Chopin composed his first Mazurka at age 15 and his last, Op. 68,4, shortly before his death at 39; 51 of his 59 Mazurkas were published during his lifetime.
Composition History
Bach's French Suites were originally part of a collection of loose leaves with 48 notated pages, the first of two 'Clavierbüchlein' (Little Piano Books) for his second wife, Anna Magdalena.
Composer Biography
As a 15-year-old scholar in Lüneburg, Bach learned courtly dances like the Courante, Sarabande, and Bourrée from Thomas de la Selle, a former pupil of Jean-Baptiste Lully.
Composition History
When Chopin traveled to Mallorca in 1838/39, he only took one score with him: Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier, which influenced the architecture of his own 24 Préludes Op. 28.
Compositional Technique
The 'French Suites' by Bach, named in the 18th century, were intended for domestic use and consist essentially of four dance movements: Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, and Gigue.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Frédéric Chopin considered Johann Sebastian Bach "the best for making progress" and prepared for his career as a piano virtuoso by practicing Bach's works.
Interpretation
Pianist Alexandra Sostmann chose the works on this album because they are all "determined by dance forms, but stylized dances, of course, that were never intended as an invitation to dance."
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Chopin: Complete Mazurkas Vol. 1 (on period instrument)
