Chopin on the Pleyel

The Pleyel brings us closer to Chopin. His affinity for these pianos is well-documented;he used them for his Paris performances whenever possible and also in his teaching. They can help us interpret his highly prescriptive notation, now available in new, more accurate critical editions (such as Jan Ekier’s for the Polish National Edition, and John Rink et al. for Peters). Accounts of his playing and teaching—conveniently organized and indexed by Eigeldinger—provide further insight into Chopin’s style, as do recordings by pianists descended from the Chopin circle such as Raoul Koczalski, Raoul Pugno, and Moriz Rosenthal.

The new editions include alternate readings for many passages.These variants complicate the editor’s job but are a treasure trove for interpreters: besides giving us choices of what to play, they remind us that this music was born of improvisation. Yet despite their improvisatory origins, Chopin’s scores are astonishingly specific, with meticulous instructions for dynamics, articulation, and pedaling. These contradictory traits of freedom and control are beautifully reflected in this description of Chopin’s compositional process by his companion George Sand: