Frédéric Chopin

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Biography

Born: 1810   Died: 1849   Period: Romantic
Frédéric Chopin has long been recognized as one of the most significant and individual composers of the Romantic age. The bulk of his reputation rests on small-scale works that in other hands would have been mere salon trifles: waltzes, nocturnes, preludes, mazurkas, and polonaises (the last-named two groups reflecting his fervent Polish nationalism). These works link poetically expressive melody and restless harmony to high technical demands. Read more Even his etudes survive as highly appealing concert pieces by emphasizing musical as well as technical values.

His birth date is a matter of controversy; the town registration of his birth specifies February 22, but Chopin always gave the date as March 1. His father was French, his mother Polish; he was raised in Warsaw by a family that mingled with intellectuals and members of the middle and upper classes, and as a teenager he spent two summers in the country, where he was exposed to Polish folk music. By the age of eight he was recognized as a child prodigy, performing in elegant salons and beginning to write his own pieces. Early on he studied composition with Josef Elsner, then took classes in various other music subjects as well as art and literature at the Warsaw Lyceum. In 1826 he enrolled at the University of Warsaw. He gave his first recital in Vienna in 1829, and over the next few years he performed at home and through much of German and Austria as well as in Paris. Feeling limited by Warsaw's cultural provincialism and uncomfortable with the publicity surrounding his performances there, he settled in Paris in 1832 and established himself as an exorbitantly paid piano teacher. In Paris he composed extensively, but limited his performances mainly to private salons.

In 1838 he began an affair with French novelist George Sand. The couple, along with Sand's children, spent a harsh winter in Majorca, where Chopin's health plummeted and he was diagnosed with consumption (tuberculosis). Chopin settled in with Sand in France, composing steadily although his increasing perfectionism slowed his output. By the mid-1840s, though, his health and romantic situation both had deteriorated. The affair ended in 1847 after, among other things, Sand had portrayed their relationship unflatteringly in her 1846 novel Lucrezia Floriani. Chopin then made an extended visit to the British Isles, but returned to Paris to die in 1849. Read less

Featured Frédéric Chopin CDs & DVDs:

Chopin: The Mazurkas / Mirian Conti
Chopin: The Mazurkas / Mirian Conti
Release Date: 11/09/2010   Label: Steinway & Sons  
Catalog: 30003   Number of Discs: 2
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Chopin: Etudes / Maurizio Pollini
Chopin: Etudes / Maurizio Pollini
Release Date: 10/25/1990   Label: Deutsche Grammophon  
Catalog: 413794   Number of Discs: 1
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Classic Library - Chopin: Waltzes, Impromptus / Rubinstein
Classic Library - Chopin: Waltzes, Impromptus / Rubinstein
Release Date: 04/20/2004   Label: Rca Victor Red Seal  
Catalog: 59422   Number of Discs: 1
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Grieg, Chopin, Saint-Saëns: Piano Concertos / Rubinstein
Grieg, Chopin, Saint-Saëns: Piano Concertos / Rubinstein
Release Date: 09/12/2006   Label: Deutsche Grammophon  
Catalog: 000673109  
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Chopin Complete Edition [17-CD Set]
Chopin Complete Edition [17-CD Set]
Release Date: 01/26/2010   Label: Deutsche Grammophon  
Catalog: 001382602   Number of Discs: 17
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Work: Minute Waltz, Op. 64 no 1

