Hungary celebrates Chopin's birth bicentenary

Frederic Francois Chopin, known as the poet of the piano, was one of the greatest composers of classical music. The musician, who lived in the first half of the 19th century, was the pioneer of the use of national Romantic and folk music motifs. 2010 has been declared the year of Chopin by UNESCO and Magyar Posta is marking the occasion by releasing a postage stamp.

On the special stamp there is a portrait of Chopin, the house where he was born and his signature. At the centre of the design of both the first day cover and the commemorative postmark is Chopin's favourite instrument, the piano. The first day cover shows a silhouette of Chopin seated at the piano and in the postmark there is a stylised design of hands playing a piano.