1 . Chopin, one of the most influential and popular pianists in the field of music, was born in Poland. He lived in a happy family. His father was a French teacher at the Warsaw Lyceum which Chopin later attended. His mother liked singing Polish folk songs very much. When Chopin was still a baby, his mother often sang songs to make him sleep. The charm of music was firmly rooted in the young Chopin’s heart and accompanied him until the end of his life.
His early training started at home, including getting piano lessons from his mother. When he was 4, his parents bought a piano at home. His mother often played the piano with him. Chopin had an unspeakable feeling for the piano. He often climbed onto the chair and beat the keys with his tender hands. “This is our son playing the piano. And it is a Polish folk song!” Chopin’s mother was surprised, and his father was very proud.
By the age of seven, Chopin had created original works, which showed his prodigious musical ability. Then his parents sent him to learn piano from Wojciech Zywny. When Chopin was sixteen, he attended the Warsaw Conservatory of Music, directed by composer Josephy Elsner. Like other young musicians during the Classical and Romantic Periods, Chopin was sent to Vienna, the center of music for that day. While he was in Vienna, Poland and Russia faced off in the beginnings of war. He returned to Warsaw to get his things for a more permanent move.
The war in Poland inspired Chopin to write many sad works expressing his grief for his motherland. Among these was the famous “Revolutionary Etude”. As the war continued in Warsaw and then reached Paris, Chopin retired to Scotland with friends. Although he was far beyond the reach of the revolution, he fell into deep depression. Besides, his health was in bad condition. Finally, he died at the age of 39, and was buried in Paris.
1. Who was Chopin’s first music teacher?A.Wojciech Zywny. | B.His mother. | C.Josephy Elsner. | D.His father. |
A.Chopin’s parents paid much attention to his education. |
B.Chopin was forced to practice the piano by his mother. |
C.His mother was his French teacher. |
D.He lacked love in his childhood. |
A.Because his health was poor. | B.Because he had special ability in music. |
C.Because he loved his homeland, Poland so much. | D.He was inspired by his friends. |
A.After first being sent to Vienna, Chopin never returned to Poland. |
B.The center of music was in Paris for that day. |
C.Chopin left Poland because he hated it. |
D.He died early because of his poor health and his deep feeling of depression. |
2 . Painting Master Class examines 100 of the most fascinating paintings by the world’s greatest artists, exploring the way they were made, and how and what we can learn from them with detailed analyses. Below are the four masterpieces students prefer.
The Empire of Light is a series of paintings by Belgian artist René Magritte. Between 1953 and 1954, he painted the same scene 27 times. It shows a beautiful house lit by lights from inside, surrounded by the darkness of night. What is strange is that above the house and the tree, we see a daytime sky full of brightness and soft white clouds.
Racing Horse is a painting by Xu Beihong. In 1941 he painted a racing horse running at a high speed like a missile across the sky. The horse in the masterpiece is painted with a typical Western perspective but very traditional Chinese ink brushwork. Xu cleverly drew in black ink to show the moving hair on the horse’s mane and tail.
The Starry Night was painted in June 1889 when Vincent van Gogh was staying at a home for the mental illness. Van Gogh painted what he saw from his window — the night sky with clouds, stars and a moon. Influenced by Impressionism, he also painted the massive circles of white and yellow racing across the sky. Beneath this amazing sky, we see a sleeping village and a dark, lonely tree. His unusual use of colour has led experts to think that Van Gogh’s mental illness may have affected his sense of sight.
The Scream was painted by Edvard Munch in 1893. What makes it striking is that it shows a thin figure with an expression of fear — the figure’s mouth is wide open and letting out a powerful scream. This figure is set on a bridge above a dark, stormy sea, and against an orange-red sky. Many experts say that The Scream is connected to Munch’s mental health problems, which caused him a lot of pain.
1. Which of the following was painted latest?A.The Scream. | B.The Starry Night. | C.Racing Horse. | D.The Empire of Light. |
A.Edvard Munch’s. | B.Vincent van Gogh’s. | C.Xu Beihong’s. | D.René Magritte’s. |
A.An ink painting of stars. | B.A series of paintings about the night sky. |
C.A painting inspired by Impressionism. | D.A figure painting of Vincent van Gogh. |