Frédéric Chopin's Piano Sonata No. 2 in B♭
minor, Op. 35, popularly known as The Funeral March,
was completed in 1839 at Nohant, near Châteauroux in
France. However, the third movement, whence comes the
sonata's common nickname, had been composed as early as
1837.
The sonata comprises four movements: (1) Grave –
Doppio movimento (in B♭ minor and in modified
sonata form with the first subject absent in the
recapitulation, ending in B♭ major), (2) Scherzo
(in Eϗ...(+)
Frédéric Chopin's Piano Sonata No. 2 in B♭
minor, Op. 35, popularly known as The Funeral March,
was completed in 1839 at Nohant, near Châteauroux in
France. However, the third movement, whence comes the
sonata's common nickname, had been composed as early as
1837.
The sonata comprises four movements: (1) Grave –
Doppio movimento (in B♭ minor and in modified
sonata form with the first subject absent in the
recapitulation, ending in B♭ major), (2) Scherzo
(in E♭ minor and in ternary form, middle section
and ending in G♭ major), (3) Marche funèbre:
Lento (in B♭ minor and in ternary form) & (4)
Finale: Presto (in B♭ minor)
This, the third movement, begins and ends with the
celebrated funeral march in B♭ minor which gives
the sonata its nickname, but has a calm interlude in
D♭ major.
No one knows for sure exactly what inspired Chopin to
write the march. But Kallberg says there's evidence
that he associated it with the Polish uprising of the
1830s. Chopin, who was born in Poland, sympathized with
his countrymen in their revolt against the Russians.
Though Chopin was living in exile elsewhere in Europe,
he feared for his family and friends in the face of the
Russians' violent response. "His colleagues said that
he often played in salons, and the only way to get him
to stop playing was to get him to play the March,"
Kallberg says. "He was so caught up in the emotions of
it." Chopin's march has been played at the funerals of
heads of state, including those of John F. Kennedy and,
ironically, Russian leaders Brezhnev and Stalin. But
the very first time it was performed at a funeral may
have been the most important: Chopin's own.
, 11 Sep 2018 at 20:21 
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