The name Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849) is synonymous with the piano. Indeed, every one of his compositions includes the instrument. His Preludes, several of which are of only moderate difficulty, show superb polish and inventive detail. Shaped by the tastes of the Parisian aristocratic salon, these pieces make the most of a pianist's technical and musical abilities, both in passages of virtuosity and in the variety of possibilities for emotional expression. Editor & recording artist: Brian Ganz