Let’s talk about Chopin (F. Chopin, 1810--1849).

For a long time, there have been many biographies of Chopin published at home and abroad, most of which focused on his romantic relationship with George Sand. Most of our country's publicity about him is that he took away a silver cup filled with soil from his motherland before leaving for the country, and when he died, he promised to transport his heart back to the motherland. Chopin was dismembered and separated by people according to their needs...like a deck of playing cards. After being randomly shuffled, you can take out a three of hearts and say this is Chopin, or you can take out an ace of clubs and say This is Chopin.

Indeed, Chopin has both the sweet Waltz in C sharp minor (Op. 64-2), the quiet Nocturne in B flat minor (Op. 9-1), and the impassioned "Army" Polonaise in A major. (Work 40-1) and the majestic descending. "Eroica" Polonaise in A major (Opus 53). Just like a nickel with two different sides, we can certainly highlight one side at a certain moment. We especially love doing this. It's like buying meat. Today, I want to cut a piece of pork belly for braised pork. Tomorrow, I want to cut a piece of lean meat. An artist as sensitive as Chopin is actually more than two sides of a nickel. He is much more complex. The implications of his works are much more complex and tortuous than his own. Music, and by extension art, has its charm in this way. It is incomprehensible and can only be understood, not expressed.

We quoted Schumann's words at the beginning of this lecture about "Chopin's works are like cannons hidden among flowers", which almost became many instructions for explaining Chopin. Comparing works of art to weapons has been something we have been particularly fond of saying for a while, so Schumann’s words are particularly appealing to some of us. It becomes a buzzword from generation to generation. In fact, the Tsar had been appreciating and wooing Chopin. He gave Chopin a diamond ring when he was a child. In his later period, Chopin also awarded him the position and title of "His Majesty the Russian Emperor's Chief Pianist." Chopin's works cannot be cannons. Schumann and we both exaggerated Chopin and music itself.

It is ridiculous to name the color of a flower, because a flower is definitely not a color. It is also impossible to tell the color of a flower, because no flower has a pure color. Even if it is white, it can be divided into moon white, milk white, green white, yellow white, and tooth white. .....I can only talk about its main colors. So, what are Chopin’s main colors? Revolution? Passion? Lingering? Tenderness? Melancholy like water? Graceful like painting? Warmth like dreams? In my opinion, Chopin mainly uses his beauty with two kinds of contemplation, sadness and Fantasy colors. Beauty and Mendelssohn walk on a concentric circle. What is obviously different from Mendelssohn is sentimentality, which makes the radius of his circle expand invisibly than Mendelssohn's. This is precisely one of the characteristics of romanticism. .

Chopin’s beauty is not the gorgeous brocade of a day, nor the endless sweet whispers in the ear; it is not the luxurious beauty of Watteau, nor the majestic beauty of Wagner. , it is a kind of pastoral beauty shrouded in mist or dawn, a kind of beauty in the night with melting moonlight or drizzle. This point is different from Mendelssohn's beauty. He does not have the clarity and aristocratic atmosphere of Mendelssohn's beauty. His beauty is the hazy and melancholy after the wind and rain.

Chopin’s meditations were not profound, not least because he only loved to read Voltaire and seldom read other works. This is his nature. He is not destined to be the kind of warrior who sings loudly and attacks buildings, with blue blood and blue sky, and the wind rustles and the water is cold. He cannot do what Byron and Pei Duofei did, raising the battle flag high and charging in the shadow of the sword. He could only use his own way. He said: In such a battle, all he can do is be a drummer. He also lacks Beethoven's unforgettable thinking about fate. He didn't have Beethoven's broad brain. However, he has more thoughts and concerns about his motherland and his own emotions than Mendelssohn. This is a kind of thinking and concern that Mendelssohn does not have.

Chopin’s sadness and dreaminess are intertwined, which is something Mendelssohn even lacks.

In some works, he integrates his emotions for his motherland and his lover into his melodies, but in many works, he is only dedicated to his lover, and is his own murmuring, with a folk-like sense of self-singing and confiding. . He did not vent his personal pain too much, but only turned it into a slightly sad bitter olive, tasting it gently, drifting slowly, and spreading faintly. Moreover, he melted it into his dream, making the dream less frivolous, like a meadow full of wormwood, sprinkled with blue forget-me-nots and golden cornflower flowers.

Mr. Feng Zikai said this more than 60 years ago: "The pronunciation of the word Chopin seems to have a sense of grace, and it does not sound as dignified and scary as Beethoven." 6 This Very interesting words. Maybe a person's name really has a certain color of personality and a shadow of destiny? In any case, Mr. Feng's words sound novel and sympathetic, which is worth thinking about.

In 1831, Chopin came to Paris. That year, he was less than 21 years old. Except for brief trips, he lived most of his life in Paris and died there. He spent 19 years in Paris, nearly half of his life. For an exile whose motherland had been destroyed by the storm, he was also such a sensitive artist. He was alone in Paris for such a long time. His life was not easy and his mood was not easy. It was not his home, so why did he stay there for so long until he died? What strength did he rely on to support himself in a foreign land and float like a rootless duck for half his life?

Music? Love? Firm loyalty to the motherland?

Chopin’s short and uncomplicated life left us with more than just a string of simple notes.

Of course, we can say that in 1837, Chopin flatly refused the position and title of "His Majesty the Tsar's Chief Pianist" awarded to him by the Russian Ambassador to France on behalf of the Tsar. When the ambassador said that he received this honor because he did not participate in the Warsaw Uprising in 1830, he said sternly: "I did not participate in the Warsaw Uprising because I was too young at the time, but my heart is also with the insurrectionists." Of!" And his relationship with Lipinski also shows this patriotism. Lipinski was a Polish violinist, known as the "Polish Paganini". When he went to Paris, he refused to perform for Polish expatriates for fear of offending the Czar. Chopin angrily severed his friendship with him. Chopin's bones are hard enough, quite like Beethoven.

Similarly, we can also say that Chopin showed his weak side in order to desire to enter the upper class society, to get involved in the salon, and to take root in Paris. He had to dress up and decorate himself carefully to play for the nobles, especially the ladies. He quickly learned to dress as elegantly as the upper class. He never forgets to put on spotless white gloves when going out. He never even neglects the tie he is wearing or the cane he is holding. Even when buying jewelry in a store, he must also consider his clothes. The colors and styles match each other, and the careful selection is like choosing the most beautiful decorative notes of a song. 7 Chopin has simply become a dandy again, quite like Julien who is eager to enter the upper class society.

In fact, we can also say that Chopin himself began to dislike Paris, which was full of dirt and blood. He was unwilling to do all this, and he did it as a last resort. Because he himself said: "Here in Paris, there is the most glorious luxury, the lowest filthiness, the greatest mercy, and the greatest sin; every action and word is related to flowers and willows; shouts, clamors, rumblings and filth There are so many things that are unimaginable, making you feel at a loss in this paradise..." However, being at a loss is only temporary, and Chopin soon entered the upper class society. Because he needs high society, and high society needs him. Paul Landolmy said this about Chopin in his "History of Western Music": "Ever since he set foot in the salon and joined the upper class, he was unwilling to leave the city. People in the upper class cherished great expectations. Welcomed with enthusiasm and interest, he showed himself both as an outstanding performer and as an elegant composer and a charming Pole, gifted with all the grace of manners, gifted with talent and a temperament cultivated in the most civilized society. With his gentle demeanor, he succeeded effortlessly in this society.

Chopin soon became one of the most admired fashion figures in Paris at the time. "Eight people want to transform the environment, and the environment also needs to transform people. In order to survive in the desert, flowers have no choice but to turn their leaves into thorns. In the final analysis, Chopin is not a revolutionary, he is just a musician.

To say that Chopin quickly fell into the upper class and won success effortlessly is obviously derogatory and disrespectful, just like when Chopin was about to die, Turgenev said of him: "Europe has "More than fifty countesses were willing to hold the dying Chopin in their arms", which is sarcastic. An exile, his country was occupied by Russia the year he first arrived in Paris, and Paris had just overthrown the The autocratic monarch's atmosphere of democracy and freedom was just right for the development of his music and art. The obvious contrast between the two environments and the long distance could not but tear his already sensitive and neurotic heart away from his desire for success. , obsessed with art, obsessed with love, admiring vanity, hating depravity... Chopin's inner world is a contradictory fabric. When he arrived in Paris, he was only 21 years old. Contradictions, hesitation, and momentary weakness are all very normal. What is abnormal is that we love to paint Chopin’s face, which was weak and suffering from illness and bleeding, into a glowing red Guan Gong.

