Chopin, Fantaisie in F minor

The Fantaisie in F minor is one of those "diverse works" by Chopin that do not fit into a renowned traditional structure. Among them, for example, there is a barcarole, a lullaby and even a Spanish bolero. Chopin called the work a "fantasy", a title that best accommodates to a free composition, with unforeseen changes in tonality, texture and rhythm, and passages that seem to be aimed for improvisation.

Upon returning from Mallorca, 1839
On his return from the unfortunate adventure in Mallorca with George Sand and her children, the curious family spent the summer together in Nohant. Afterwards, Chopin returned to Paris. So did his lover.
In October 1839, Sand, Solange and Maurice settled in a two-pavilion residence at 16 Rue Pigalle. The same did Frédérik at number 5 Rue Tronchet, relatively close to Sand, whose home had become for him a substitute for the family home.

But it was not long before Frédérik felt uncomfortable in his new quarters, which seemed dark, cold, and damp. Without further ado, at the beginning of November, he took up all his belongings and moved to Rue Pigalle. In an attempt to keep up appearances, George and Solange would occupy one of the pavilions, and Frédérik and Maurice the other. Crossing a small garden you could go from one pavilion to the other.

Evenings at the Rui Pigalle
In the evenings the couple would attend theatrical performances, or go to the opera. Soirees were also offered in one pavilion or the other. At Sand's pavilion, Chopin had to share with the friends of the writer, restless politicians, saint-simonists in their majority. In Frédérik's, the attendants were exiled Poles and the novelist's artist friends, Heine and Délacroix among them; also, the musician friends: Liszt, Berlioz. If Countess Delfina Potocka (to whom Chopin dedicated the "minute waltz") was passing through Paris, she would join the group and sing, accompanied on the piano by Frédérik.

Paris, the summer of 1840
This was how life unfolded until the summer of 1840, when the couple had to stay in Paris. Sand had not done well with her latest drama, Cosima, so there was no money to pay for her stay in Nohant, whose way of life involved an outlay of almost four thousand francs. Chopin did not take it wrong. He just worked in Paris all that summer, intensely. If he needed a break, he just had to take a walk around the Bois de Boulogne, in the company of Solange.

Before the end of the year, the ashes of Napoleon would arrive, on December 15th. Parisians took to the streets, but Chopin did not attend. He was finishing composing the Fantaisie in F minor.

Fantasy in F minor Op. 49
After a somewhat solemn and quiet start, in tempo di marcia, we will have to wait for a seductive phrase to appear. But later on, a noble and chivalric chant will break out at 4:16, which will be the subject to repetitions, with a great display of virtuosity between them, tinged by serene intervals. At the end, after a brief moment of stillness, a cluster of arpeggios will lead to an emphatic close with two dry hits.

This Fantaisie is one of Chopin's longest pieces (11-14 min), and is considered one of his greatest works.

The rendition is by the Russian pianist, Yulianna Avdeeva, the first lady to win, in 2010, the Chopin International Competition, after Martha Argerich in 1965.