Happy 200th Birthday, Chopin!

Chopin was born in Poland in 1810 and died in 1849, possibly due to long-lasting tubercolosis. And of course, he was one of the greatest composers of all time. Some said his works had a very strong impact on the further development of piano music. He composed mainly for piano though, but there're some orchestral works, such as his concertos, and the Grande Polonaise Brillante, which is mostly piano with some orchestral parts every now and then. Some of the forms he used include the mazurka (traditional Polish dance), polonaise (another traditional Polish dance for males only), waltz, etude, prelude, ballade, scherzo, fantaisie, nocturne, and of course, the sonata. He wrote 3 sonatas, of which the 2nd one contains the very famous Marche Funebre (Funeral March).

And of course, Chopin taught many students, and had a long-lasting relationship with writer George Sand, although it ended quite abruptly after about 7 years. Chopin knew Liszt as well, and they were similar, yet different in many ways.

In short, Chopin was a legend - and his music continues to live on, even today. Personally, I believe Chopin's works are absolutely awesome, and that they really push my technique and musicality to the limit. At the same time, it gives me a challenge to work towards, for mastering a Chopin piece isn't easy. His rubarto, expressions and melodies are just wonderful.

So yeah, HAPPY BIRTHDAY Chopin!! Thanks so much for providing us such wonderful music for us to play, and to enjoy! And thanks for influencing the piano so much, such that its music can continue to develop and expand as time passes!