Long-lost Chopin waltz resurfaces after 200 years in hiding


By AGENCY

A previously unknown waltz by Chopin, written nearly 200 years ago, has been discovered in the vault of New York's Morgan Library and Museum. Photo: Handout

An unknown waltz by Chopin, written nearly 200 years ago, has been discovered in the vault of the Morgan Library and Museum in New York.

The score, on a card bearing Frederic Chopin's hand-written name, was found by a curator in the spring, the New York Times reported recently.

"I thought, 'What's going on here? What could this be?' I didn't recognize the music," curator Robinson McClellan told the paper.

He was at first unsure that the piece was actually Chopin's after photographing the score and playing it on a keyboard at home.

He conferred with an academic at the University of Pennsylvania who is an expert on Chopin, before the Morgan concluded the find was genuine after testing the ink and paper.

The penmanship was also found to match Chopin's, including the reproduction of a stylized bass clef symbol as well as doodling characteristic of the composer.

"We have total confidence in our conclusion," McClellan said.

The museum believes that the music is from between 1830 and 1835, when Chopin was in his early 20s.

The tune features a stark opening and was described by pianist Lang Lang as containing "dramatic darkness turning into a positive thing."

Chopin, who wrote mostly piano solos, died aged 39 in France in 1849. - AFP

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

Chopin , classical music , score , lost , New York , museum , vault , discovery

   

Next In Culture

Malaysian artist's exhibition examines humanity’s legacy through chicken bones
The gift of reading: 14 books to inspire the young readers in your life
'Kamen Rider' rides into KL with a 50th-anniversary celebration exhibition
Astrophysics, poetry, dance and art converge in ‘Meniti Cakerawala’ theatre show in KL
Hand-built fantasy tower brings value to Tokyo, creator says
Krishen Jit Fund 2024 highlights diversity through six distinct arts projects
Ireland has a cultural moment, from rock and books to cinema
Indian author Amitav Ghosh wins top Dutch prize
Weekend for the arts: KL Chinatown, Klang River, Tempatan, KLEX festivals
New documentary resurrects a once-forgotten anti-apartheid photographer

Others Also Read