A virtuoso pianist and gifted composer for the instrument, Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849) wrote music primarily for piano that combined a gift for melody with an adventurous use of harmony and rhythm and a sure grasp of formal structure. His works are considered among the greatest Romantic pieces for piano, yet Chopin was reluctant to associate himself with the Romantic movement. His intimate knowledge of the technical possibilities and constraints of the piano led him to write challenging works, such as the twenty-four études, widely considered a pinnacle of the piano repertoire. However, his compositions retain a tunefulness and sense of restraint, perhaps inspired by Bach’s intimate and highly ornamented keyboard suites and preludes, that gives Chopin’s works lasting appeal with audiences and pianists.