An extraordinary discovery has been made at the Morgan Library and Museum in New York: an unpublished Chopin manuscript was found by chance among some historical objects in a safe. Music curator Robinson McClellan made the discovery while examining various artifacts. During his search, he noticed a damaged manuscript on which an interesting name appeared, Chopin. Wasting no time, he photographed the document and sent it to Jeffrey Kallberg, an expert on the Polish composer at the University of Pennsylvania.

Kallberg said he was amazed: “I had never seen anything like it before.” After careful evaluation, the Morgan Library confirmed that it was an unknown waltz composed by Chopin, a remarkable discovery that had not been made in over fifty years. The manuscript dates back to between 1830 and 1835, when Chopin was only twenty years old.

Experts have noted some special features of the work: although it is considered complete, the waltz is shorter than other compositions by the Polish master. In fact, it has only 48 bars and can be performed in about 80 seconds. The key in which it is written is A minor and it also features a passage with triple forte.

Chopin, often called “the poet of the piano”, died in Paris in 1849 at the age of only 39. This discovery further enriches the composer’s musical legacy, offering the opportunity to explore new nuances of his art and youthful creativity. The importance of the discovery lies not only in the historical value of the manuscript but also in the contribution it can make to the understanding of Chopin’s musical evolution during his early years as a composer. The musical community awaits with great interest further analysis of this unpublished work that could prove to be a precious gem in the panorama of classical music.