Chopin

Chopin Frederic Chopin, the Polish composer and pianist, was born on March 1,1810, according to the statements of the artist himself and his family, but according to his baptismal certificate, which was written several weeks after his birth, the date was 22 February (Huneker, 2). His birthplace was the village of Zelazowa Wola, part of the Duchy of Warsaw. The musical talent of Frederic became apparent extremely early on, and it was compared with the childhood genius of Mozart (Marek, 23). Already at the age of 7, Frederic was the author of two polonaises, the first being published in the engraving workshop of Father Cybulski. The prodigy was featured in the Warsaw newspapers, and little Chopin became the attraction and ornament of receptions given in the aristocratic salons of the capital. He also began giving public charity concerts. His first professional piano lessons lasted from 1816 to 1822, when his teacher was no longer able to give any more help to a pupil whose skills surpassed his own (Seroff, 19). Wilhelm Würfel, a renowned pianist and professor at the Warsaw Conservatory, supervised the further development of Frederic’s talent. Würfel would offer valuable, although irregular, advice as regards playing the piano and chopin, frederic, warsaw, marek, seroff, paris, composer, polish, time, piano, minor, became, vienna, two, talent, musical, first, family, artist, after, works, szulc, played, period, life, left, gave, concert, about, years, wrote, took, spent, music, later, huneker