Over 175 years after his death, a new piece by Polish French composer Frédéric Chopin has come to light. The waltz, which lasts about one minute, was unearthed by a curator at The Morgan Library & Museum. Dr. Robinson McClellan, associate curator of music manuscripts and printed music, said he found the index card-sized manuscript earlier this year while cataloging the Arthur Satz Collection.
While the manuscript had elements that suggested it was a finished work, it was unsigned and strayed from Chopin’s usual style. The waltz begins with several moody, dissonant measures before a loud outburst gives way to the beginning of a melancholy melody. “This newly discovered waltz expands our understanding of Chopin as a composer and opens new questions for scholars to consider regarding when he wrote it and for whom it was intended,” says McClellan.
Chopin, Frédéric, 1810-1849,‘Valse,’attributed to Chopin : autograph manuscript, between 1815 and1849, recto. Photo: The Morgan Library & Museum, Bequest of Arthur Satz, 2019, Satz 1.10***. Photography by CarmenGonzález Fraile,2024
McClellan, who first played the music at home after discovering it, contacted Chopin expert Professor Jeffrey Kallberg of the University of Pennsylvania to help verify the authenticity of the work. Morgan’s paper conservators confirmed the paper and ink are consistent with what Chopin typically used, and while it was unsigned it was likely originally intended as a gift for someone’s autograph album.
“We have total confidence in our conclusion,” McClellan told The New York Times. “Now it’s time to put it out there for the world to look and form its own opinions.” The news outlet also had pianist Lang Lang record the waltz at Steinway Hall, who said the unusual opening is reflective of the harsh winters in the Polish countryside, where Chopin was born.
Chopin was just 39 years old at the time of his death in 1849, meaning the piece was likely written when the composer was in his 20s. While many of Chopin’s pieces are brief, he is considered one of the greatest piano composers of the Romantic period.
