Frederic Francois Chopin Chopin was a Polish composer, one of the most important pianists of the Romantic period, who wrote primarily for the solo piano.

He was born in Poland, in Chopin was a French immigrant and his mother was Polish. Both his parents were involved with music. His father played the flute and the violin and his mother was a pianist. Biography

Though his father taught French, it was the Polish language and culture which dominated in his house and this influenced him deeply for all his life. Biography

By the age of 8 he was recognized as a child prodigy, performing in elegant salons and beginning to write his own pieces. He completed his musical education in Warsaw before leaving Poland at the age of 21. Education

In 1831 he settled in Paris where he worked as a piano teacher and gave performances mainly to private salons. Chopin in Paris

Relationship with George Sand In 1838 he began an affair with the French eccentric novelist George Sand, who he met in the house of Franz List.

Chopin in England and Scotland In 1848 he lived for a long period in England and Scotland where he gave recitals.

The last years He spent the last few years of his short life in a state of poor health and finally died from tuberculosis at the age of 39.

His music The majority of his music is for solo piano and he made his own etudes, sonatas, mazurkas, waltzes, nochurnes, polonaises and preludes.

Famous quotes about Chopin ''Hats off gentlemen, a genius'' - Robert Schumann ''A really perfect virtuoso'‘ - Felix Mendelssohn ''He shines lonely, peerless in the firmament of art'' - Franz Liszt