Chopin and Guan Gong. The relationship between women has been a constant topic among Chopin researchers for more than a century. There is no doubt that Chopin’s relationship with women not only affected his music, but also affected his life.

According to me. According to the information reviewed, Chopin had relationships with four women in his short 39-year career. Each woman left a trace in his life. Moreover, he left music for all women to study. The relationship with these four women is indeed not a curiosity, but a key to the world of Chopin's music.

The first woman Chopin fell in love with was Constantia in the summer of 1829. They were both students at the Warsaw Music School, and they fell in love together at the age of 19. Chopin left Poland the next year, which is always a test for lovers, not to mention the turmoil. The difference of time. The result of such a test is nothing more than the distance and longing being engraved deeper into the growth rings of love, or the love gradually becoming distant, diluted and forgotten due to the lengthening of time and distance. This is often the case with first love. A fig. Chopin was also doomed. Although they vowed when they broke up, Chopin even said that if I died, my ashes would be scattered at your feet... But in fact, they separated soon after they separated. Don't just blame Constantia for her ruthlessness. Artists' love is often romantic and one-time. I don't want to blame too much. This short-lived love did not have a big impact on Chopin. , on the contrary, it led him to compose the only two piano concertos in his life, whether it is Concerto No. 1 in E minor or Concerto No. 2 in F minor, they are both so sweet and charming, with clear and pearly piano sounds that make you think of them. Love under the moon, sincere confessions and hazy dreams. It contains no impurities and is so pure and transparent. This is the sound of the heart that can only emerge from first love. This is a melody that Chopin will never have in his later mature works.

The second woman Chopin fell in love with was named Maria. This happened in June 1835. Maria is 9 years younger than Chopin. When Chopin met her when she was a child, she was still an ugly girl, but now she has turned into a graceful beauty. It's just that this love story is too much like a popular popular soap opera. The woman comes from a noble family and is not from the right family. The soap bubble of love bursts without a single round. Although Chopin dedicated a Waltz in A major to others, in my opinion, this piece cannot compare with the two concertos dedicated to Constantia. Thinking about it, this is natural, because whether Chopin or Maria, their love was just a chance encounter, and neither of them paid that deeply or that much. Art is just an extension of the soul; music is just the echo of the soul; if you wade through a shallow river of love, what will be splashed will naturally not be huge waves, but only a few ripples.

The love between Chopin and George Sand was a marathon love that lasted for 10 years. How should we evaluate this love? George Sand was 6 years older than Chopin. He played the role of "the kind big sister" from the beginning. The role of love shifted. It was destined that this love could be loved. The flowers are in full bloom, but they can't stick to the end? Or is it because George Sand's children caused trouble and caused the love to break? Or is it true that George Sand was a polygamist, as people say, which stimulated Chopin? Or is it because of the contrast in their personalities? Too big, Chopin is a woman, and George Sand is a man. If nothing else, he just smokes. Chopin does not smoke, but George Sand not only smokes but smokes extremely fiercely, making it increasingly difficult for the two to interact with each other. Endure?... Love is always a mess. Only your feet know whether your walking shoes hurt your feet. The judgment of others is just a matter of watching from the other side.

It is said that George Sand visited Chopin at Chopin's last concert in 1848 and before Chopin's death in 1849, but was blocked. This is just a legend, it is too dramatic and legendary. Whatever happened to the two of them at the time and afterwards was their own business. Even if they meet twice, what will happen? As long as things are in the past, whether it is a big country or a small individual, it is history. It is a page of a book that has been turned, and it is difficult to turn it over again. Re-altered, modified or lubricated. The one-time occurrence of life will inevitably lead to the irreversible loss of love. Ten years, few are easy in a person's life, and the love built over the past ten years can easily be shattered. This is of course a fatal blow to Chopin. It is not that accurate to say that Chopin died of lung disease. This blow was also one of the causes of his death, or it may be said that this blow accelerated his death. This is the power of love, or the power of love for people who are too immersed in and value love too much. From 1837 to 1847, after the ten-year love between Chopin and George Sand ended, Chopin passed away in less than two years.

