MICROSTORY OF ART

MICROSTORY OF ART
ONLINE JOURNAL FOR ART, CONNOISSEURSHIP AND CULTURAL JOURNALISM

Dedicated to Frédéric Chopin

Chopin at the Piano, by Jakob Götzenberger, 1838

(7.6.2022) Chopin-biographers know of the depressed state of mind Frédéric Chopin was in, when being in Stuttgart in 1831. Why was Chopin depressed, and why is this still relevant today?
Frédéric Chopin was deeply depressed, because he was away of home, a home which was threatened by Russian soldiers. His family, he felt, was threatened or might be threatened by Russian soldiers, and what he felt was not only helplessness, but probably also guilt and self-hate, because he felt that, regarding that threat and that assault, he had nothing to contribute. Brief: That he was not much of help, lacking, as he felt, ›muscles‹, or at least the ability to help using his brain and mouth.
Regarding the music of Chopin, one might find a better, a deeper understanding of the – at times – extremely violent outbursts, if one does take into considerations such states of mind, and the Ballade in F major (the second of the four Ballades), is only too directly linked to the state of mind Chopin was in in 1831, when being in Stuttgart.

If it is about to act in view of a state of crisis or a violent assault – it is clear that art and culture does take a pause – contributing as much as those representing art and culture are capable of contributing to immediate action in view of immediate crisis. But the role of art and culture is and always will be the description and the reflection of what is happening, perhaps in anticipation of what is happening, perhaps in immediate reflection and response, perhaps in reflection after the fact. Art and culture is not guilty per se, for not being able to help immediately, or to continue what art and culture has to do. And yet, artists and writers will always feel guilty, useless and helpless in situations Chopin lived through in 1831, or in view of similar situations, and in view of a situation we see in 2022, as I am writing.
But, even if this does not console anybody, art and culture has to stand, in view of the severest crisis, and to continue what is the task of culture, whether it is writing, composing, painting or drawing. Stopping would mean to give up culture and to have a violent and stupid assault triumph over culture. And there is only one thing that art and culture, an art and culture deserving that name, is not allowed to do in view of crisis, stupidity and disaster: artists and writers, at least those feeling the ambition of being part of a bigger context, a public sphere, a community, and yes, a nation, are not allowed to look away, producing a ›culture‹ that would not reflect, neither directly nor indirecly, what is happening or has happened, not feeling any responsibility of art and culture in view of stupidity, violence and disaster, and not showing empathy. It would be a ›culture‹ without awareness of its time. And the music of Chopin, often considered as simply being or only being romantic, is a music that was aware of its time. And it is a music that, tragically, is even aware of our time.

Seen on my Easter walk in 2022: a seismic shock has reached a forest near a hospital in Switzerland

MICROSTORY OF ART
ONLINE JOURNAL FOR ART, CONNOISSEURSHIP AND CULTURAL JOURNALISM
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