Composer of the Month 3/2010: Frédéric Chopin   (selected by Peter van Dessel / Belgium)

Poland 22.2.2010 The Polish composer and pianist Frédéric Chopin was born on 1 March 1810 in Zelazowa-Wola near Warsaw. Already in very early years his musical talent showed up. He studied piano in Warsaw and gave concerts among other places in Vienna and Paris. In 1830 he settled down in Paris where - among others - Liszt, Berlioz, Heine, Blazac and Meyerbeer belonged to his circle of friends. Chopin was highly respected in Paris as virtuose, composer and teacher. He was one of the most influential and most popular piano composers of the nineteenth century and is regarded as the most important person in the music history of Poland. Frédéric Chopin died in Paris on October 17th, 1849. In March 2010 his birthday comes up again for the 200th time. The video shows the English pianist Freddy Kempf playing Frédéric Chopin's Etude Op. 10 Nr. 3 More composers in the members only section