In fact, love as sweet as honey does not exist in this world. It is a kind of fantasy of people and a dream brought to people by art. If love really exists in this world, love is always glued to pain. If you peel off pain as easily as you can peel off a piece of candy wrapper, love will cease to exist. Otherwise, we cannot explain why Chopin produced so many works during the 10 years he was with George Sand. Among them, 3 ballades accounted for two-thirds of the total, and 3 scherzos accounted for a quarter of the total. Thirdly, 2 sonatas account for two-thirds of the total, and there are also a large number of nocturnes, mazurkas, polonaises and fantasies. There are all beautiful and beautiful pieces of music here, including the Nocturne in G minor, the Impromptu in F sharp major, which Chopin and George Sand created in the ruins of a Spanish monastery, on the blue sky and blue seaside of the South, in the warm morning and evening drums. Polonaise in C minor...and the famous "Raindrops" Prelude and "Puppy" Waltz composed at George Sand's estate in Nohant. The last two pieces of music alone are enough to tell us what a wonderful time they had! How much reverie those two pieces of music brought us, how happy and joyful the sight of the puppies spinning around them was; Rest, the fusion of the raindrops falling from the eaves, the sound of the piano, and the mood of waiting is so refreshing... It should be said that Chopin composed most and best music in his life during this period.

In the spring of 1848, due to financial difficulties, Chopin fell ill and crossed the sea to perform in England. He used up the money he had saved in London to pay for medical expenses, so he had to temporarily live in the home of his Scottish female student Starling. This is the fourth woman he has come into contact with. Stalin fell in love with him and gave him twenty-five thousand francs for living expenses. He gave Stalin two nocturnes in F minor and E flat major (Op. 55-1, 2) in return. I wonder if there is love in return? I am very doubtful about this statement, because I looked up Chopin's chronology and found that these two nocturnes were not composed in 1848, but in 1843. Even if they were given to Miss Starling, these two nocturnes could not compare with those mentioned above. Among Chopin's 21 nocturnes, they are not the most outstanding.

Perhaps Chopin has reached the end of his life, and love cannot save him, or does love come too late? Or is he still indulged in the sweet dreams and nightmares of the past and is unable to escape?...

I can't imagine. I can't guess whether Chopin really got love in his short life? Is the love he had with four women considered the love he pursued? However, I can say that whether it is love or not, it is not love. It cannot be compared with his beautiful and moving music. Love is always in Chopin's music. It will live longer than Chopin and longer than any of us.

Personally, I like all of Chopin's nocturnes, some of his waltzes and his only two concertos.

My favorite is his nocturne. Regardless of the early B-flat minor and E-flat major (Op. 9-1, 2), or the later G minor (Op. 37-1) and C minor (Op. 48-1), I never tire of listening to them. The former's pure and clear poetry, the quiet thoughts like clear spring water, as if hearing the beautiful song-like sound of the nightingale on a night with white moon and clear wind; the latter's excitement is like the meditation of the surging tide, and the sadness and loneliness are like the contemplation of the falling leaves, which makes people feel sad and lonely. People feel that in the late night of the spring rain, they see the swallows that have not returned to their nests flying on the branches, shaking the crystal raindrops on the leaves, and rolling down strings of cool and refreshing swishy arpeggios. In his G minor (Op. 37-1), one can even hear the solemn and melodious sacred music coming from the deep and tall temple in the complete silence. In the sound of nature, in the depths of night, in the empty and Echoing mysteriously, a piece of ice heart is like a jade pot, making people immersed in the realm of pure jade, clear ice, light clouds and light wind, and the whole body and mind are filtered and become clear and transparent.

In Chopin's nocturne, it gives people such tranquility. Even if there is temporary uneasiness and turmoil, it only flashes for a moment, and then immediately returns to the blending of stars and moon, and the blending of night and moon. In softness. He always melts his melancholy contemplation, depressive sadness, hesitating wandering, and deep yearning... one by one into his tender and clear melodies. Even the burning emotions are handled with gentleness and subtlety by him, and are hidden deep in his unique lake. Even the storm was restrained by his two small umbrellas, and a fairy tale of raindrop necklaces dripped out. If that is really a state, it is "walking to a waterless place, sitting and watching the clouds rise"; if it is really a painting, it is "the bright moon shines among the pines, and the clear spring flows up the rocks."

