Over the past few weeks, the classical music world has erupted in excitement over a remarkable discovery: an almost 200 year old undiscovered piece composed by Frédéric Chopin. The waltz was contained on a 4 x 5 inch piece of paper and was found by Robinson McClellan, the music curator at the Morgan Library and Museum in Manhattan. The museum consulted with Chopin scholar and Associate Dean for Arts and Letters at the University of Pennsylvania, Jeffery Kallberg, to confirm the piece’s authenticity. Kallberg knew immediately that he had never seen this piece before: they had found something special.

In the top left corner of the photo, you can see the word, “Valse,” or waltz.

The piece was part of a collection donated to the museum in 2019. The cataloging and organization of the collection was slowed down due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

During discovery, the contents of the small paper: its ink, the handwriting, and the musical style, were thoroughly analyzed. Based on this extensive analysis, experts reached the conclusion that the piece belonged to Frédéric Chopin. It is believed to have been written when the composer was in his early twenties, between 1830 and 1835, making it nearly two hundred years old. It is the first major Chopin discovery since the 1930s.

Many experts have taken time to compare this piece to other works of Frédéric Chopin. Most agree that it appears to be completed, even though it is shorter than all of his other waltzes. It is only 24 measures, and takes about a minute to play. Most also agree that there are many signs pointing to its validity: the handwriting is consistent with his other pieces and the ink is similar to what would’ve been used at that time.

The New York Times was the first to report on the new piece, and they invited renowned pianist Lang Lang to record its premier performance at Steinway Hall in Manhattan. Lang told the Times that when he played the waltz, it felt like Chopin to him. He reported that, “This is not the most complicated music by Chopin, but it is one of the most authentic Chopin styles that you can imagine.”

Discoveries like this prompt us to wonder what other historical artifacts, like music, writings, or paintings, are waiting to be found. What will we find next?