The Variations on a Theme by Rossini Op. posthume is an early work by Chopin, one of only a dozen compositions based on opera themes or popular arias. More than a concession to the fashion of the time, they reveal Chopin's genuine interest in Bel Canto, with melody and ornamentation constituting the very essence of his own music.

The theme, Andantino, is borrowed from the finale of the opera La Cenerentola (1817), in which Cinderella expresses her joy at escaping her condition as a servant:

I was born deeply troubled and crying,
Silently suffering at the core;
But by a sweet enchantment
in the flower of my youth,
Like a flash
My fate will change.

No, no, no, no, wipe away your tears:
Why do you tremble, why?
Fly to my bosom
Daughter, sister, friend
All found in me.

No more sadness by the fire
To be warbling alone, no!
Ah it was a flash of lightning, a dream, a game
My long life of fear.

Following in Rossini's footsteps, who himself ornamented the aria for a joyous, virtuosic conclusion to his opera, Chopin drew 4 variations of his own: the first, Con anima, is written in triplets; the second, Più lento, is highly expressive and personal, as it is in minor; the third, Vivo, recaptures the aria's initial gaiety; the fourth, Con brio, concludes with fougu.

Fryderyk Chopin is one of the most iconic figures of Romantic music. A child prodigy, he developed a unique and revolutionary piano style at a very early age. His music is deeply rooted in the Polish soul, imbued with melancholy, virtuosity, and unparalleled expressiveness.

Ballroom dances occupy a prominent place in his work. His Waltzes, Mazurkas, and Polonaises are not mere entertainment pieces; they are artistic stylizations, sonic poems that explore Polish culture and identity. The Mazurkas, in particular, reveal a deep connection to the folklore of his native country.

Chopin also excelled in Nocturnes, Ballades, and Scherzos, where he pushed the expressive and technical boundaries of the piano.

A crucial aspect of his genius lies in the influence of Italian Bel Canto. An admirer of opera, Chopin transposed the flexibility, ornamentation, and lyrical depth of vocal singing to the melodic line of his piano compositions. His flowing, ornate, singing themes are reminiscent of the most sublime arias, giving his music an exceptional melodic quality.

Along his university studies (DEA in musicology, University of Paris IV-Sorbonne), Frédéric Cellier was awarded three first prizes and a development prize at the CNR of Nice and won first prize at the International Competition of Musical Execution - soloist category – of Stresa (Italy).

He is the laureate of the Fondation de France and the Yehudi Menuhin Foundation and accredited teacher at the CNR of Nice, the CNR of Marseille, and at the CRR Olivier Messiaen of Avignon (France).

Frédéric Cellier is the interpreter of Francis Poulenc’s Sonata for clarinet Bb and piano with Jean-Michel Damase, Jean Françaix or Gabriel Tacchino, as well as his own arrangements for clarinet and harp of Erik Satie's Gymnopédies and Gnossiennes with the great French harpist Elizabeth Fontan-Binoche, and for clarinet, piano, and string orchestra of George Gershwin's Rhapsody in blue for Wynton Marsalis or under the baton of Adrian Gershwin, grandson of the composer.

Founder and artistic director of STRADIVARIUS Editions, he is the author of light music pieces played around the world and a considerable number of arrangements of all styles and for all instruments, acclaimed by many personalities in the music world, including Michèle Auric, Jean Françaix, Adrian Gershwin, Wynton Marsalis, Yehudi Menuhin, Madeleine Milhaud, Manuel Rosenthal, Gabriel Tacchino, and Ornella Volta.

"Frédéric Cellier has produced a number of adaptations of Georges Auric's works with such talent and precision that I consider them a natural addition to his chamber music catalogue."
Michèle AURIC - Georges Auric's widow

"To Frédéric Cellier, excellent musician and tireless arranger."
Jean FRANÇAIX - Composer and pianist

"Arranging a musical work is always a delicate and risky exercise, because it requires both modifying it so that it can be played by the desired instruments and preserving its very essence. But that is exactly what Frédéric Cellier has done, preserving the nuances, subtleties and soul of the original works while breathing new life into them.
His arrangements give all the musicians the chance to perform these compositions specially revisited for their instrument, and make music lovers rediscover them in a new light."
Adrian GERSHWIN - George Gershwin’s grandson

"Congratulations for your beautiful new orchestration and rendition of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in blue."
Wynton MARSALIS - Trumpet player, composer, bandleader, general and artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center, New York

"It is outstanding that Frédéric Cellier has managed to transpose Saxophone Marmalade from the saxophone to the clarinet. I thank him for it and wish its great and deserved success. "
Manuel ROSENTHAL - Conductor, composer and Maurice Ravel’s pupil

"I am very happy to tell you how much I appreciated your transcription of the Capriccio, based on Francis Poulenc's Le Bal Masqué. It perfectly reflects the spirit and verve of the score for two pianos that I had the opportunity to play and record with Jacques Février, and it was a great pleasure for me to premiere it in Montpellier."
Gabriel TACCHINO - Pianist, Francis Poulenc’s specialist

"I must tell you that I really like your transcriptions and that I think the tone of the instruments you have chosen suits perfectly our beloved composer."
Ornella VOLTA - Musicologist, president of the Erik Satie’s Foundation