The great bulk of Frédéric Chopin's output consists of pieces for solo piano: his ballades, études, impromptus, mazurkas, nocturnes, polonaises, preludes, rondos, scherzos, sonatas and waltzes. There are also the two piano concertos, four other works for piano and orchestra, and a small amount of chamber music.
However, Chopin also produced a number of other compositions, mostly for solo piano, but some for other forces. Some of these are well-known, such as the Barcarolle in F-sharp, the Fantaisie in F minor, the Berceuse in D-flat, and some of the 19 Polish songs. Most of the other lesser-known works were published only after his death, contrary to his express wishes that all his unpublished manuscripts should be burned.
While often disregarded in the concert repertoire (particularly the posthumously published works), these miscellaneous works are nevertheless part of his oeuvre and must have been recorded, in some cases numerous times.
Chopin expressed a death-bed wish that all his unpublished manuscripts be destroyed. However, at the request of the composer's mother and sisters, Julian Fontana selected 23 unpublished piano pieces and grouped them into eight posthumous opus numbers (Opp. 66–73). These works were published in 1855, and include the Fantaisie-Impromptu, 8 mazurkas, 5 waltzes, 3 polonaises, 3 écossaises, a nocturne, a rondo, and a Marche funèbre. In 1857, 17 of Chopin's Polish songs were published as Op. 74.
Various other works have been subsequently published, but have not been given opus numbers. They are identified by alternative numbers from the catalogues of:
| Title | Forces* | Key | Composed | Published | Opus | Brown | Kobylańska | Chominski | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Album Leaf (Feuille d'album); Moderato | E major | 1843 | 1910 | B. 151 | KK. IVb/12 | |||||
| Allegretto | F‑sharp major | 1829? | Reconstruction. Long version spurious, by Charles Mayer | |||||||
| Allegro de concert | A major | 1841 | 1841 | Op. 46 | B. 72 | Originally intended to be a third piano concerto | ||||
| Andante spianato | G major | 1834 | 1836 | Op. 22 | B. 88 | Solo piano introduction to the Grande Polonaise | ||||
| Andantino | G minor | B. 117 | An arrangement for piano alone of the piano part of the song Wiosna; * 5 MS exist whose dates range from April 1838 to 1 September 1848 | |||||||
| Barcarolle | F‑sharp major | 1846 | 1846 | Op. 60 | B. 158 | |||||
| Berceuse | D-flat major | 1844 | 1845 | Op. 57 | B. 154 | |||||
| Bolero | C major-A minor | 1833 | 1834 | Op. 19 | B. 81 | |||||
| Two Bourrées | G major, A major | 1846 | 1968 | B. 160b | KK. VIIb/1-2 | |||||
| Canon | F minor | 1839 | 1948 | B. 129b | KK. IVc/1 | Fragment. | ||||
| Cantabile | B-flat major | 1834 | 1931 | B. 84 | KK. IVb/6 | P. 2/6 | ||||
| Three Écossaises | D major, G major, D-flat major | 1826 | 1855 | Op. posth. 72/3 | B. 12 | |||||
| Fantaisie | F minor | 1841 | 1841 | Op. 49 | B. 137 | |||||
| Fugue | A minor | 1841-42 | 1898 | B. 144 | KK. IVc/2 | |||||
| 3 Fugues | A minor, F major, D minor | KK. VIIa/2 | Arr. from Cherubini's Cours de contrepoint et de fugue | |||||||
| Galopp | A-flat major | 1846 | KK. IVc/13 | P. 2/13 | Galop Marquis | |||||
| Introduction et Variations brillantes sur le Rondeau favori "Je vends des scapulaires" from Hérold's Ludovic | B-flat major | 1833 | Op. 12 | B. 80 | ||||||
| Klavierstück | E-flat major | 1840 | 1955 | B.133 | KK IVb/10 | P. 2/10 | Marked simply "Sostenuto"; sometimes classified as a Waltz | |||
| Largo | E-flat major | 1837 | 1938 | B. 109 | KK. IVb/5 | P. 2/5 | ||||
| Marche funèbre | C minor | 1827 | 1855 | Op. posth. 72/2 | B. 20 | |||||
