsaw, whose music is so immensely refined and innovatory, has captured the imagination of generations of music lovers the world over.

Genres: Music, Biography, Classical Music, Nonfiction

334 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

Reviews

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book combines both biography and musical commentary into a wonderful whole. Samson approaches Chopin's life in a way that is refreshingly free of sentimentality or hagiography. He is even-handed in his descriptions of Chopin's personality and his complex long-term relationship with writer George Sand. He does a lot to counter the overly romanticized image of a delicate and soulful musician tragically dying of tuberculosis in the midst of the 19th century Parisian arts world. Instead we see musician who forged his own unique career and life in France while maintaining his Polish identity and ties.
The best part of this book, however, is the way Samson writes about Chopin's music. He gets right to the heart of Chopin's craft and art without getting bogged down in overly technical language. Samson is especially good at exploring how Chopin invoked, defined, and re-defined genre in his works, which I found very useful and illuminating as someone who plays a lot of Chopin.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I could give this book more stars! As a novice admirer, I did not feel qualified to read the chapters of musical analysis- I kept dreaming of an audio version that would play excerpts and pieces in the order Samson described instead of piece-mealing it together myself. The biographical chapters were excellent! They seemed to offer a well rounded perspective, and the author is humble enough to admit how challenging that is! His life certainly displays the cycles of depression influenced by illness and complicated relationships. He did maintain his pride in his country and in the end his family. His pour soul. Samson’s concluding remarks comparing the artistic value in the musical cultures of England, Russia and Europe are quite interesting as well. I am left dreaming of what it would be like to hear Chopin himself play in an intimate salon in France and thankful that he is included in the canon of great composers.

[Alain Matalon · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the two definitive bios on Chopin.