Chopin: The Man and His Music

Frederic Francois Chopin was a Polish composer of French and Polish lineage. One of the great masters of Romantic music, he was also a virtuoso pianist.

Born in Warsaw in 1810, it was soon apparent that he was a child prodigy pianist. Following the Russian invasion of Poland, Chopin moved to Paris where he supported himself with his composing, teaching and public performances.

Chopin had a long term romance with French novelist Amantine Dupin, better known by her psuedonym, George Sand.

The majority of Chopin's compositions were written for piano alone and the piano is featured in all of his works.