Browse 176-200 of 222 Available Recordings
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  • 176.
    The Very Best Of Chopin
    Label: Dux Records   Catalog: DUX510 Release Date: 01/01/2000   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Frédéric Chopin
    Performer:  Piotr Paleczny,  Kevin Kenner,  Zbigniew Raubo,  Bartlomiej Kuzniak  ... 
    Conductor:  Bohdan Jarmolowicz,  Wojciech Michniewski,  Wojciech Rajski
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Duo Granat
    CD: $34.99
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  • 177.
    Elisso Wirssaladze Plays Chopin
    Elisso Wirssaladze Plays Chopin
    Label: Live Classics   Catalog: 391 Release Date: 11/26/1999   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Frédéric Chopin
    Performer:  Elisso Wirssaladze
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  • 178.
    Fantastic Favorites / Jeffrey Reid Baker
    Fantastic Favorites / Jeffrey Reid Baker
    Label: Jrb   Catalog: 9004 Release Date: 03/02/1999   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Manuel de Falla,  Sergei Prokofiev,  Robert Schumann,  Felix Mendelssohn  ... 
    Performer:  Jeffrey Reid Baker
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  • 179.
    Chopin: Waltzes / Pires
    Chopin: Waltzes / Pires
    Label: Erato   Catalog: 4267532 Release Date: 02/26/1999   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Frédéric Chopin
    Performer:  Maria-Joao Pires
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  • 180.
    Chopin: 14 Waltzes, Barcarolle, Etc / Dinu Lipatti
    Chopin: 14 Waltzes, Barcarolle, Etc / Dinu Lipatti
    Label: Emi Great Recordings Of The Century   Catalog: 66956 Release Date: 01/12/1999   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Frédéric Chopin
    Performer:  Dinu Lipatti
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  • 181.
    The Complete Josef Hofmann Vol 6 - Casimir Hall Recital
    The Complete Josef Hofmann Vol 6 - Casimir Hall Recital
    Label: Marston   Catalog: 52014 Release Date: 11/24/1998   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Josef Hofmann,  Franz Schubert,  Ludwig van Beethoven,  Sigismund Stojowski  ... 
    Performer:  Josef Hofmann
    Conductor:  Sir John Barbirolli
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Orchestra
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  • 182.
    Grand Piano - Harold Bauer - Chopin & Schumann
    Grand Piano - Harold Bauer - Chopin & Schumann
    Label: Nimbus   Catalog: 8817 Release Date: 11/17/1998   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Robert Schumann,  Frédéric Chopin
    Performer:  Harold Bauer
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  • 183.
    Chopin: Chopin For Lovers
    Chopin: Chopin For Lovers
    Label: Decca   Catalog: 460322 Release Date: 11/04/1998   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Frédéric Chopin
    Performer:  Vladimir Ashkenazy
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  • 184.
    Music Of The Night - The Essential Chopin Collection
    Music Of The Night - The Essential Chopin Collection
    Label: Dg Double   Catalog: 457992 Release Date: 09/15/1998   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Frédéric Chopin
    Performer:  Martha Argerich,  Daniel Barenboim,  Jean-Marc Luisada,  Tamás Vásáry  ... 
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  • 185.
    Miniatures For Flute And Harp / Janos Balint, Deborah Sipkai
    Miniatures For Flute And Harp / Janos Balint, Deborah Sipkai
    Label: Capriccio Records   Catalog: 10748 Release Date: 08/25/1998   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Giuseppe Tartini,  Antonio Vivaldi,  François Joseph Gossec,  Johann Sebastian Bach  ... 
    Performer:  Deborah Sipkai,  János Bálint
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  • 186.
    My First Recital (Enhanced)
    My First Recital (Enhanced)
    Label: Deutsche Grammophon   Catalog: 4591352 Release Date: 07/10/1998   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Ludwig van Beethoven,  Frédéric Chopin,  Franz Schubert,  Claude Debussy  ... 
    Performer:  Anatol Ugorski,  Jean-Marc Luisada,  Daniel Barenboim,  Alexis Weissenberg  ... 
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  • 187.
    The Complete Josef Hofmann Vol 5 - Solo Recordings 1935-1948
    The Complete Josef Hofmann Vol 5 - Solo Recordings 1935-1948
    Label: Marston   Catalog: 52004 Release Date: 10/14/1997   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Carl Maria von Weber,  Christoph W. Gluck,  Felix Mendelssohn,  Frédéric Chopin  ... 
    Performer:  Josef Hofmann,  Efrem Zimbalist
    CD: $36.99
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  • 188.
    The Best Of Chopin
    The Best Of Chopin
    Label: Naxos   Catalog: 8556654 Release Date: 09/11/1997   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Frédéric Chopin
    Performer:  Idil Biret
    Conductor:  Robert Stankovsky
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Czecho-Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra Kosice
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  • 189.
