Even before 1999, the 150th anniversary of Chopin’s death, there was a noticeable increase in the number of studies of his life and work, and this guide is a timely reminder of how far his stock has risen in value recently. Smialek lists 519 references in this bibliography and, although he does not claim to be exhaustive, he has cast his net impressively wide and has identified the most significant studies. Much of the literature cited is naturally in Polish and therefore probably not easily accessible; titles are translated into English which is tantalising for those of us whose grasp of Polish is tenuous.
Each entry has a short but adequate annotation, and they are grouped into reference works, the life of the composer and then his works, forming the main body of the guide. Then there is a brief list of references to Chopin’s connection with literary figures in nineteenth century Poland and some discographies. That is followed by a discography of notable performances of his music that have been issued on compact disc.
Smialek believes that Chopin’s own letters and those sent to him or about him to his contemporaries are the most important source of information on his life and activity, and has provided a chronological list of those that have been published in five major collections. It is advisable for researchers to consult the different editions because versions of the texts vary and their dating is sometimes contentious. I would recommend this guide for specialist libraries.
