Customer Reviews

Chopin: The Man and His Music

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book (originally published in 1900) is split in two sections. In the first 100 pages, the life of Chopin is discussed by Huneker in a very colorful and poetic style, although unfortunately very few biographical facts are revealed. When I finished this section I felt I had hardly learned anything new about Chopin.

The next 150 pages deal with Chopin's music, in which Huneker comments briefly on every one of Chopin's compositions (with the exception of several pieces unknown to Huneker), categorized by type (Ballades, Preludes, etc.). This section, like the first, is amusing but not very helpful. The author never really goes into great depth about any single piece. Instead he simply says a word or two on mood or style, often quoting authorities such as Kullak and Niecks, and compares several major editions of the work. I would recommend this to someone very interested in editorial details... anyone else could probably do without most of this section.

People familiar with Chopin should find Huneker's writing somewhat enlightening, though far from substantial. Those looking for an introduction to Chopin may find the first section very helpful, if they can tolerate the author's verbosity.

This book does not present much information about Chopin the man, and stumbles around endlessly about Chopin's music. The prose is laughably dated. Who can not help laughing at sentences like "Chopin distrusted Jews, but that's the way Poles are." The French, English, Germans, and Hungarians: Huneker comes up with some interesting stereotypes for them too. Many of the facts are incorrect, as the editor supplies the corrected facts in the footnotes on nearly every page of the text. And the music discussions have the spirit of "What a powerful melody! However, I believe the third note of the 14th measure of Etude 12 op. 10 should be an F sharp, though it's written differently in some scores." What a snore. I suggest looking elsewhere for real information about Chopin and his music. This book offers no insights though some occasional unintended laughs.

Huneker was an aspiring concert pianist (as well as a brilliant writer), and his analysis of Chopin's music and poetry are simply amazing. Like Chopin, Huneker expresses from the heart and hears the music at a whole new level. His interpretation is raw and as full in energy as the music itself (especially for etude op.25 no.11 and the ballade no.1).

Who can count themselves learned in Chopin who has not read Huneker's wonderful, purple-prosy, unabashedly romantic examination of the Polish Master's music? If the musicology is a tad dated, the enthusiasm, the sheer love of music present on every page, are more evident than ever. This is absolutely essential reading for the Chopin lover.

The biography is very disappointing, the musical descriptions are poetic but don't get into much detail. If you want a general feel for Chopin's music but don't want intricate musical detail, the descriptions of the pieces may suit your need. That's the only reason I didn't give this book the lowest possible rating.

For biographical info, "Chopin in Paris" by Tad Szulc is much more informative and accurate. Huneker's biography, besides being relatively short, takes off on gossipy tangents that often jump around in time making it hard to get a good feeling for Chopin's progression thru life.

My problem with the musical descriptions (the book is divided into 76 pages of biography and 141 pages of music "analysis", divided into sections on preludes, mazurkas, etc.) is again the gossipy nature. For example, the chapter on the preludes is 13 pages long. The first four pages are strictly about who claimed when and where they were written.

I recently played Prelude No. 4 in E Minor at Peabody in Baltimore. Prior to the recital, I was deluged with coaching at college master-class play-ins, etc. The discussions centered on things like why the downbeat beginning each measure is played weaker than usual, contributing to the feeling of hopelessness in the piece.

Huneker's descriptions are: "The melody seems literally to wail..", "This tiny prelude contains wonderful music", "The whole is like some canvas by Rembrant.."

In the relatively few times Huneker does go into musical detail there may be some insight, but just as frequently a few bars of music are shown accompanied by an explanation like, "Volcanic mutterings these!" -when the music shown is a pianissimo (played very softly) passage!

For anyone looking for insights on actually playing the pieces, Walker's "The Chopin Companion.." which can be found "used" at Amazon, is a much better choice.

Strangely, no one seems to have writen a definitive biography of Frederic Chopin (1810-1849), despite the fact that he was one of the most important composers of the 19th century Romantic era. (Tad Szulc's book, Chopin In Paris: The Life And Times Of The Romantic Composer, is perhaps the best existing biography, in addition to Jim Samson's Chopin (Master Musicians Series) and Jeremy Siepmann's Chopin: The Reluctant Romantic; Chopin's friend Franz Liszt also wrote a "SORT OF" biography of him Life of Chopin (Forgotten Books).) Consequently, I would suggest that this book by American music newspaper writer and critic James Gibbon Huneker should not be expected to be more than it is.

Huneker offers many interesting observations on Chopin's life and personality: "For the dissipations of the 'average sensual man,' he had an abiding contempt." "Chopin loved the night and its soft mysteries..." Chopin "did not care much for German music except Bach and Mozart. Beethoven ... was not sympathetic. Schubert he found rough, Weber, in his piano music, too operatic and Schumann he dismissed without a word." With regard to Chopin's famous development of the rubato style of playing, Huneker writes, "The Chopin rubato is rhythm liberated from its scholastic bonds, but it does not mean anarchy, disorder."

Concerning Chopin's fateful meeting of author George Sand, "Sand was antipathetic to Chopin but her technique for overcoming masculine coyness was as remarkable in its particular fashion as Chopin's proficiency at the keyboard." Her ardor for Chopin cooled as he became ill: "for an active mind and body like hers, it must have been irksome to submit to the caprices of a moody, ailing man." In his final days, Chopin "begged his sister to burn all his inferior compositions. 'I owe it to the public and to myself to publish only good things.'" Huneker notes that "This wish has not been respected. The posthumous publications are for the most part feeble stuff."

Huneker concludes that "Chopin is the open door in music. Besides having been a poet and giving vibratory expression to the concrete, he was something else---he was a pioneer."

This isn't THE biography or study of Chopin to purchase; but for lovers of Chopin and his music, it should be read.

Au contraire to the negative reviewers. This book is the tour de force on the music of Chopin, expressed in the most descriptive and vibrant language imaginable. It was written in the late 19th Century by a man who enthusiastically explored every nook and cranny of Chopin's genius.

The book is meant primarily as an overview and examination of Chopin's music for pianists and lovers of Chopin, written by a man who was a respected music critic and pianist himself. It's full of information on how the great pianists of the time performed Chopin and invaluable as a fascinating read and historical document. The book was never intended as a dry encyclopedic biography of the composer, and much has been discovered about Chopin's life in the last 100 years that can be found in other biographical sources. Those who expect Huneker to be literally correct in every respect on Chopin's life are badly missing the point of this fascinating examination of Chopin's life and music. Huneker adored Chopin, and his writing brims with passion, enthusiasm and incredible insight into each piece Chopin produced, though his words were never intended for the piano pedagogues only.

Anyone who deeply loves Chopin will find this a unique and wonderful read. I have marked many passages, referred to it countless times, and there is nothing like reading Huneker's descriptions of a Chopin work while you are actually listening to it performed at the same time. Huneker's language simply reflects the florid language of his age and is truly fantastic in its descriptive detail.

Zero stars on the misguided negative reviews on the book; and 5 stars on behalf of Huneker's little Chopin classic that has been in print for over 100 years. This is a book to be savored, and there are no other writings on Chopin that can match the boundless enthusiasm that Huneker felt for his musical god. Each page brims with Huneker's exuberant spirit and his fervent love of music itself. A treasure from another age.

James Huneker made an praised essay around the different stages of Chopin's life as well an extensive, meticulous and detailed analysis about every one of his compositions. The way he analyzes and even collates this Polish composer reveals not only a deep engagement but besides a remarkable description supported by a poetic trait that stimulates still more the necessary reading.


If you are engaged with Chopin's micro cosmos, go for this notable essay.