Lost Chopin waltz discovered in New York museum

A previously unknown waltz by the legendary composer Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849) has been found at The Morgan Library & Museum in New York City.

Report informs citing The Times that the handwritten musical score, already hailed as one of the "ten missing waltzes" by the Polish virtuoso, had been bequeathed to the museum in 2019 but remained uncatalogued due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The accompanying description simply stated: "Musical manuscript <...> of an unknown piano piece, apparently written in Chopin's hand, but unsigned." It was only after a series of in-depth studies focusing on the paper, handwriting, and musical style that experts concluded the work was indeed composed by Chopin himself. The manuscript dates back to between 1830 and 1835, a period when the young prodigy had already left his native Poland for Paris.

Robinson McClellan, a museum staff member, affirmed that while "the manuscript is not signed, analysis has shown that the style and handwriting belong to Chopin." Renowned Chinese pianist Lang Lang described the piece as "not Chopin's most complex music, but it is one of the most authentic Chopin styles you can imagine."