Lost Chopin Waltz Discovered After Two Centuries of Silence
A previously unknown Chopin waltz has been discovered at the Morgan Library & Museum in Manhattan, dating back nearly 200 years. The piece was found among a collection of cultural memorabilia, including postcards signed by Picasso and letters from Brahms and Tchaikovsky.
Pianist performing classical music
The waltz, written between 1830 and 1835, has been authenticated through extensive testing of the manuscript's ink, paper, handwriting, and musical style. Notable characteristics include:
- Written in A minor
- Features an unusual triple forte near the beginning
- Shorter than typical Chopin waltzes
- Contains unique stylistic elements not found in his other works
Renowned pianist Lang Lang, who performed the piece for The New York Times, noted its authenticity to Chopin's style, suggesting the harsh opening was meant to evoke Polish winters. While relatively simple compared to Chopin's other compositions, it maintains his distinctive musical characteristics.
The manuscript remained hidden in private collections until it reached A. Sherrill Whiton Jr., a director of the New York School of Interior Design and Chopin enthusiast. After his death in 1972, the collection was eventually donated to the Morgan in 2019, where it remained uncatalogued until its recent discovery.
Curator Robinson McClellan confirmed the piece's authenticity, citing consistent ink, paper, and notation characteristics with Chopin's known works, particularly the distinctive bass clef symbol matching the composer's other handwritten pieces.