Polish culture was very popular in Europe in the 1830s and so the polonaise became known in other countries. Composers started to write polonaises for the piano. Pieces called "Polonaise" had already been composed by Bach, Handel, François Couperin and others, but it was Frédéric Chopin who in the 19th century wrote several Polonaises for piano which became famous. Most of them are very difficult to play, especially the famous Polonaise in A flat, Op. 53. 