The poet of the piano

From February 24th to March 31st in the National Library of Belarus (in the circular hall on the third floor) is open a book-illustrative exhibition “The poet of the piano” timed to the 200th anniversary of Fryderyk Chopin (1810–1849).

The UNESCO has entered the composer’s anniversary in the list of memorable dates that the organization urges to observe worldwide, and has proclaimed 2010 the Year of Chopin. The world cultural community celebrates widely the 200^th anniversary of the founder of Polish classical music, composer and pianist.

From the beginning of year 2010, various solemn events dedicated to the great maestro have been held in the Republic of Belarus.National Library of Belarus has joined the world celebrations and prepared its own cultural project, a literary-musical event “The melody of heart – the melody of light”. The Library offers an anniversary book-illustrative exhibition of the most interesting materials from its collections dedicated to the life and creative activity of Fryderyk Chopin.

The image of “the poet of the piano” is embodied in artworks, paintings and drawings, sculptures and medallists’ works. A number of scientific papers and popularizing works are dedicated to his life and creative activity. National Library of Belarus offers the comprehensive anniversary exposition which includes more than 300 materials: books, music, audio records, albums, pictures, sets of postcards and electronic editions.

The works by Chopin edited in his lifetime: “Sonate” for piano and cello (Leipzig, 1848) and "Nocturnes” (Paris, 1849), as well as "Quatre mazurkas” (Leipzig, 1850) edited after the author’s death, are the most valuable exhibits.

The most valuable are the second and the third editions of The Complete Set of Works by F. Chopin in many volumes prepared on the initiative of F. Chopin Institute in Warsaw and published by the Polish Music Publishing House in Krakow. The publication was timed to the composer’s hundredth death anniversary and reedited in 1956 and 1959. The set of works is based on F. Chopin’s manuscripts, the authorized copies and the first original editions with reproductions of portraits and manuscripts and critics’ commentaries.

Besides, the exhibition presents the whole set of Russian publications dedicated to F. Chopin since the end of the XIX century. The exposition includes also works by Polish biographer Y. Ivashkevich and others, along with works by French and German researchers. The biography is based on the original documents – the letters of F. Chopin and the memoirs of his contemporaries. The composer’s correspondence is published in editions in many volumes.

The exhibition is designed to create a historical portrait of the musical genius and his famous friends and reflect the spirit of the age. F. Chopin was the closes friend to Hungarian composer and pianist Ferenc Liszt, French composer Hector Berlioz and French artist Eugene Delacroix, German poet Heinrich Heine, Polish poet Adam Mickiewicz, composer, artists and writer Napoleon Orda and many other cultural figures. Visitors of the exhibition will discover the creative personality of Fryderyk Chopin against the background of a delicate and exquisite culture of Paris salons of the XIX century.

The exposition contains abundant illustrative material.

Contact: (+375-17) 293-28-86, 293-29-80.