| 17 Polish songs | Voice and piano | 1827-47 | 1857 | Op. posth. 74 | various | various | ||||
| 2 Polish songs | Voice and piano | 1830, 1840 | 1910 | B. 51, 132 | KK.IVa/11, IVb/9 | |||||
| Tarantelle | A-flat major | 1841 | 1841 | Op. 43 | B. 139 | |||||
| Variation No. 6 for Hexameron | E major | 1837 | 1839 | B. 113 | ||||||
| Variations on an Irish National Air (from Thomas Moore) | Piano 4-hands | D major | 1826 | 1965 | B. 12a | P. 1/6 | Also known as Introduction, Theme and Variations in D on a Venetian air; Variations sur le Carnaval de Venise | |||
| Variations on the air "Der Schweizerbub" | E major | 1826 | 1851 | B. 14 | KK. IVa/4 | a.k.a. Introduction et Variations sur un Lied allemand | ||||
| Variations in A, Souvenir de Paganini | A major | 1829 | 1881 | B. 37 | KK. IVa/10 |
There remain a number of works:
| Title | Forces* | Key | Composed | Published | Brown | Kobylańska | Chominski | Status and Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allegretto and Mazurka | A major, D minor | KK. VIIb/7-8 | MS sold Paris 21 November 1974. These two little pieces were not recorded until 1992. Available. | |||||
| Andante dolente | B-flat minor | KK. Vb/1 | Lost. Copy of first line made by Chopin's sister Ludwika is extant | |||||
| Contredanse | G-flat major | 1827 | 1934 | B. 17 | KK. Anh. Ia/4 | A 1/4 | Authenticity not universally accepted. The sole MS is not in Chopin's hand.[1] | |
| Écossaise | E-flat major | KK. Ve/3 | Lost. Two écossaises were in the hands of Oskar Kolberg. | |||||
| Écossaise | B-flat major | 1827 | KK. Vb/9 | Lost. Copy of first line made by Chopin's sister Ludwika is extant. It seems this piece is different from the two écossaises belonging to Oskar Kolberg. | ||||
| 3 Marches | C-minor, B-flat minor and F minor | KK. Vd/1-3 | Lost; perhaps includes the Marche funèbre in C minor, Op. posth. 72/2 and the Andante Dolente in B-flat minor | |||||
| Marches | "early" | KK. Vf | Lost | |||||
| Mazurka | B-flat minor | KK. Anh. Ib | Doubtful | |||||
| Mazurka | KK. Ve/8 | Mentioned in 1878 correspondence between Breitkopf & Hartel and Izabela Barczinska | ||||||
| Mazurka | KK. Ve/6 | Mentioned in a note from Augener to C.A. Spina 21 May 1884 | ||||||
| Mazurka (Mazurek) | D major | 1820 | 1910 | B. 4 | KK. Anh. Ia/1 | A 1/1 | Doubtful. Available. | |
| Mazurka | D major | 1826 | KK. Ve/5 | Referred to in literature but the MS is unknown | ||||
| Mazurka | 1832 | KK. Vc/2 | Mentioned in a letter from Chopin dated 10 September 1832 | |||||
| Mazurka | 14 September 1832 | KK. Ve/7 | Listed in an auction catalogue, Paris, 1906 | |||||
| Mazurka | G major | 22 August 1829 | Setting of a poem by Ignaz Macicowski | |||||
| Mazurkas (several) | "early" | KK. Vf | Lost | |||||
| Mazurka | by December 1846 | KK. Vc/4 | Mentioned in a letter from Chopin | |||||
| Mazurka | F-sharp major | KK. Anh. II/1 | Spurious; by Charles Mayer (long version). Allegretto is believed by Chopin (short version reconstruction) | |||||
| Military March | ?? | 1817 | KK. Vd/4 | Lost; scoring for military band not by Chopin; dedicated to the Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich | ||||
| Nocturne (No. 22) a.k.a. Nocturne oublié(e) | C-sharp minor | KK Anh Ia/6 | A1/6 | Spurious[2] | ||||
| Polonaises (several) | "early" | KK. Vf | Lost | |||||
| 2 Polonaises | 1818 | Lost; presented on 26 September 1818 to the Empress Maria Fyodorovna, mother of Tsar Alexander I of Russia, on the occasion of her visit to Warsaw | ||||||
| Polonaise | 1825 | KK. Vf | Lost; on themes by Rossini (The Barber of Seville) and Spontini; mentioned in a letter from Chopin dated November 1825. It was reported on the lost album of Izabela Grabowska (source: Koptiajev). | |||||