As a musician of the Romantic school, it is with this group of works that Chopin has clearly distanced himself from others. Chopin clearly opposed Berlioz. He criticized the so-called "unrestrained" music of Berlioz as "deceiving the ears and eyes"; Chopin also disliked Schubert, saying that his music was rough and unruly; Chopin believed that Weber's piano music was similar to opera, and both Even for Beethoven, who is the most respected by people, he said that except for the C-sharp Sonata, Beethoven's other works "are unclear and inconsistent, not because of his extraordinary originality that deserves to be praised, but because he violated Eternal Principles". Even Schumann and Liszt, who had given him the greatest support, he showed no mercy. He was openly critical of Liszt's ostentatious piano playing, and ridiculed Liszt's performance as a "head-on blow" to the audience. He was even more unkind to Schumann, who almost completely rejected it. He even said that Schumann's masterpiece "Carnival" was simply not music. Such an extremely weak person dared to express his attitude clearly to so many people, which just shows the clarity and firmness of Chopin's pursuit of his art. His art is a big tree with strong roots, not swaying in the wind. The flag depends on the direction of the market and official circles.

In 1840, Liszt returned from performing in Europe and held a concert in Paris. After listening to it, one of Chopin's students came back and told Chopin that the biggest difficulty Liszt faced now was how to express calmness and tranquility. Chopin He said to his students: "It seems like I was right. Finally, I reached the state of simplicity. Simplicity exerted all its charm. It is the symbol of art reaching the highest state." 9 Chopin pursued this throughout his life in his music. It is such a peaceful and simple state.

If the word "beautiful" is used to represent the style of Mendelssohn's music, the word "pure" is the style of Chopin's music. Their teachers were both Bach and Mozart, and at this point they came together. The most outstanding thing about Chopin's music is his unique singing ability. This singing ability comes not only from his sensitive and innate absorption of Slavic folk music, which makes his melodies very sincere and cantabile; it also comes from his exploration of the piano itself, making the piano in his hands Li has developed a voice that can sing, and all the songs in his heart burst out on the black and white keyboard. If the former is a characteristic shared by many ethnic musicians, the latter is Chopin's own unique charm. In the sense of exploring the potential of the piano instrument itself, the contributions of Chopin and Liszt blossomed into two bright and dazzling flowers: one is to transform the piano into an orchestral sound, and the other is to interpret the piano into a singing effect. It is said that Chopin's hands were particularly peculiar, which made him play so proficiently on the piano. Some people say that his fingers are slender and flexible, as if they have no bones, and his hands are so broad that he can cover one-third of the keyboard on the piano when he stretches out his hands, and he can play unique major chords and arpeggios effortlessly10. Such distinctive hands remind me of Liszt's big hands that were on commemorative stamps. (Chopin's hands were also photographed. Compared with Liszt's hands, Liszt's hands are generous and generous, as if they were loyal and long-lived. He is an elder; and Chopin's hands are slender, rather like a slender woman, so it is correct to say that he is the "Chopin of women"). Among all musicians and pianists, except for Chopin and Liszt, is there any third person who can have such strangely big hands? A pianist who plays Chopin's music may not need to have such magical hands. Big hands, but must have the same temperament and heart as him. It should be said that the best performers of Chopin are Russian pianists, such as Rubinstein, Rachmaninoff and Balakirev (Russian musicians also admire Chopin the most, and it is Balakirev’s suggestions and With great efforts, Chopin's monument was built in Chopin's hometown). The outstanding pianist of the older generation of the former Soviet Union, Igumnov, and his student Milshtan, both performed Chopin brilliantly and were Chopin's close friends. If you want to listen to Chopin, the best choice is to listen to their recordings of Chopin's piano works.

Igumnov, an old Russian professor who was well versed in Chopin, once had this explanation of Chopin. This was an important lesson he taught his students when performing Chopin's works: "Chopin hates everything that is insincere and unreliable." Pretentious things. Dignity, simplicity, no bluff, and very frankness are the greatest characteristics of his creative personality. "He said that when playing Chopin's works, one must "speak fluently like a person" and avoid "exaggeration". Slow down or speed up. "He said that Chopin "always opposes excessive speed. He hates too heavy a sound, and dryness, weakness, and monotony are also as uncomfortable as emotional exaggeration." 11 These words of Igumnov. , can be used as a compass when we listen to Chopin's works or choose a record about Chopin's piano music, to identify what is a good performance and what is a bad performance.

Finally, I would like to talk about why Chopin did not produce any major works in his life. Chopin did not create a single symphony or opera in his life. His greatest masterpieces were the two piano concertos, which he could not compare with other musicians. Throughout Chopin's life, all the works he created were piano music. He devoted his entire life to his favorite piano music. He never had any distractions, was single-minded and autocratic, and was the same as other musicians. He couldn't compare.

I wonder if this is a unique example in the history of music? A musician, when his art matures, generally wants to try symphonies and operas, just like a writer when he writes After reading some short stories and novellas, I always wanted to get into novels. In the evaluation and consciousness of ordinary people, brilliant symphonies, operas and novels are the mark of a master and a milestone in art.

Chopin didn’t think so.

Why? Is it his preference? Is it that he puts all his life in the piano? Is it his body? His disease-ridden body, his life is too short (Mendelssohn is even less famous than him) After living for a year, didn’t he also compose a symphony?) He was not allowed to compose large works? Is it his character? His nature only likes to play the piano for two or three close friends in a dark room, and does not like symphonies. Exposed to the broad daylight like an opera? Or is he just a creek that can only flow in the mountains anyway, but can hardly flow down the mountain, let alone the sea? His love can be changed four times, and George ·Sang, who had been together for 10 years, could break up and go their separate ways once they were together, but this was the only thing he stayed with until death. He only composed piano music, and most of it was sketches that people thought were piano music. Why?

I don’t know if anyone has given a convincing explanation for this? 'Anyway, I didn’t see it in the materials I read about Chopin. Maybe it’s because I read too many books. Too few, too little knowledge.

Almost all of Chopin's friends had persuaded him to compose symphonies and operas, including his teacher Professor Esner, Poland's most famous poet Mickiewicz, and George Sand. They all believed that Chopin's highest peak and greatest achievement was not just piano music, but symphonies and operas.

It is said that many well-intentioned people always asked him this question: "Why don't you write symphonies and operas?" This annoyed him, so he pointed to the ceiling and asked: "Sir, why don't you fly?" ?" People had no choice but to say: "I can't fly..." He didn't allow them to finish, and said to himself: "Neither can I, neither can I fly, nor can I write symphonies and operas!"

Liszt once explained Chopin this way: "Chopin's most beautiful and outstanding works can easily be adapted into orchestral music. If he never uses symphony to express his ideas, it is just that he is unwilling."

Liszt’s explanation cannot convince me. Liszt was obviously defending Chopin and was suspected of exalting Chopin. Of course, the size and capacity of a work cannot indicate the level of a musician's achievements and attainments. Chekhov never wrote a novel in his life, but he was still a great writer; Chopin never wrote symphonies or operas in his life, but he was still a great musician. Art is not about buying gold. The heavier the weight, the more valuable it is. I just still can't figure out why Chopin was so at odds with himself; he stayed away from symphonies and operas all his life?

Chopin opposed ostentatious artistic effects throughout his life, and opposed numerous musical instruments drowning his beloved piano. This is evident from his two concertos, where the orchestra always plays a supporting role. His good friend, the famous French painter Delacrua, once said that Chopin explained his thoughts to him like this: "We use the trumpet for a while and the flute for a while. What is this?... If the sound is trying to take away the meaning of the work, Instead of thinking, then this kind of sound is reprehensible."12 When Delacrua's painting style appeared with many lively and dazzling colors and lines, Chopin was particularly vigilant and criticized him. Simplicity and simplicity have always been the creed pursued by Chopin's art. He would not abandon this creed to give way to symphonies and operas, which he believed to be the most capable and at the same time most suitable for this symbol.

In fact, Chopin and Mendelssohn are very similar in one aspect. Mendelssohn composed such large works as "Scottish Symphony" and "Italian Symphony", but they were only long scrolls of landscape paintings. It should be said that they have never had any works with major social themes and huge musical materials in their lives. The use of concrete and life-oriented titles in the music, the secular narrative method of direct personal life, found a new outlet in the usual religious and abstract musical framework of classicism, but they still came together. This is the character. As a result. Even though there are such differences between them, at this point, they are the same. Starting from this point, they have focused on expressing personal emotions throughout their lives, and they are so similar.

Let’s summarize it. Regarding Mendelssohn and Chopin, lyricism is the most common feature of their music.

The difference is that Mendelssohn's music style mainly expresses elegance, the tranquility of well-fed people and the elegance of a salon aristocrat, while Chopin is full of melancholy.

The lyricism of Mendelssohn's music is descriptive and relies on beautiful scenery, such as landscape paintings, which are bright and sunny.

The lyricism of Chopin's music is full of singing and incorporates personal feelings, like the annual rings of trees, which are hidden and blurred in the night.

If their music is poetry, Mendelssohn is a bit like Wang Wei, and Chopin is like Li Yu who was displaced in a subjugated country.