The Sonata in B-flat minor, Op. 35, was written in 1839 and
published the following year. Unusually, Chopin initially
approved the Sonata fùnebre title, but later took out the
adjective in the 3rd French edition. He described the work in an
August 1839 letter to Julian Fontana thus: “Here I am writing a
Sonata in B-flat minor, containing the march that you know.
There is an allegro, then a Scherzo in E-flat minor, the march
and short finale, perhaps 3 of my pages; the left hand in unison
with the right, gossiping after the march.” As is apparent from
this remark, the Funeral March was composed earlier, probably in
1837, as witnessed by an album leaf containing the first eight
bars of the Trio and dated “Paris, 28. September 1837”. This
movement was orchestrated by Henri Reber to be played in the
Madeleine’s Church in Paris at Chopin’s own funeral in October
1849. The other three movements were concluded in the summer of
1839, in George Sand’s manor house at Nohant, right after their
return from Majorca. While