Only known photograph of Chopin, taken the year of his death (of tuberculosis) in 1849. Reproduced from a private collection. Frédéric François Chopin (March 1, 1810 - October 17, 1849) was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist. He is widely considered o
Only known photograph of Chopin, taken the year of his death (of tuberculosis) in 1849. Reproduced from a private collection. Frédéric François Chopin (March 1, 1810 - October 17, 1849) was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist. He is widely considered one of the greatest Romantic composers. A renowned child-prodigy pianist and composer he left Poland hat the age of 20, shortly before the November 1830 Uprising. He settled in Paris as part of Poland's Great Emigration. During the remaining 19 years of his life, he gave only some 30 public performances, preferring the more intimate atmosphere of the salon. He supported himself by sales of his compositions and as a piano teacher. For most of his life, Chopin suffered from poor health and he died in Paris in 1849 at the age of 39. Before the funeral, pursuant to his dying wish, his heart was removed. It was preserved in alcohol (perhaps brandy) to be returned to his homeland, as he had requested. The majority of Chopin's works are for solo piano, though he also wrote two piano concertos, a few chamber pieces and some songs to Polish texts. His piano works are often technically demanding, with an emphasis on nuance and expressive depth. Chopin invented the instrumental ballade and made major innovations to the piano sonata, mazurka, waltz, nocturne, polonaise, étude, impromptu, scherzo and prélude.
Size: 3640px × 4883px
Photo credit: © Photo Researchers / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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