Thread - Fryderyk Chopin

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Fryderyk Chopin ⟨Category:Chopin, Frédéric⟩ [#10453]

There is an old thread [1] about spelling of Chopin's first name, focusing on including accents in the French version of it. While the French "Frédéric Chopin" seems to be used by many, Chopin was a Polish composer and thus I believe the Polish spelling "Fryderyk Chopin" should be favored and used as the category name. A little background on Chopin as Polish vs French composer: Oxford Music Online, Gale Virtual Reference Library and others are describing him as "Polish composer"; those sources also list his original (Fryderyk Chopin) name as the primary, providing the alternative French spelling too. While he spent half of his life in France, political situation prevented him from returning to his homeland. After his death his heart was sent to Warsaw (Poland) for entombment, at his own request. Chopin's music is probably the best example of his cultural association, as he's often using Polish folklore melodies and dances. The reason I'm bringing this up is because there seem to be a common misinterpretation of Chopin as French composer, while he was one of the most important and recognizable Polish composers in the history. Preserving the proper spelling of his name I believe should help with making people aware of that. IMSLP contributors/admins, what do you think?

Posted at 16:30, 7 April 2015 by Dyferencjal

Just checking VIAF, the libraries are 14 to 6 in favour of using "Frédéric". These include the national libraries of the USA/UK, France, Germany, Canada, Japan, Australia, Israel, Portgual and Norway.

The national libraries who use "Fryderyk" are Poland (understandably), the Czech Republic, Spain, Latvia and Italy.

The Polish spellings of Chopin's name (including Szopen) are given as alternatives on IMSLP's composer page, and we currently list him with both French and Polish nationality.

In the case of other composers who settled outside their homeland (such as Handel and Rachmaninoff), the spellings they themselves chose to use later in their lives are usually determine our choice of which form to use. If Wikipedia's statement that "In France he [i.e. Chopin] used the French versions of his given names, and after receiving French citizenship in 1835, he travelled on a French passport" is accurate, then this would be a sound basis for our continuing to use "Frédéric".

Posted at 17:35, 7 April 2015 by P.davydov (administrator)

We already have Chopin's Polish name in the "Alternative Names" section so we can just keep the French version as is. Also it would be a real pain moving the composer now to a different name since we have too many pages under his french name that we have currently.

Posted at 06:21, 8 April 2015 by Sallen112 (administrator)
Edited at 06:23, 8 April 2015 by Sallen112 (administrator)

Is there a general rule which determines policy on spelling composers' names? I can think of at least three possible criteria one could use:

  • the authentic form of name in the composer's native country;
  • the form most commonly used or regarded as standard;
  • the form the composer themselves preferred (if that differs from the other two above).

Does this site have an overall, formal policy favouring one of these options (or others I may not have thought of)?

Posted at 17:03, 20 April 2019 by M.J.E.

IMSLP:Composer Names clarifies the site's guidelines on the issue.

Posted at 17:10, 20 April 2019 by Cypressdome (administrator)
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