What do you think?
Rate this book
Chasing Chopin: A Musical Journey Across Three Centuries, Four Countries, and a Half-Dozen Revolutions
A modern take on a classical icon: this original, entertaining, well-researched book uses the story of when, where, and how Chopin composed his most famous work, uncovering many surprises along the way and showing how his innovative music still animates popular culture centuries later.
The Frédéric Chopin Annik LaFarge presents here is not the melancholy, sickly, romantic figure so often portrayed. The artist she discovered is, instead, a purely independent spirit: an innovator who created a new musical language, an autodidact who became a spiritually generous, trailblazing teacher, a stalwart patriot during a time of revolution and exile.
In Chasing Chopin she follows in his footsteps during the three years, 1837–1840, when he composed his iconic “Funeral March”—dum dum da dum—using its composition story to illuminate the key themes of his life: a deep attachment to his Polish homeland; his complex relationship with writer George Sand; their harrowing but consequential sojourn on Majorca; the rapidly developing technology of the piano, which enabled his unique tone and voice; social and political revolution in 1830s Paris; friendship with other artists, from the famous Eugène Delacroix to the lesser known, yet notorious in his time, Marquis de Custine. Each of these threads—musical, political, social, personal—is woven through the “Funeral March” in Chopin’s Opus 35 sonata, a melody so famous it’s known around the world even to people who know nothing about classical music. But it is not, as LaFarge discovered, the piece of music we think we know.
As part of her research into Chopin’s world, then and now, LaFarge visited piano makers, monuments, churches, and archives; she talked to scholars, jazz musicians, video game makers, software developers, music teachers, theater directors, and of course dozens of pianists.
The result is extraordinary: an engrossing, page-turning work of musical discovery and an artful portrayal of a man whose work and life continue to inspire artists and cultural innovators in astonishing ways.
A companion website, WhyChopin, presents links to each piece of music mentioned in the book, organized by chapter in the order in which it appears, along with photos, resources, videos, and more.
The Frédéric Chopin Annik LaFarge presents here is not the melancholy, sickly, romantic figure so often portrayed. The artist she discovered is, instead, a purely independent spirit: an innovator who created a new musical language, an autodidact who became a spiritually generous, trailblazing teacher, a stalwart patriot during a time of revolution and exile.
In Chasing Chopin she follows in his footsteps during the three years, 1837–1840, when he composed his iconic “Funeral March”—dum dum da dum—using its composition story to illuminate the key themes of his life: a deep attachment to his Polish homeland; his complex relationship with writer George Sand; their harrowing but consequential sojourn on Majorca; the rapidly developing technology of the piano, which enabled his unique tone and voice; social and political revolution in 1830s Paris; friendship with other artists, from the famous Eugène Delacroix to the lesser known, yet notorious in his time, Marquis de Custine. Each of these threads—musical, political, social, personal—is woven through the “Funeral March” in Chopin’s Opus 35 sonata, a melody so famous it’s known around the world even to people who know nothing about classical music. But it is not, as LaFarge discovered, the piece of music we think we know.
As part of her research into Chopin’s world, then and now, LaFarge visited piano makers, monuments, churches, and archives; she talked to scholars, jazz musicians, video game makers, software developers, music teachers, theater directors, and of course dozens of pianists.
The result is extraordinary: an engrossing, page-turning work of musical discovery and an artful portrayal of a man whose work and life continue to inspire artists and cultural innovators in astonishing ways.
A companion website, WhyChopin, presents links to each piece of music mentioned in the book, organized by chapter in the order in which it appears, along with photos, resources, videos, and more.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published August 11, 2020
83 people are currently reading
706 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
March 13, 2023
Chasing Chopin brings a brief overview of Chopin’s life. The main point of this biography is the focus on his time when he wrote the Funeral March. The March, as he called it, wasn’t popular during his lifetime, but became a musical icon after his death.
It is an interesting aspect to concentrate on something that became the most popular piece of his work. He worked on polishing this composition when he was in Majorca with George Sand. However, the book briefly involves their relationship, which doesn’t overwhelm the story.
