Can you recognize Chopin by ear?
Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849) was a Polish composer and pianist who wrote almost only for the piano, known for his nocturnes, mazurkas, ballades and études. In Guess the Composer, you hear up to 30 seconds of music and name the composer.
How to recognize Chopin
Listen for a singing, ornamented right hand over wide-ranging left-hand patterns, played with a flexible sense of time. Polish dance rhythms, such as the mazurka's accent on an unexpected beat, are a strong clue.
Who can Chopin be mistaken for?
Listeners may confuse this music with that of Franz Liszt, Robert Schumann or John Field.
How hard is Chopin in the game?
The game has up to 234 excerpts by Chopin, depending on your country, and most are at the Medium level.
Pieces you may hear
- Nocturnes, Op. 9
- 24 Préludes pour le piano, op. 28
- Fantaisie-impromptu in C-sharp minor, op. 66
- Nocturne no. 20 in C-sharp minor “Reminiscence”, op. posth. 1 no. 16, B. 49, KKIVa/16
- Polonaise in A-flat major, op. 53 “Heroique”
- Waltzes, op. 64
- Études, op. 10
- Sonata for Piano no. 2 in B-flat minor, op. 35 “Funeral March”
Portrait: Louis-Auguste Bisson, Public domain; background removed.
