Chopin, the reluctant romantic

by Jeremy Siepmann

In the first major biography of Chopin to appear in English in many years, Jeremy Siepmann draws extensively on the correspondence and diaries of the composer and his intimate friends, including Liszt, Mendelssohn, and Delacroix, as well as on contemporary accounts to provide a revealing portrait of Chopin. Siepmann sets his vivid narrative against the backdrop of the turbulent times in which Chopin lived. He also provides a compassionate account of Chopin's relationship with George Sand, and he examines in detail his disputed love affair with Countess Delfina Potocka. Siepmann weaves penetrating discussions of Chopin's compositions throughout his text, illuminating Chopin's extraordinary transformations of such genres as the polonaise, mazurka, and waltz. An appendix on Chopin interpretation features the author's fascinating interviews with many leading pianists, including Vladimir Ashkenazy, Tamas Vasary, Emanuel Ax, Mitsuko Uchida, and Alfred Brendel.