Nevertheless, the story weaves the personal experience of the author as she was doing her research. It took her to different places related to Chopin’s story. Personally, I don’t like personal experience woven into someone else’s story.
The book mentions briefly the backstory of Astolphe de Custine. I came across his name in other biographies about Chopin, but never knew his story, which is pretty fascinating. Custine was a French aristocrat and writer best known for his travel writing. He travelled across Europe and Russia. In Russia, he studied their system. He wanted “to do something bold and novel.” He returned to France with a new view of the world. After experiencing despotism he witnessed in Russia, he wrote, “If ever your sons should be discontented with France, try my recipe; tell them to go to Russia. It is a journey useful to every foreigner: whoever has well examined that country will be content to live anywhere else.”
As it turns out, not much has changed with Russia. No wonder Ukrainians fight so passionately for their freedom.
It is an interesting aspect to concentrate on something that became the most popular piece of his work. He worked on polishing this composition when he was in Majorca with George Sand. However, the book briefly involves their relationship, which doesn’t overwhelm the story.
Nevertheless, the story weaves the personal experience of the author as she was doing her research. It took her to different places related to Chopin’s story. Personally, I don’t like personal experience woven into someone else’s story.
The book mentions briefly the backstory of Astolphe de Custine. I came across his name in other biographies about Chopin, but never knew his story, which is pretty fascinating. Custine was a French aristocrat and writer best known for his travel writing. He travelled across Europe and Russia. In Russia, he studied their system. He wanted “to do something bold and novel.” He returned to France with a new view of the world. After experiencing despotism he witnessed in Russia, he wrote, “If ever your sons should be discontented with France, try my recipe; tell them to go to Russia. It is a journey useful to every foreigner: whoever has well examined that country will be content to live anywhere else.”
As it turns out, not much has changed with Russia. No wonder Ukrainians fight so passionately for their freedom.
June 24, 2020
Hooray for Annik LaFarge for giving us Chasing Chopin! I was transported into another time and place, immersed in gorgeous piano music, and enthralled by the unlikely romance story.
LaFarge uses Frédéric Chopin's music to reveal the history of his beloved home country of Poland, a country only in spirit during his lifetime.
Plagued by tuberculosis, Chopin preferred to play in small venues and publish his music. At a time when Berlioz's bellicose works for large orchestras and opera were esteemed as the highest musical art forms, Chopin remained true to writing for the piano, an instrument still in development.
On first sight, Chopin thought George Sand unattractive. Their next meeting they fell in love. Their relationship traversed from lovers to estrangement.
After every chapter I turned to the companion site WhyChopin where I listened to the music discussed in that chapter. LaFarge offers a variety of artists on instruments contemporary and from Chopin's time. I personally loved hearing the music on Chopin's preferred Pleyel pianos.
I loved this book for so many reasons: because I love piano music; for learning more about author George Sand; for the insight into the history of Poland; and the portrait of the Romantic Era.
I received a free ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.
LaFarge uses Frédéric Chopin's music to reveal the history of his beloved home country of Poland, a country only in spirit during his lifetime.
Plagued by tuberculosis, Chopin preferred to play in small venues and publish his music. At a time when Berlioz's bellicose works for large orchestras and opera were esteemed as the highest musical art forms, Chopin remained true to writing for the piano, an instrument still in development.
On first sight, Chopin thought George Sand unattractive. Their next meeting they fell in love. Their relationship traversed from lovers to estrangement.
After every chapter I turned to the companion site WhyChopin where I listened to the music discussed in that chapter. LaFarge offers a variety of artists on instruments contemporary and from Chopin's time. I personally loved hearing the music on Chopin's preferred Pleyel pianos.
I loved this book for so many reasons: because I love piano music; for learning more about author George Sand; for the insight into the history of Poland; and the portrait of the Romantic Era.
I received a free ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.
March 28, 2022
I have lots of bookmarks to revisit. In addition to listening to the Chopin pieces, I want to see the people and places she writes about, too. I have listened every day while reading this book to Piano Sonata no.2 Opus 35 - the piece around which this book is written. Three books on Beethoven and, now, Chopin. 2022 has so far been a 🎹 reading year.