| Polonaise | 1831 (by July) | KK. Vc/1 | Lost; mentioned in a letter from Chopin to his family | |||||
| Polonaise | 1832 | KK. Vc/3 | Mentioned in a letter from Chopin dated 10 September 1832 | |||||
| Prelude and Andantino animato | F major, D minor | 1930 | KK Anh Ia/2-3 | A 1/2-3 | Doubtful | |||
| 2 sacred works | ?? | by 1846 | KK. Va/1-2 | Lost; includes Veni Creator | ||||
| Sonata | Piano four-hands | 1835 | KK. Vc/5 | Lost; mentioned in a letter from Chopin to Breitkopf | ||||
| Song Plotno | Voice and piano | KK. Vd/5 | Lost | |||||
| Song | Voice and piano | January 1841 | KK. Vc/10 | Lost; mentioned in a letter of 9 January 1841 | ||||
| 3 songs | Voice and piano | KK. Vd/6-8 | Lost | |||||
| 6 songs | Voice and piano | KK. Anh. Ic/1 | Doubtful | |||||
| 4 songs | Voice and ?? | various | Violin parts only remain | |||||
| Variations | January 1818 | KK Ve/9 | Lost | |||||
| Variations | Piano 4-hands or 2 pianos | F major | 1826 | KK. Vb/2 | Lost. Copy of first line made by Chopin's sister Ludwika is extant | |||
| Variations on "Non più mesta" from Rossini's La Cenerentola | Flute and piano | E major | 1824 | 1955 | B. 9 | KK. Anh. Ia/5 | A 1/5 | This work has been attributed to Chopin, but is generally considered spurious. |
| Variations on a Ukrainian Dumka by Antoni Radziwill | Violin and piano | 1830 | KK. VIIa/3 | Lost | ||||
| Waltz | E-flat major | 1826-1827 | 1902 | B. 46 | KK. Iva/14 | P. 1/14 | Manuscript lost | |
| Waltz (Valse mélancolique) | F-sharp minor | 1838 | 1932 | KK Ib/7 | A 1/7 | Spurious | ||
| Waltz | C major | 1824 | KK. Vb/8 | Lost | ||||
| Waltz | A minor | 1824 | KK. Vf | Lost. It was reported on Izabela Grabowska's lost album. "A delicious waltz dedicated to Countess Lubienska" (source: Koptiajev). | ||||
| Waltz | C major | 1826 | KK. Vb/3 | MS destroyed; copy of first line made by Chopin's sister Ludwika is extant | ||||
| Waltz | A-flat major | 1827 | KK. Vb/4 | MS destroyed; copy of first line made by Chopin's sister Ludwika is extant | ||||
| Waltz (La Partenza) | D minor | 1828 | KK. Vb/6 | MS destroyed; copy of first line made by Chopin's sister Ludwika is extant | ||||
| Waltz | A minor | 1829 | Discovered 1937; was in possession of H. Hinterberger of Vienna, but now believed destroyed | |||||
| Waltz | A-flat major | 1829-30 | KK. Vb/5 | Mentioned in a letter from Chopin to his family, 21 December 1830; MS destroyed; copy of first line made by Chopin's sister Ludwika is extant | ||||
| Waltz | E-flat major | 1829-30 | KK. Vb/7 | MS destroyed; copy of first line made by Chopin's sister Ludwika is extant | ||||
| Waltz | C major | 1831 | MS destroyed; copy of first line made by Chopin's sister Ludwika is extant | |||||
| Waltz | by 1845 | KK. Ve/12 | Mentioned in diary of L. Niedźwiecki | |||||
| Waltz | B major | 12 October 1848 | B.166 | KK. Va/3 | MS in private hands (London) and unavailable. | |||
| Waltz | B-flat major | 1849 | Discovered 1952; in possession of Arthur Hedley | |||||
| Waltz | KK. Vb/7 | Mentioned in letters from Breitkopf to Izabela Barcińska in 1878 | ||||||
| Waltz | KK. Ve/10 | Listed in auction catalogue, Paris, March 1906 | ||||||
| Waltzes (several) | KK.Vf | Lost. There exists a little fragment of what it seems a G-flat major waltz (1847?) | ||||||
| Several works | Violin and piano | Lost. Several of them were found on Izabela Grabowska's lost album. | ||||||
| 2 works | Aeolopantaleon | KK. Ve/1-2 | Lost. Notes and research on these pieces are found among others in "Jeszcze raz o dwóch nieznanych kompozycjach Chopina na eolipantalion" by Benjamin Vogel (1985) | |||||