Intimacy and Reflection: The Parallelisms of Friedrich and Chopin’s Masterpieces
Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog by Caspar David Friedrich
Defining a stylistic archetype of the Romantic period has been found to be difficult. Styles in this period became individualistic and depended on the interpretation and expression distinct to the deep emotions of each artist. It can be said that the similarities between the music and art of this era, if any, are very diverse. That being said, there is a similarity between the expression of Chopin in his work Nocturne Op. 9 No. 1 in B-flat minor and Friedrich’s era-defining masterpiece Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog. Both these works reveal similar elements, namely the use of repetition, asymmetry, theme, and the subjects between the two works of art.
Caspar David Friedrich created his masterpiece Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog at Kunsthalle, Hamburg in 1818. The painting is widely considered an era-defining work of the Romantic period; and the artwork encapsulates the era of finding meaning in the generic conventions of different styles of art. In this case, Friedrich was able to capture the emotion of a subject within a landscape that would normally be just a mere “image”, but in this landscape, it can be clearly seen that there is a deep connection between subject and background. This balance of elements was perfectly executed and beautifully expressed with the use of very light colors in the background and the solid dark colors in the foreground as contrast.
In terms of music, Friedrich’s work of art can be easily compared to Chopin’s famous Nocturne piece. His Nocturne Op. 9 No. 1 in B-flat minor is a great example of the mellower side of the Romantic era. Frederic Chopin’s Nocturne pieces are reminiscent of the characteristics of nighttime. The pieces convey typically dreamy and mellow moods. In the first of three parts of the said nocturne, Chopin begins with a short refrain that is reiterated throughout the movement, properly setting the tone encompassing the entire piece. Chopin’s heavy use of the sustain pedal adds to the expressive, atmospheric nature of the piece, paired with arpeggiating notes of the left hand. Both of these characteristics are common in the Romantic era, since these heavily emphasize emotional expression when performed. In the middle of the movement, the key shifts to the relative major in D-flat, contrasting the beginning with a more joyful tone. This section varies from the repetitive melody with changes in dynamics. The piece then returns to its original home key via a great left hand transition and concludes with shifting major and minor chords.
Between these two artists, both had the desire to express the subject of intimacy and self-reflection. Chopin expressed the beauty of silence; and he showed his personal and intimate relationship with the said silence and tranquility in his Nocturne series. He invites the listener to a brief moment of calm, as opposed to the “loudness” of our reality. As for Friedrich, he wanted to express the beauty of his own relationship with nature by creating a self-portrait gazing towards a foggy mountain landscape. Friedrich expressed his own personal relationship with nature. Through this, he shows a form of self-reflection in his emotions amongst the stresses of the politically and economically motivated developments of the time.
Asymmetry and repetition are also present in both artworks. Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog has the subject in the center of the work, with the mountaintop meeting at the center. The skies are balanced on either side of the painting, with different mountainous details scattered all over the canvas. This asymmetry can also be seen in Chopin’s piano piece, with his use of an A-B-A formula. In terms of repetition, Friedrich used 4 colors: green, blue, white and brown. With only these colors, he was able to create different textures in the skies, rocks, and subject. His use of repetition in the details of the rocks and the clouds make the artwork much cleaner. In Chopin’s Nocturne, his repetition is evident in the middle section, with repeating melodies and hooks, gradually being played more and more softly to prevent the piece from growing dull.
It is clear that Chopin and Friedrich are two benchmarks of the Romantic era. Through self-expression and intimacy towards the subjects in their works, they have become staples of history that inspire deep emotional expression which continues even very long after their time.
Nocturne Op. 9 No. 1 in B-flat minor by Frederic Chopin
References:
Fulford, Tim, Peter J. Kitson, and Debbie Lee. Literature, science and exploration in the Romantic era: bodies of knowledge. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press, 2008.
Boston College. "Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog - Caspar David Friedrich." Boston College Art and History. Accessed March 04, 2018. http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/his/CoreArt/art/rom_fri_wand.html.
The Fryderyk Chopin Institute. "Nocturne in B flat minor, Op. 9 No. 1 - Compositions." Fryderyk Chopin - Information Centre . Accessed March 04, 2018. http://en.chopin.nifc.pl/chopin/composition/detail/id/153.