Frédéric Chopin

Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849) was a Polish-French composer and pianist, universally regarded as one of the greatest masters of the instrument. Born near Warsaw, he moved to Paris in 1831, where he became the darling of the salons and a close friend of Liszt, Berlioz, Delacroix, and George Sand. Unlike Liszt, Chopin rarely performed in large concert halls, preferring the intimacy of private gatherings.

His entire output is centred on the piano, and each genre he touched — nocturnes, ballades, études, mazurkas, polonaises, sonatas, preludes — he elevated to unprecedented heights of poetry and technical innovation. His music blends the soul of Polish folk traditions with the refinement of Parisian Romanticism. He died in Paris at the age of 39, leaving a body of work that continues to define the essence of piano music.