Frédéric Chopin wrote his Barcarole in F sharp major, Op. 60, between 1845 and 1846. It was one of the last pieces he ever played in front of an audience, and it was reported that he could barely play above the pianissimo level when he did so, such was the state of his health. It is also the only barcarole of Chopin’s repertoire, which is not surprising, given that the barcarole form itself tends to impose some limitations on the composition process. Nonetheless, he was apparently fond of the work: it is nowadays a repertoire piece for many concert pianists, and many notable composers have praised it.
———
Frederic Francois Chopin was a Polish composer, virtuoso pianist, and music teacher of French–Polish parentage. He was one of the great masters of Romantic piano music. Chopin was born in Zelazowa Wola, a village in the Duchy of Warsaw. He was considered a child prodigy and, after completing his musical education and following the Russian suppression of the Polish 1830 Uprising, he settled in Paris. He supported himself as a composer and piano teacher, giving few public performances. From 1837 to 1847 he carried on a relationship with the French woman writer George Sand. For most of his life, Chopin suffered from poor health; he died in Paris in 1849 at the age of 39. The vast majority of Chopin’s works are for solo piano, the most notable exceptions being his two concertos. His compositions, though technically demanding, emphasize nuance and expressive depth. Chopin invented the musical form known as ‘instrumental ballade’ and made major innovations.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frédéric_Chopin
Performer: Olga Gurevich
