Adams Morgan in Northwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Songs
Fryderyk Chopin
| | Creation | |
'Now the little songster,
Lost to vision mortal,
Earth's lament unending
Bears to Heav'n's bright portal'
— Stefan Witwicki, except from the song 'Wiosna' ('Spring')
Chopin invested his nineteen extant songs for voice and piano with comments on contemporary events. They represented a bridge between exile and home, where they were widely sung and distributed in unofficial editions. Hugely popular were the love lyrics to poetry by Stefan Witwicki and Adam Mickiewicz. The song 'Wojak' ('Before the battle'), to words by Witwicki, was composed within the context of Chopin's departure from home and the looming tragic events that brought the November Uprising to an end.
Chopin, keenly interested in Polish poetry, composed his songs solely to texts by Polish poets of his own generation. They were written occasionally and remained on the margins of his main artistic output, not included on the programmers of his official concerts and not published during his lifetime. Gathered together by Julian Fontana, they were published in the posthumous opus 74.
Erected by Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Washington, DC; The Fryderyk Chopin Institute.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Arts, Letters, Music. A significant historical year for this entry is 1847.
Location.
this page online
We have been informed that this marker is no longer there and will not be replaced. This page is an archival view of what was.
Regionally, this marker was in the Washington Metropolitan Area. It was also in the American Northeast, in the Upper South, in the Mid-Atlantic, in the Tidewater, and in the Chesapeake Bay Region. Globally, it was in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere.
Other nearby markers. within walking distance of this location: Touch for a list and map of all markers in Northwest Washington.
Other markers no longer nearby. Development of the Colca Valley (was here, next to this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Preludes (was here, next to this marker but has been permanently removed); Nocturns (was here, next to this marker but has been permanently removed); Impromptus (was here, next to this marker but has been permanently removed); Historic Expedition (was here, next to this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Return to the Colca Canyon (was here, next to this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Return from the rock abyss
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[Captions:]
Fryderyk Chopin
Song Wiosna [Spring], Op. 74, No 2
piano transcription, presentation autograph manuscript with dedication:
'To Dear Teofil Kwiatkowski FChopin 4.Sept 1847. Paris'
Fryderyk Chopin Museum
Fryderyk Chopin
Collection of Polish Songs with piano accompaniment.
Posthumous Works, Part Two, ed. J. Fontana, Op 74
G. Gebethner i Spσłka edition, 1859
National Library of Poland
Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 19, 2020, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 292 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 19, 2020, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
