chocolatebuddha

Frederic Chopin is Poland’s most celebrated composer from the Romantic period and he is one of my favourite composers. Krakow is where the artists, craftsmen, poets and writers congregate even from the older times. Many restaurants and cafes have a long line-up of live music from chamber concerts, solo recitals, jazz quartets and pop bands. Last night we attended a recital by Pawel Kubica and the program for the night was what else, but a selection of Chopin’s piano works.

As the pianist began playing Nocturne op.62 no.1, I was swept away into a dream that I do not wish to wake up from. The piano played brightly in the upper octaves and had a deep mellow tone in the lower octaves. I had to keep my eyes open to tell myself that it is all real – listening to a Polish pianist play Chopin in Krakow, the medieval capital of Poland until 1596.

From the slow night tunes of the Nocturne, he moved on to play a few Etudes from op. 10 and op.25. Listening to the Etude op. 25 no. 71, I was vividly imagining a person in love, lamenting that which he cannot give and cannot receive.

The Ballade began its slow, ponderous tune, seemingly to me about the darkness and sorrows of life. Soon the tempo picked up to rejoice altogether at the beauty of life. Finally the melody became thicker and more urgent, as though calling for the need to capture life at its fullest and to waste no more time. Ending in glorious chords, yes indeed, we should always seize the day!

I believe that from now on, when I sit to play Chopin poorly on my piano, Krakow will always appear in my mind.

• 7 September 2006
• poland
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