Polish composer Frederic Chopin. Hulton Archives/Getty Images
New music attributed to Frédéric Chopin has reappeared in New York after nearly 200 years.
A new report sheds light on this discovery and claims that this music was found in the Morgan Library and Museum and is believed to date from the 1830 and 1835 period.
New York Times reports that the score comes with a card with the famous composer’s name on it.
The newspaper reported that the music was found by curator Robinson McClellan while he was cataloging new collections. However, he hesitated about whether this music was actually composed by Chopin or not.
Finally, he worked with a leading Chopin expert to find a solution. Although Chopin did not sign the music, the workmanship is said to match his handwriting, including his distinctive bass clef as well as his characteristic doodling.
“What we are most certain of is that it was written in Chopin’s hand, the paper he wrote on,” McClellan told the BBC.
“What is not completely certain is that it is music composed by him. I feel about 98% certain and many people who have heard it feel in their hearts that this sounds like Chopin,” he added .
A famous pianist named Lang Lang shared that the music sounded a lot like something Chopin would create.
“It sounds a lot like Chopin, with very dramatic darkness turning into positivity. It’s very beautiful. It’s not Chopin’s most complex music but it’s one of the most realistic Chopin styles you can imagine “, Lang Lang shared.
Chopin is primarily known for his piano recitals and the museum continues to say that it believes the newly discovered piece was written by the musician when he was in his early 20s.
Total, New York Times claims that Chopin wrote some 28 waltzes before his death at the age of 39 in 1849. 17 waltzes were published about him, eight during his lifetime and another nine after his death. Others are believed to have been lost or destroyed.
Chopin card