The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-05-06

StanisHs 1eszcynsh 10 Lorraine. dropping
his patronymic szopen for the more GalIlc
CHOPIN. When his son, tho composer. went
TO Paris, he also changed his name from
szopen to Chopin, which IL common in France
Whatever his origin may have been. Chopins
father emigrated from Lorraine TO Wnrsaw
In i7f; he Joined the National Guard during
the Koscluszko revolution In l7oa. He taught
for a tme in the family Of the Leszcynskis'
Mary Of that name. ono Of his pupils. after her
marriage to a Polish nobleman. became tho
mother, by Napoleon ]. Of Count WalewsN.
the well known Minister under the Second
French Empire. In 1900, Nicholas Szopen
married Justina Krzyzanowska. a daughter
OF poor but noble parents" She bore MN
four children, three girls and the boy Frederic
FRANCOIS. According 10 the present b~iographer'
Frederic was by no means a moon-struck. p1de
and sentimental lad. but, on the contrary
a merry. pleasure-loving fellow, fond Of prac-
teal Jokes. Although his father was never
rich. yet, after he became a professor In the
Warsaw Lyceum. his family lived at ease
The researches Of Frederick Niecks have de-
molished oil the fairy tales about Chopins
early poverty and sufYcrinrs. As n matter
OF fact, Chopin's parents had plenty of Common
sense, and, when his love for music revealed
itself they engaged IA competent teacher
named Zwyny. to instruct him in the violin
and the piano. He frs, played in public at
the age Of 0. His musical precocity. though
not so marked as Mozart's, was yet phenom-
email, and brought him early into intimacy
with the Polish aristocracy. The lessons in
composition which he presently received from
Joseph Elsner proved Of great value, From
v,,n, AMI IIsnor avap the greatest MSS must
learn something. he is quoted as having said.
In 1927, being then is wears old. he gave
up his studies at the Warsaw Lyceum, and
devoted the whole Of his time to music. In
the autumn Of 1928 he went to Berlin. and
thus got a ~foretaste Of the outer world. In
1929 Hummel and Paganini visited Warsaw,
! The former Chopin met and admired, the lat
| ter he worshipped. In July of the same year
Chopin started for Vienna. There he gave
two concerts, by neither of which, however. did
he gain any money. His mode of playing the
piano was voted original. but a lady remarked,
Its a pity his appearance is so insignificant
BY September he was back in Warsaw. and
in March. 1880. he gave two concerts there
bv which he cleared 5000. In November, 1880.
he went to Vienna again, but failed TO repeat
his former success d'estime. and in 1881 he
stGlltu u IfNNpoIl w obN''
Paris. When he reached the French capital
he was % years old. He appeared al con-
certs in the early part Of 1882. ana the criu-
cisms were favorable. Mendelssohn. We are
| told. applauded furiously. He was presently
lionized in society, and wrote to a friend that
his heart beat in syncopation, so agitating
was the ndulation and social excitement. In
fortunately Chopin's letters from Paris TO
his parents have been destroyed, In spite
Of his artistic triumph, Chopin needed money,
and projected n trip TO America. As II hap
pened, he met Prince Valentine Radziwil,
and was persuaded to play at a Rothschud
Frightened. and he secured remunerative
pupils. This. ut least. is a stock anecdote,
though. according 10 Niecks. there is no folln-
! dalton for II. IL IL certain that during 1928
Chopin played frequently in public with Hitler.
| List, Herr and osborne. and much in private.
He delighted in mimicking his colleagues, Thai
berg especially. Thalberg look his revenge
whenever he could. After a concert by Chopin
he ustonished Hitler by shouting all the way
home. In reply to questions, Thalbcrg answered
that he needed a forte. as he had heard moth
ing but pianiSsimo the whole evening. After
iS34-3i Chopin's activity rs a public
pianist began to wane. and he devoted him
self mainly TO composition. In 1887 he visited
England for The fire, time. staying there. how
ever. but eleven days. he played at the house
Of James Broadwood. the piano manufactures
| His music was already admired by amateurs.
| but the English critics, with few exceptions.
! were unfavorable TO him.