October 30, 2021
I know very little about Chopin or his music, I was raised on ballet music :). This was a fascinating view into a composer's world and the events around him. Extremely well researched, the author visiting places Chopin lived, and seeing instruments that he played. The website accompanying the book is a revelation in different sounds of the same music. I also knew nothing about George Sand, other than that "he" was in fact, a woman. I may have to read something now! And I certainly didn't know that there were video games based on composers! Ultimate nerd? too fun!!
November 25, 2021
A passionate insight into Chopin's short life. The accompanying website to listen to music by each chapter is great.
I didn't like the style of the book, it's more of an account of her journey and her research and for me there was too much about George Sands.
I didn't like the style of the book, it's more of an account of her journey and her research and for me there was too much about George Sands.
May 19, 2025
I loved this book!!! I had been wanting to read nonfiction which is usually rly not my thing but I loved this writing and I loved how the author weaved together personal and historic narratives. I also absolutely loved the companion website with all the recordings. It was soooo cool and well organized! Greatly admire how the videos were even linked to start at the right time👍🏻 I also loved how approachable and accessible the language was.
It was really great to read this book as I’ve been working on Nocturne in Db Major, but don’t know much music history. It was super interesting and helpful to contextualize the music I’ve been playing, and to learn more about the history of the piano. It will definitely help me improve it playing! This book clearly was written with such passion, effort, and love, and it made me love Chopin even more!!!😁😁
It was really great to read this book as I’ve been working on Nocturne in Db Major, but don’t know much music history. It was super interesting and helpful to contextualize the music I’ve been playing, and to learn more about the history of the piano. It will definitely help me improve it playing! This book clearly was written with such passion, effort, and love, and it made me love Chopin even more!!!😁😁
July 26, 2021
Enjoyable read. I followed along with the "why chopin" website, chapter by chapter. Fascinating to read about the historic pianos and all the Chopin competitions.
September 14, 2020
What an enjoyable book (well, at least the first half). I loved listening to the music along with the book and getting to feel the differences that the author talked about. That was the best part of this for me. Listening to the stories surrounding his music and how they influenced those individual songs. I got bored in the second half. But - still really enjoyed the book. Love how much he loved the piano. Love how he taught to feel the music and that that was more important than anything else.
May 9, 2021
Having the website available to listen to LaFarge’s examples made a difference, also her passion and enthusiasm.
July 3, 2021
It's not often that I finish a a book and then turn to the first page and start it again, but I did this with Chasing Chopin. LaFarge is a pianist and a Chopin lover and in this book she retraces Chopin's journey during the years when he wrote his famous Opus 35 Sonata funeral march. The book has an accompanying website where LaFarge provides links to most of the works she discusses chapter by chapter. Its simply wonderful to read and listen in tandem. Since I'm not very musical, reading it twice was really helpful. LaFarge had a wonderful time visiting the places where Chopin lived as she immersed herself in his life and work and her enthusiasm is infectious. She talked to scholars, jazz musicians, software developers, music teachers, theater directors and dozens of pianists. It was interesting to learn that the Frederick Collection of Historic Pianos is close by in Massachusetts and if you visit you can actually play on the type and period pianos used by the great composers, including the Pleyel piano that Chopin preferred.
July 16, 2024
محاولة جيدة لمطاردة شوبان،
تمنيت فقط لو كان التركيز على ساند أقل !!
تمنيت فقط لو كان التركيز على ساند أقل !!
January 16, 2021
I read this aloud over several months to an elderly friend who is an accomplished pianist. It was an accessible, fun and fascinating read!
December 30, 2022
About the genesis of Chopin's Op 35 Sonata, with its famous (or infamous) funeral march. A fairly engaging read, designed more for the lay person. Rather than being about the piece, though, it's more about some circumstances in Chopin's life, George Sand, a few other characters, politics in Poland -- a wider contextual backdrop for the work. The author does hit all of the big names in Chopin scholarship with her research: Eigeldinger, Rink, Sampson, and Walker. I was left ... wanting a bit more.
