An extraordinary discovery has been made at the Morgan Library and Museum in New York, where an unpublished Chopin manuscript was discovered by chance among various items stored in a safe. The credit for the discovery goes to music curator Robinson McClellan, who while examining various relics noticed a damaged manuscript bearing Chopin’s name. Immediately after identifying it, 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 in disbelief, stating that he had never seen the manuscript before.

After a thorough analysis by the Morgan Library, it was determined that this is a previously unknown waltz, a remarkable discovery after more than fifty years. The manuscript is dated between 1830 and 1835, when Chopin was still a young man in his twenties. Scholars noted some peculiarities: although the work appears complete, the waltz is shorter than other works by the composer, with only 48 bars and a total duration of about 80 seconds. This piece of music is composed in A minor and also features a triple forte passage.

Chopin, known as the “poet of the piano,” left an indelible mark on classical music and passed away prematurely in Paris in 1849 at the age of 39. The discovery of this waltz adds a new dimension to the composer’s already rich musical legacy and offers scholars and enthusiasts the opportunity to further explore Chopin’s artistic universe. Research continues to better understand the origins and influences that guided the creation of this enigmatic piece, thus enriching the repertoire dedicated to one of the greatest musicians in history.