    Abbey Simon Plays Chopin: Etudes And Waltzes Complete
    Abbey Simon Plays Chopin: Etudes And Waltzes Complete
    Label: Vox Box   Catalog: 5167 Release Date: 10/22/1996   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Frédéric Chopin
    Performer:  Abbey Simon
    CD: $13.99
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  • 190.
    Chopin: Bolero, Mazurkas, Polonaises, Waltzes / Nelly Ben-or
    Chopin: Bolero, Mazurkas, Polonaises, Waltzes / Nelly Ben-or
    Label: Meridian Records   Catalog: 84186 Release Date: 06/20/1996   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Frédéric Chopin
    Performer:  Nelly Ben-Or
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  • 191.
    Romantic Piano - Greatest Hits
    Romantic Piano - Greatest Hits
    Label: Sony   Catalog: 62366 Release Date: 05/14/1996   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Carl Maria von Weber,  Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky,  Robert Schumann,  Franz Schubert  ... 
    Performer:  Michie Koyama,  Katia Labèque,  Marielle Labèque,  Philippe Entremont  ... 
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  • 192.
    The Best Classical Album In The World Ever
    The Best Classical Album In The World Ever
    Label: Emi Classics   Catalog: 65690 Release Date: 04/23/1996   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Sir Edward Elgar,  Gustav Holst,  Howard Blake,  Sergei Rachmaninov  ... 
    Performer:  Jacqueline Du Pré,  Aled Jones,  Cécile Ousset,  Aldo Ciccolini  ... 
    Conductor:  Sir Adrian Boult,  Sir John Barbirolli,  Simon Rattle,  John Altman  ... 
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  London Symphony Orchestra,  Philharmonia Orchestra,  Orchestra  ... 
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  • 193.
    Grand Piano - Liszt & Chopin / Ignaz Friedman
    Grand Piano - Liszt & Chopin / Ignaz Friedman
    Label: Nimbus   Catalog: 8805 Release Date: 04/02/1996   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Frédéric Chopin,  Franz Liszt
    Performer:  Ignaz Friedman
    CD: $11.99
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  • 194.
    Chopin: Favorite Piano Works / Vladimir Ashkenazy
    Chopin: Favorite Piano Works / Vladimir Ashkenazy
    Label: London/Decca Double Decker   Catalog: 444830 Release Date: 02/13/1996   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Frédéric Chopin
    Performer:  Vladimir Ashkenazy
    CD: $16.99
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  • 195.
    25 Romantic Favorites
    25 Romantic Favorites
    Label: Vox Cameo Classics   Catalog: 8806 Release Date: 01/30/1996   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  John Philip Sousa,  Johann Strauss Jr.,  Sergei Rachmaninov,  Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart  ... 
    Performer:  Jack Wellbaum,  Dubravka Tomsic,  Ernst Mühlbacher,  Frank Morelli  ... 
    Conductor:  Erich Kunzel,  Carl Michalski,  Anton Nanut,  Franz Bauer-Theussl  ... 
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Cincinnati Pops,  Vienna Volksoper Orchestra,  Ljubljana Symphony Orchestra  ... 
    CD: $4.99
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  • 196.
    The Auer Legacy Vol 2
    The Auer Legacy Vol 2
    Label: Apr (Appian)   Catalog: 7016 Release Date: 12/01/1995   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Hubert Léonard,  Richard Wagner,  Joseph Lederer,  Camille Saint-Saëns  ... 
    Performer:  Roman Totenberg,  Eddy Brown,  Max Rabinovitsj,  Toscha Seidel  ... 
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  • 197.
    The Piano G & Ts Vol 1 / Pachmann, Michalowski, Ronald
    The Piano G & Ts Vol 1 / Pachmann, Michalowski, Ronald
    Label: Apr (Appian)   Catalog: 5531 Release Date: 10/24/1995   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Various Artists,  Frédéric Chopin,  Richard Wagner
    Performer:  Aleksander Michalowski,  Vladimir de Pachmann,  Landon Ronald
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  • 198.
    The Best Of Chopin / Arrau, Cziffra, Davidovich, Et Al
    The Best Of Chopin / Arrau, Cziffra, Davidovich, Et Al
    Label: Philips Duo   Catalog: 446145 Release Date: 06/13/1995   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Frédéric Chopin
    Performer:  György Cziffra,  Nikita Magaloff,  Adam Harasiewicz,  Stephen Kovacevich  ... 
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  • 199.
    The Canadian Brass - Bolero And Other Classical Blockbusters
    The Canadian Brass - Bolero And Other Classical Blockbusters
    Label: Rca   Catalog: 68109 Release Date: 06/13/1995   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky,  Peter Christian Lutkin,  Malcolm Forsyth,  Arthur Sullivan  ... 
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Canadian Brass
    CD: $8.99
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  • 200.
    Chopin: Piano Favorites / Idil Biret
    Chopin: Piano Favorites / Idil Biret
    Label: Naxos   Catalog: 8553170 Release Date: 05/09/1995   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Frédéric Chopin
    Performer:  Idil Biret
    CD: $9.99
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