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Chopin's FuneralEditions
Review
Eisler sensibly spares us an exhaustive reconstruction of the composer’s early life. The background to his departure from Poland is explained, but the story really begins with his arrival in Paris, and particularly with his infatuation with the ‘mannish’ George Sand, who took over his life, loved him (although Adolphe de Custine described her love as that ‘of a vampire’), and took care of this frail genius, until he dared to point out – albeit gently – her failings as a mother to her daughter Solange. There is an account of the famous trip to Majorca (where the ‘Raindrop’ prelude was composed), the estrangement from Liszt, the hugely successful Paris concerts, and the later, unhappy, visit to Britain in the year before his death. In listening to music, it’s very easy for us to infer all sorts of things about the state of mind of the composer – and Benita Eisler is very careful not to overstep the mark: she is particularly adept at presenting Chopin’s emotional state (both his and Sand’s letters are a valuable source of information) without making too explicit a link with his music. What is quite clear, however, is that this complex man was a deeply sensitive person, whose music instantly touched listeners around him, as it still does today, although we can only imagine what it might have been like to hear Chopin himself at the keyboard. For me, this short and well-written biography was an excellent way of fleshing out my rather sketchy ideas of the life of this great composer; it has only heightened my enthusiasm and admiration for his music; and it has made me curious to read the novels of the woman who played such a large part in his life. I will report back! - review by Dan Fenton |
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John Sandoe [Books] Ltd |
Benita Eisler’s fascinating book on the late years of Frédéric Chopin begins with the day of his funeral - October 30th, 1849. The ceremony took place at the Church of the Madeleine; Le Tout Paris was present: Berlioz, Delacroix, Pleyel, the great soprano Viardot, and many others from his circle – but notably absent was the novelist George Sand, who had dismissed Chopin from her life two years earlier, after nine years spent together.
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