September 7, 2020
I loved the idea of taking a piece of music--here it is Chopin's "Funeral March"--and looking at all of the circumforaneous factors that went into it. LaFarge explores the politics, economy, and personal relationships that played a part in Chopin's composition. I particularly liked the first half of the book, and my favorite chapter regarded Chopin as a teacher. It is well researched but perhaps bogged down in too many details. Still, an interesting study of a musical genius. I'm thinking that I might like to go to Majorca someday and chase Chopin.
September 26, 2021
This book was a pleasure to read, as the author went on a pilgrimage to the places where Chopin composed much of his music, and then created a website with recordings of all the pieces mentioned in the book. The site also includes photos of places where Chopin lived with George Sand. In addition, the book covers a lot of information about the types of piano Chopin favored, and LaFarge visited a piano museum in Massachusetts where she was able to hear pieces played on those instruments. She is endlessly curious about not just the composer and his music but also about the many interpretations of the music by other genres like jazz. And of course it was interesting to read about the relationship between Chopin and Sand, a fascinating character in her own right. The book and website have so much information it is a bit overwhelming, but enjoyable.
January 21, 2025
I believe this is the first time that I have come across a book that fully and meaningfully integrates a dedicated webpage. That's hard to do, and a standing ovation to LaFarge and her publishers for actually putting some thought into that part of the project. This page can be enjoyed on it's own, but if you read this book without returning to the webpage repeatedly you are missing more than half the project.
Maybe I am the perfect reader for this book. I know of Chopin, and who he was in a broad outlines. To me the important facts of his existence are his divine piano pieces. Where Beethoven was the voice of the early Romantic period, shouting in exuberant discovery - Chopin represents the mature Romantic period, quietly reflecting the world back upon itself. Beethoven is a springtime thunderstorm, Chopin is walking through a summer garden.
So knowing very little of Chopin's biography, imagine my surprise at his emotional affair with George Sand, his loyalty to Solange, and his creative process and intent. It hardly needs be said that this was a passion project for LaFarge. I have no doubt that she would have chased all these pieces down, visited all of these locations for her own enjoyment and edification. That she wrote it all down is a happy outcome for me because I found her scatter-gun but also coherent approach to relating the circumstances of the Marche much more engaging than I would have found a more linear and analytical structure. Now I kind of want to read some George Sand while listening to a selection of the Sonatas.
Very satisfying musical biography that is truly a work of love.
Maybe I am the perfect reader for this book. I know of Chopin, and who he was in a broad outlines. To me the important facts of his existence are his divine piano pieces. Where Beethoven was the voice of the early Romantic period, shouting in exuberant discovery - Chopin represents the mature Romantic period, quietly reflecting the world back upon itself. Beethoven is a springtime thunderstorm, Chopin is walking through a summer garden.
So knowing very little of Chopin's biography, imagine my surprise at his emotional affair with George Sand, his loyalty to Solange, and his creative process and intent. It hardly needs be said that this was a passion project for LaFarge. I have no doubt that she would have chased all these pieces down, visited all of these locations for her own enjoyment and edification. That she wrote it all down is a happy outcome for me because I found her scatter-gun but also coherent approach to relating the circumstances of the Marche much more engaging than I would have found a more linear and analytical structure. Now I kind of want to read some George Sand while listening to a selection of the Sonatas.
Very satisfying musical biography that is truly a work of love.
July 2, 2021
Most people would recognize Chopin's "Funeral March," even if they didn't know its composer. But this novel tells the surprisingly complex story behind it, detailing three years of Chopin's life that were marked by personal and political change as well as the development of musical technology. As the introduction notes:
"The Frédéric Chopin Annik LaFarge presents here is not the melancholy, sickly, romantic figure so often portrayed. The artist she discovered is, instead, a purely independent spirit: an innovator who created a new musical language, an autodidact who became a spiritually generous, trailblazing teacher, a stalwart patriot during a time of revolution and exile..." Someone like this, naturally, has some stories to tell.
