Maria Wodzinska, the Polish girl who for a couple of years was his fiancée, saw Chopin in Dresden for the last time, in September 1835. The girl was the only daughter of Count Wodzinski, a long-time friend of the Chopin family. On their return from vacations, both Chopin and the Wodzinski met there on their way to their permanent residences –the Polish family to their villa in Poland and Chopin on his way to Paris. By that time, Maria was 16 years old; Chopin 25. For a whole week, they walked around, talked for hours at a time and enjoyed each other’s company, with a certain degree of intimacy.
On his way to Paris, Chopin went to Leipzig to see Mendelssohn and Schumann. Then he headed to Heidelberg, where he visited the father of a student. So, he arrived in Paris in mid-October. In the No 5 of Chaussée d'Antin, a nice surprise awaited him. A letter from Maria had preceded his arrival:
On Saturday, after you left us, we all walked sadly about the drawing-room where you had been with us a few minutes earlier... Our eyes were filled with tears... My mother kept on reminding us mournfully of some little characteristics of "her fourth son, Frederic", as she calls you... Felix repeatedly asks me to play the Waltz... I took [it] to be bound [...] You left your pencil ... on the piano, we are keeping it here, with great respect as if it were a relic... Adieu!
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| Maria Wodzinska (1819 - 1896) |
The waltz that Maria refers to is the waltz in A flat major, composed that year. Chopin presented the waltz to the Wodzinski in that season, sending them later a copy, which he offered to Maria, adding a note: "To the young lady Maria".
But although it was never published during the author’s lifetime, the waltz is dedicated to Charlotte de Rothschild, a high-born student of Chopin. As was the custom at that time, the same work, officially dedicated to a certain person, could at the same time be offered, as a gift, to a few others.
Its popular name as "The Farewell Waltz" is perhaps due to the fact that it became the last offering Chopin made to Maria –the breakup will occur the following year.
It is an expressive waltz, in slow tempo, with a middle section resembling a mazurka. It is not a particularly remarkable piece, nor very demanding, that’s why Chopin has never decided on its publication.
The rendition is by the Israeli pianist Tzvi Erez.
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