Forgotten Chopin Waltz Resurfaces in New York Museum Treasure Trove After 200 Years

New music believed to be penned by Frédéric Chopin has resurfaced in New York after nearly 200 years.

A new report sheds light on the discovery and claims that the piece of music was found in the Morgan Library and Museum and is believed to be from the era of 1830 and 1835.

The New York Times reports that the piece of music came with a card that had the famed composer's name on it.

The outlet reports that the music was found by curator Robinson McClellan while he was cataloguing new collections. However, he had his hesitations about if the music was actually penned by Chopin or not.

He ended up working with a leading Chopin expert in order to figure it out. While Chopin did not sign the sheet of music, the penmanship allegedly matched that of his, including his distinctive bass clef as well as his doodling characteristic.

"What we're most certain about is it is written in the hand of Chopin, paper that he wrote on himself in his own hand," McClellan told the BBC.

"What's not entirely sure is that it's music that he composed. I feel about 98% sure, and many people who have heard it already feel in their gut this sounds like Chopin," he added.

A renowned pianist that goes by the name of Lang Lang shared that the music sounds very much like something Chopin would construct.

"It sounds very much like Chopin, with a very dramatic darkness turning into a positive thing. It's beautiful. This is not the most complicated music by Chopin but it is one of the most authentic Chopin styles that you can imagine," Lang Lang shared.

Chopin is mostly known for his piano solos and the museum has gone on to say that they believe that the new music discovered was written by the musician when he was in his early 20s.

In total, The New York Times claims that Chopin wrote around 28 waltzes before he died at the age of 39 in 1849. 17 waltzes were published of his, eight during his life and another nine after his death. Others are presumed to be lost or destroyed.

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