By Alkis Karmpaliotis
Founder and Editor-in-Chief of AppreciateOpera.org
Only a month after German musicologists unearthed a lost Mozart serenade, a curator in a New York museum has discovered a previously unknown waltz by Frédéric Chopin. The piece, written on a manuscript about the size of an index card, is said to have been composed in the 1830s when Chopin was in his early 20s.
According to a statement from the Morgan Library and Museum, it was discovered by Robinson McClellan in 2019, who, over the last few years, has sought help to identify the work properly. Jeffrey Kallbert, a Chopin expert from the University of Pennsylvania, said that there is a "strong likelihood that the piece is by Chopin." Several clues, including the paper and ink used for the manuscript, the handwriting, and the dynamic markings, support his research.
However, researchers ran into several obstacles while trying to identify the piece. For example, the name "Chopin" written at the top does not match Chopin's writing and is said to have been autographed by someone else. Furthermore, the piece is only about a minute long, far shorter than most of his other waltzes. (Chopin is thought to have written dozens of waltzes; all but roughly 17 are lost.)
The piece contains "Several moody, dissonant measures culminate in a loud outburst before a melancholy melody begins," according to the museum. While it gives clues that suggest its composer, it also has a rather experimental quality, indicating that it may have been a mere sketch or gift to one of his friends.
As McClellan said, "To hear this work for the first time will be an exciting moment for everyone in the world of classical piano." Hear it performed below by Lang Lang:
I'm Alkis Karmpaliotis, and I'm a senior at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School in New York. I hope you enjoyed this article! I founded AppreciateOpera.org in 2019, and you can support my work by becoming a member and reading some of my other articles!
Sure sounds like Chopin to this amateur pianist!