17/10/2026
Today marks 177 years since Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin died in Paris, in the early hours of 17 October 1849. He was 39. His body rests in Père Lachaise Cemetery. At his wish, his heart was carried home to Warsaw, where it lies in the Church of the Holy Cross.
At his funeral in the Church of the Madeleine (Paris) on 30 October, Mozart’s Requiem was sung and his own Preludes in E minor and B minor were played on the organ.
News reached the Australian colonies uncharacteristically slowly. As far as we have been able to find, no Australian newspaper reported his death at the time, despite being widely reported in the English press. The earliest mention we know of came only in passing, more than five years later in the concert notice of Edouard Boulanger, describing him as a pupil of “the distinguished and lamented Chopin.”
Chopin's music is now frequently heard in concert halls, homes, and studios across Australia, a legacy that has only grown over time.
Today we invite you to listen to your favourite piece by Chopin, and remember him. We've included a link to Paderewski's performance of Chopin's famous Funeral March (the 3rd movement of his Piano Sonata No 2) in the comments. Listen out for his thunderous and nearly supernatural left hand in the second half.
Friends of Chopin Australia
