Which composer wrote the “Funeral March” in Piano Sonata No. 2?

Frédéric Chopin wrote the “Funeral March” in Piano Sonata No. 2.

Chopin’s Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor, Op. 35, contains the famous third movement marked “Marche funèbre,” or “Funeral March.” Chopin composed the march earlier than the rest of the sonata, probably in 1837, and incorporated it into the complete four-movement work later.

The sonata was published in 1840 and became one of Chopin’s most important large-scale piano compositions. Its third movement has a slow, solemn outer section and a contrasting middle section in D-flat major. The march has since become strongly associated with funeral ceremonies and commemorations.

Although the piece is often treated as a standalone work, it is structurally part of the sonata. Another common mix-up is confusing it with Chopin’s separate Piano Sonata No. 3, which has a different design and no comparable “Funeral March” movement.