Chopin：The Poet of the Piano

Frederic Chopin was born in 1810 in a small Polish town near Warsaw. His incredible talent was exposed at a young age； by the time he was seven he had already written several pieces. When he was nine， he was performing publicly in Warsaw. Like every other wonder child that showed great talent on the piano， he was being praised as a new Mozart.

When Chopin was sixteen， he attended the famous Warsaw Conservatory. After graduating in 1830， Chopin started a lonely journey to find fame and fortune. He went to Vienna， the unquestioned center of music at that time. He gave piano concerts and then arranged to have his pieces published.

While performing in Vienna， he learned of Russia’s invasion of Poland. He returned to Warsaw to get his things in preparation for a more permanent move. While there， his friends gave him a silver goblet filled with Polish soil. He kept it all the time， as he was never able to return to his beloved Poland.

After leaving home， he went to Paris where he found himself among thousands of Polish exiles. Chopin decided to stay with them and pursue a career in performing and teaching. Soon the elegant Chopin became a favorite of Paris high society.

In Paris， news of the war in Poland inspired Chopin to write many sad musical pieces expressing his grief for “his” Poland. Among these was the famous “Revolutionary Etude”. Although he was far beyond the reach of the revolution， he was plagued by poor health as well as his homesickness. Surrounded by those whom he loved， Chopin died at the age of 39. He was buried in Paris. His last request was that the Polish soil in the silver goblet be sprinkled over his grave.

Frederic Chopin wrote no symphonies， no operas， and no string quartets. He wrote only for the piano. His piano writing is often technically demanding， with an emphasis on nuances and expressive depth. Therefore， Chopin is still considered one of the greatest classical composers of all time and one of the great masters of Romantic music. He is known for the brilliance of his etudes and preludes. But it is Chopin’s nocturnes that will be forever remembered with his name. As their title suggests， they are dreamy night pieces， with melodies many people consider among the most beautiful ever written.