LaFarge presents many interesting contrasts of joy and grief, hope and despair, and yet the question she poses about Opus 35 (the Funeral March) ultimately seems to go unanswered--why does it resonate with so many people instantly, at first hearing?
Nonetheless, this is a fascinating window into the relationship between two brilliant but different artistic personalities, Chopin and George Sand, and into the former's creative process. There is even a companion website, whychopin.com, to help you locate the pieces being discussed and listen to them.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
"The Frédéric Chopin Annik LaFarge presents here is not the melancholy, sickly, romantic figure so often portrayed. The artist she discovered is, instead, a purely independent spirit: an innovator who created a new musical language, an autodidact who became a spiritually generous, trailblazing teacher, a stalwart patriot during a time of revolution and exile..." Someone like this, naturally, has some stories to tell.
LaFarge presents many interesting contrasts of joy and grief, hope and despair, and yet the question she poses about Opus 35 (the Funeral March) ultimately seems to go unanswered--why does it resonate with so many people instantly, at first hearing?
Nonetheless, this is a fascinating window into the relationship between two brilliant but different artistic personalities, Chopin and George Sand, and into the former's creative process. There is even a companion website, whychopin.com, to help you locate the pieces being discussed and listen to them.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
June 14, 2022
I suspect I would really like the author of this book: Annik LaFarge's curiosity and passion take her in many disparate directions in this unorthodox biography of composer Frederic Chopin and I found most of them fascinating.
Of course, I can’t play piano or read music. I wasn’t able to identify any of Chopin’s music until I picked up this book and began to look for the compositions mentioned -- not even the instantly recognizable funeral march within his Opus 35 sonata. So clearly, the detail on hand positions and piano lessons mean little to me, although the history of creating the modern piano was amazing.
Yet I found this swirling mixture of data a fabulous way to explore a biography: setting out the circles of influence (from history to romance/relationships to revolutions), moving back and forth between the past (Chopin, his world and his circle) and the current day. I want to visit the places LaFarge visited as she did her research, seek out the artists and works mentioned.
This structure may completely frustrate some readers. To me, Chasing Chopin was a delight.
A major bonus is the website of musical performance links to pieces mentioned in the text. For a neophyte like myself, www.whychopin.com is a wonderful introduction to stunning music and hopefully, the new companion standard for books involving music. For others, I hope they find it a gift of memorable moments.
Of course, I can’t play piano or read music. I wasn’t able to identify any of Chopin’s music until I picked up this book and began to look for the compositions mentioned -- not even the instantly recognizable funeral march within his Opus 35 sonata. So clearly, the detail on hand positions and piano lessons mean little to me, although the history of creating the modern piano was amazing.
Yet I found this swirling mixture of data a fabulous way to explore a biography: setting out the circles of influence (from history to romance/relationships to revolutions), moving back and forth between the past (Chopin, his world and his circle) and the current day. I want to visit the places LaFarge visited as she did her research, seek out the artists and works mentioned.
This structure may completely frustrate some readers. To me, Chasing Chopin was a delight.
A major bonus is the website of musical performance links to pieces mentioned in the text. For a neophyte like myself, www.whychopin.com is a wonderful introduction to stunning music and hopefully, the new companion standard for books involving music. For others, I hope they find it a gift of memorable moments.
March 6, 2021
A decent biography of Chopin that doesn’t reveal that much new ground. Still, every biographer has their version of events—LaFarge follows Chopin’s funeral march from Opus 35 (3rd movement) around the globe and over time. But as the author’s note on page ix reminds us “writing about music is like dancing about architecture.” She mostly avoids the hopeless description of music (a la “a thrilling cadenza that crashes to a sonorous B-flat minor chord”) and sticks with the story of Chopin’s life. The value-add in this book is her details about the time Chopin and George Sand had together. We’ve read this before, but LaFarge’s version of events has a particular poignancy and sadness as Sand attaches herself to Chopin and cares for him, even “flagging down a steamship to return them to France” after Majorca, but then grows weary and decisively cuts him (savagely) out of her life. Sand is an odd duck—caring then cold; hypergraphic; brilliant and mundane all at the same time. Throughout the book Chopin’s intrinsic Polishness comes through, as does his intrinsic musicality, as well as the little foibles that are told make his life story a bit more real. That’s the real value of this book—the reality and details of Chopin’s experience and the new insight into the Chopin/Sand relationship.
