Six of these songs, transcribed for piano, with all Liszt’s wonted
skill, render this charming vein of Chopin’s work available to the
pianist. I cite two as illustrations:
These Polish songs by Chopin are, comparatively speaking, unknown, even
among musicians, overshadowed and hidden as they have always been by the
number and magnitude of his pianoforte works, like wood-violets lost in
the depths of a forest. Yet, though small and unpretentious as the
violets, they are among his most genial and poetic creations. Seventeen
of them have been published, as genuine bits of vocal melody as ever
were penned or sung; and there are many more which have never been
printed, scarcely even written out in full; hasty pastime sketches, the
fair daughters of a momentary inspiration, wedded to stray verses of
Polish poetry which caught Chopin’s fancy, from the pen of Mickiewicz
and other national bards.