Chopin

Frederic Chopin (1810 - 1849) was one of the most influential musicians of the 19th Century. Discovered as a child-prodigy pianist in his native Poland, he later travelled to France, where he remained after the Polish uprising of 1830-31. There he gave few public performances, but worked as composer and piano teacher. He later became a French citizen and conducted a stormy relationship with French writer George Sand (Aurore Dudevant). He died at 39 of pulmonary tuberculosis.