December 28, 2020
I like that LaFarge very specifically addresses that this is a very narrow part of Chopin's life that she chooses to focus on. I like that she built a website to listen to the music that she deeply discusses and travels for and learns about as much as she has both for her dive into the rabbit hole and own fascination but also to continue to shine the spotlight on Chopin especially with his connection to Poland and its history.
It was going places in the beginning but then it went a little sideways. The deviations I'm sure had a point in this small book, but I wanted her to stay focused a little more in terms of what Chopin did for creating music. With my favorite element being the descriptions of the pianoforte and the understanding that how we can create music now is very different from listening to music on the instruments that were played during Chopin's time. This unique element of music history was intriguing. Yet, I didn't come away with a solid background of Chopin, which wasn't really the point, but I guess I kind of wanted a little of it because it's kind of like my first introduction to Chopin other than knowing he was a great composer.
It was going places in the beginning but then it went a little sideways. The deviations I'm sure had a point in this small book, but I wanted her to stay focused a little more in terms of what Chopin did for creating music. With my favorite element being the descriptions of the pianoforte and the understanding that how we can create music now is very different from listening to music on the instruments that were played during Chopin's time. This unique element of music history was intriguing. Yet, I didn't come away with a solid background of Chopin, which wasn't really the point, but I guess I kind of wanted a little of it because it's kind of like my first introduction to Chopin other than knowing he was a great composer.
September 24, 2021
This is a quirky book that looks at Chopin during the approximately 3 years he was writing what came to be known as his funeral march. The author discusses some things like the development of pianos at length and is fascinating on the subject. In Chopin's time, different makes of pianos sounded quite different and players' techniques were apparently more important in getting an appropriate sound from the piano. The author went to a piano museum to hear the different types of pianos available in Chopin's time. She also travel to Majorca where he spent one summer during this period, and to George Sand's country estate where he had his own soundproofed room. One of the most interesting things she did was include the address of a web site where she posted many different kinds of performances of Chopin's music. If she mentions that Chopin preferred a Pleyel piano, she includes a video of someone playing an 1832 and an 1844 Pleyel. When she discusses the Barcarolle he wrote during this time, she incudes a video of a performer playing the Barcarolle. Very helpful and very interesting.
October 9, 2020
Maybe this (audio)book is lost on me as a layman to western classical music. There's a merry cast of characters whose names are dropped so often and confidently in a way that implies that each call out would evoke some kind of response in me.
Also, I think the audiobook missed an opportunity to play clips of each piece mentioned so as then give the listener a musical feel to each storyline and the thread woven between each chapter. I would have enjoyed that, but the accompanying website to the book was nice to have.
All that being said, I thought the story's structure with bits and pieces of Chopin's life and music through the evolution of instrumentation, the geopolitical history of Europe, and other untold but seminal stories of history that shape our today was very cool. It gave a lot of roots to Chopin who can feel so inaccessible to people like me who have nearly zero connection to classical music. What a dramatic life.
Also, I think the audiobook missed an opportunity to play clips of each piece mentioned so as then give the listener a musical feel to each storyline and the thread woven between each chapter. I would have enjoyed that, but the accompanying website to the book was nice to have.
All that being said, I thought the story's structure with bits and pieces of Chopin's life and music through the evolution of instrumentation, the geopolitical history of Europe, and other untold but seminal stories of history that shape our today was very cool. It gave a lot of roots to Chopin who can feel so inaccessible to people like me who have nearly zero connection to classical music. What a dramatic life.
October 24, 2021
This is a book for a very narrow audience - Chopin lovers, pianists, those fascinated by the relationship of Chopin and George Sand. The author wanders a bit, and sometimes dig deeply into a tangential story.
