Chopin Goes Pop

Chopin's music is not just the preserve of classical aficionados, concert halls, and high culture. In fact, the great pianist has influenced a variety of pop-cultural creations. Scroll on to learn more...

‘Pop’ is often an abbreviation of the term ‘popular music’. It is variously defined, often by negation: not Western classical music, not traditional folk music conceived ethnomusicologically, not jazz. 

Back in the 19th century, one direction for Chopin’s growingly popular work was set by transcriptions (for violin, guitar, or the organ) that altered the original musical notation. Such popularization of this master goes hand in hand with his music being considered 'pop'.

It is difficult to resist the impression that both the performance and presentation of this music already belongs in the pop world.

People have sung Chopin since the 19th century, adding lyrics to his instrumental works. The Italians have long sung the Tristesse, the Germans In mir klingt ein Lied, and the French Intimite and Prelude Triste, while the culture of tango knows 'La melodía del corazón'.

Mastering piano skills enables us to play other keyboards used in pop music: the Hammond Organ, Moog, and others. The timbres of those 1950s keyboard instruments were part of a large range of styles, such as easy listening, disco, and the avant garde.

From the 1980s, ‘electronic Chopin’ also brought sampling (Vald’s “Elle me Regarde”), remixes (Aysedeniz Gokcin’s Nocturne in C sharp minor), beats (Kassa Overall’s “Darkness in Mind”), synthesizer motifs, and dance genre (Empress’ “Dyin’ to be Dancin’”). 

It also meant a challenge and exploration extending from ambient to noise, as perfectly shown by Polish records filled with electronic interpretations of Chopin’s works: Astigmatic. Inspired by Chopin ('Polish Artists Play for Chopin'), and Variations of Chopin.

There is also another side to it: streaming services are flooded by electronic background music, Karaoke versions, and amateur recordings that attract an audience with Chopin’s name. 

A portion of musical styles have already made an appearance, but the panorama is much wider. Rhythm ’n’ blues (Jesse Stone’s “Who’s Zat”), bluegrass (Bela Fleck), rockabilly (“Rockin’ The Polonaise” by Frankie Bell and the Bell Boys), soul (Anthony White), nu soul (Estelle), samba (“Seu Chopin, Desculpe”)...

...bossa-nova (Hildegard Pohl Trio), reggae (Maleo Reggae Rockers), ska (Shop In PL), funk (Leroy and The Drivers), prog-rock (SBB), electro (Propellerheads), house (House of Chopin), cabaret (Monty Python)...the list goes on!

We have contemporary folk, not only from Poland, that measures itself against Chopin, the Polish traditional music that inspired him, and contemporary ‘world music’: in the latter, it is worth checking out records by Maria Pomianowska (Spirit of The Lowlands)...

...Jorgi (Chopin), Sarakina (Fryderykata), Nils Asheim and Gjertrud’s Gypsy Orchestra (Mazurka. Remaking Chopin) to know the captive power of those inspired currents. 

It definitely helps that Chopin is among the greatest composers in music history. His work is played often — at every educational level and in every kind of artistic life — and is frequently recorded. 

Chopin’s works lend themselves to pop, often being short and compact with clear melodies. Catchy themes, for which Chopin has a hand, can be sung out loud, treated as a jazz standard, or recorded samples. Chopin can be looped, interpolated, adapted, celebrated, and disguised.

Surely what also helps is the mood evoked by Chopin’s music. It is probably no coincidence that, most often, the pieces being transformed are reflective, pensive, focused. 

Thus, more the ‘Chopin of the night’ than of the ‘day’. The more accessible Chopin. More emotional than intellectual. Like pop.