In Chopin’s footsteps. Birthplace in Poland

In Chopin’s footsteps. Birthplace in Poland

Preparing for the recording of my debut album Reflections Op. 28: Mallorca Preludes in 2023, I visited all the important locations and places connected to the life of Frédéric Chopin. Here I begin sharing my “Chopinian” travel notes, inviting you to join me following the footsteps of our genius loci…

While searching for information about Chopin, I accidentally found a gift from a piano competition I won in Vilnius — a tourist book Following Chopin, published in 2010 for the composer’s 200th anniversary. This book inspired me to jump in the car for a two-day trip to Poland, where the pianist and composer spent the first 20 years of his life.

Birthplace and park in Želazowa wola

The first stop – the small city of Żelazowa Wola located 54 km from Warsaw. Frédéric was born here on March 1, 1810 (according to other sources, February 22). His parents, Polish Justyna Krzyżanowska and Frenchman Nicolas Chopin, who worked as a French teacher for the Skarbek family’s children — met, married, and lived in the manor house of the Polish noble Skarbek family.

Entering the preserved building, one is greeted by a cozy Chopin museum, not overloaded with information, where the exact spot of the composer’s birth is subtly marked with a flower pot.

Inside, there are several original objects belonging to the Chopin family, including books owned by Frédéric’s father. It is believed that

• the good family relationships, 
• the parents’ role in his early education (the Chopins founded a highly regarded private boys’ school in Warsaw attended by children of noble families), 
• warm bonds with his father’s pupils that grew into youthful friendships, 
• frequent travels around Poland with classmates, and 
• time spent in their homes 

ALL helped Chopin to acquire the cultural, intellectual, and social refinement typical of the upper class. I believe this was the foundation of his later professional and social success in Paris.

Chopin lived in Żelazowa Wola only the first six months of his life, yet as the Chopin and Skarbek families remained close, he often spent summer holidays here. Talented not only in music but also in literature, Frédéric captured the impressions of these happy summers in letters to family and friends that survive to this day.

Today, the Chopin Manor is one of the main destinations for his admirers. 

On the modern Steinway piano in the museum, prize-winners of the prestigious International Chopin Competition in Warsaw perform almost daily during the summer: the pianist plays indoors while the audience listens in the courtyard or while strolling along the park alleys.

The beauty of the park surrounding the museum is breathtaking! It has been restored, since during the war the Russians destroyed most of the plants and even the soil cover. The park features (at least) five busts of Chopin created by different artists.

MY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR VISITORS:

• Take a walk in the park: the variety of flowers, the grandeur of the trees, small ponds, and the discreetly playing Chopin music create a unique atmosphere.
  
• Step into the cinema hall, where 15-minute films in Polish and English are shown continuously. It presents the key moments of Chopin’s life.
  
• Look carefully around the museum gift shop: the books, recordings, perfumes, and other small items are not only delightful souvenirs but also a source of carefully selected, up-to-date information comparable in quality to the MO Museum’s shop in Vilnius, Lithuania.
  

It took us 4 hours to slowly explore, have lunch and listen to a midday concert (~ 20 minutes length) in Chopin’s birthplace. Of course, you can be faster, but what could be better than savoring the slow presence and tranquility radiating from Chopin’s oasis away from the bustle of Poland’s capital?

Museum opening hours and other details for planning your visit >>

2023 07 23