The website accompanying the book is tremendous, where the author includes videos relating to subjects in the book. For example, in the book she traces the development of the piano and how the sound of it and the technique made possible by its construction and means of producing sound influenced the composers - the videos show the same piece played on pianos from different time periods and made with various "improvements" and alterations to achieve a certain touch and sound. Fascinating!
The website accompanying the book is tremendous, where the author includes videos relating to subjects in the book. For example, in the book she traces the development of the piano and how the sound of it and the technique made possible by its construction and means of producing sound influenced the composers - the videos show the same piece played on pianos from different time periods and made with various "improvements" and alterations to achieve a certain touch and sound. Fascinating!
December 9, 2024
I was very excited to read this book, but in the end I was disappointed. There is too much filler, not enough insight about Chopin, and it reads too much like a music/art appreciation textbook. For example the chapter "Toujours Travailler Bach" is mostly about George Sand the time she spent with Chopin in Majorca. Only the last five page of the chapter actually deal with Chopin and Bach, and I have read on that topic already from other sources. The final chapter, follows a similar pattern. The kernel of the chapter is Chopin removed the word "funeral" from the title of the march of opus 35, which apparently is the death of the "Funeral March." The bulk of the chapter is actually about the break up of Sand and Chopin and an out of place extended description of Sand's childhood imaginary friend named "Corambe" which provides no insight about Chopin or opus 35. You could say this is a book about George Sand disguised as a book about Chopin. The "musical journey" of the subtitle is just not delivered. The author has a tendency to write long paragraphs. Many fill entire pages. Overall the book is a rambling collection of anecdotes.
July 24, 2021
Lots of good stories and information in a book that's more fun to read than other scholarly longer books. Particularly appreciated the information about the evolving technology of the piano during Chopin's time, how he used it, and the museum in MA where you can play the various versions of pianos. The whole experience was enhanced by the accompanying website where it was easy to hear each of the works discussed in the book as you were reading about them. A quick read and definitely worth it even if you've read other books about Chopin.
October 27, 2025
Nie jestem zwykle aż tak surowy, ale niezmiernie zirytowało mnie, jak niewiele jest tutaj Chopina. Autor robi wszystko, żeby trzymać go w tle, szczegółowo opisuje życiorysy ówczesnych francuskich hipsterów (i rzecz jasna, OG feministki George Sand) tylko po to, żeby wskazać, że ledwo minęli się z Chopinem na salonach.
Ciekawe są wątki techniczne, związane z budową pianina i techniką gry w czasach Chopina. Jednak całość zatrzymuje się na efekciarskich fragmentach i jest po prostu słabo napisana.
Ciekawe są wątki techniczne, związane z budową pianina i techniką gry w czasach Chopina. Jednak całość zatrzymuje się na efekciarskich fragmentach i jest po prostu słabo napisana.
October 12, 2020
A wonderful biography of the famous composer and his beloved Funeral March. The book follows the three years it took him to write the piece and follows his life, illness, love affair with novelist George Sand, and his death. This is a marvelous book for lovers of classical music, and even has a website with performances of the music discussed in the book. A Reader's Corner Highly Recommended Read.
February 27, 2021
Though I enjoyed much of this book- and really appreciated the accompanying website with the music from the book- it did sometimes meander down a rabbit hole of the author’s stream of consciousness.
It started strong! And the chapters on both the writing of Chopin’s Sonata 35 as well as the development of the piano during Chopin’s lifetime were wonderful.
But there was much too much digression into George Sand that I wondered if perhaps the author had lost her way....
It started strong! And the chapters on both the writing of Chopin’s Sonata 35 as well as the development of the piano during Chopin’s lifetime were wonderful.
But there was much too much digression into George Sand that I wondered if perhaps the author had lost her way....
November 9, 2023
Most interesting to me was the history of the development of the piano. The links to the musical examples in the accompanying website, whychopin.com were enlightening and varied. The story of Chopins relationship with George Sand lead to a chapter describing Sands novel about a gender fluid individual, Gabriel/Gabrielle. I found this chapter thought provoking and lead me to a new understanding of current trends regarding gender choices.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews