Newly-Discovered Chopin Waltz Performed by Lang Lang

Piano superstar Lang Lang performed a Chopin Waltz that had not been heard for nearly 200 years. The waltz was discovered in the archives of the Morgan Library & Museum in Manhattan by curator Robinson McLellan.

What’s the buzz: Superstar pianist Lang Lang recently recorded a newly re-discovered Chopin Waltz that hadn’t been heard for nearly 200 years. Robinson McLellan, curator for the Morgan Library & Museum in Manhattan who is also a composer, discovered the piece while going through the museum’s archives and recognized it as Chopin. After consulting musicologist and Chopin specialist Jeffrey Kallberg, the manuscript’s authenticity was proven based on a number of criteria. These include Chopin’s unique penmanship–including his unusual rendering of the bass clef–as well as the paper and ink used for the manuscript.

A bit of context: Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849) died at the age of 39 leaving only about 250 pieces in his oeuvre, most of which are for solo piano. The waltz discovered at the Morgan Library was most likely composed between 1830 and 1835, when Chopin was in his 20s.

Fall 2024 has been an exciting season for classical re-discoveries. In September, the Leipzig Municipal Libraries announced that it had discovered a 12-minute String Trio by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. What’s next, the final two movements of Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony? Archivists, keep your eyes peeled!

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Sara Schabas

Sara Schabas is a Dora-nominated soprano, writer and yoga teacher. She has performed and created leading roles with companies including Vancouver Opera, Pacific Opera Victoria, the Dayton Opera, and Aspen Opera, and is a former member of Barbara Hannigan’s Equilibrium Young Artists. Currently based in Montreal, she is a doctoral student at McGill University — where she recently received the Wirth Vocal Prize — and editor of Art Song Canada magazine.