Polish songs (Chopin)

The 17th song, Śpiew z mogiłki (Hymn from the Tomb) was published separately in Berlin with a French title, Chant du tombeau.

All but one of the texts of the Chopin songs were original poems by his Polish contemporaries, with most of whom he was personally acquainted.

The sole exception is Piosnka litewska (A Lithuanian Song), which was set to a Polish translation by Ludwik Osiński.

Ten of them are by a friend of Chopin’s family, Stefan Witwicki, from his Piosnki Sielskie (Idylls, 1830).

Zygmunt Krasiński, the lover of Delfina Potocka, was another poet who inspired Chopin to write a song.

74 songs as piano transcriptions under the title Six Chants polonais, S.480, a set which has long been a concert and recording favourite.