The rare manuscript, discovered in late spring, was authenticated by leading Chopin scholars and has been recorded by celebrated pianist Lang Lang.
The manuscript, titled simply “Valse,” bears Chopin’s name in cursive at the top, and experts say the paper and ink match materials the composer would have used. According to The New York Times, the handwriting — including Chopin’s distinctive bass clef — aligns closely with known examples, yet the piece notably lacks the composer’s signature. There are also minor errors in rhythm and notation, suggesting Chopin may have viewed the work as a draft.
Jeffrey Kallberg, a Chopin scholar at the University of Pennsylvania, described his astonishment at seeing the piece for the first time: “My jaw dropped. I knew I had never seen this before,” he told the Times.
Believed to have been composed between 1830 and 1835, shortly after Chopin’s departure from Poland, the 48-measure waltz in A minor is brief at just 80 seconds in length. The waltz’s unusual dynamic markings, including a rare triple forte near the opening, have sparked fresh interest among Chopin experts. The A minor key, often associated with some of Chopin’s most intense works, “brought out unusual pieces for him,” Kallberg added.
Polish musicologists have yet to respond to this surprising discovery.
(mk/jh)
Source: Onet Kultura