Love me, Love me not (Part II): Chopin’s Reception in Great Britain, 1849 to 1899

This article considers the reception of Frédéric Chopin in Great Britain, between the years 1849 and 1899. It serves as a natural sequel to “Love me, love me not (Part I):Chopin’s reception in Great Britain, 1830–1849” (Musica Iagellonica, 2019). Chopin’s reception in nineteenth century Britain is complex, resembling a colourful patchwork of sources placed in various social, cultural, and economic contexts. Unlike reception during his life, which was polarised, colourful, and unpredictable, reception following his passing in 1849 is much less turbulent and improbable, while still involving numerous preconceptions, subtexts and misrepresentations established during Chopin’s lifetime. In exploring the gradual reinforcement of Chopin’s position in the second half of nineteenth century Britain, we see that the popularity of a composer is not easily gained; in Chopin’s case, we witness a gradual build-up of his popularity, alongside interest and representation in the press. This article presents the various steps towards an ultimate acceptance for Chopin as a composer at the end of the nineteenth century Britain.