Souvenir De Paganini (B. 37) was written in 1829 shortly after the phenomenal violinist Niccolo Paganini had amazed the Warsaw Musical world with a series of concerts. It is a set of Variations in A major on the theme Carnival of Venice (Paganini Op. 10) however it never erupts in showy virtuosity instead retaining a delicate simplicity that is perhaps even harder to master. Frédéric Chopin (1710-1849) was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist whose compositional career was spent mostly in Paris. He only wrote music for the Piano and is best known today for his 12 Etudes and 24 Preludes a key part of anypianist s repertoire.
