How many polonaises did chopin compose

He chose smaller forms to express the struggle and aspirations of his people, frequently using Polish peasant dance forms such as mazurkas and polonaises. He revived the music of the whole nation. The folk music of Poland informed his harmonic language. It is an assertion of Polish resistance, something that all independence-loving people can identify with. Chopin created 17 polonaises in total, his first when he was aged seven, and composed seven of these after he left Poland.

Each of these seven mature, dramatic works has its own distinctive shape, style and expression. The last three compositions are grand dance poems.

The force! The vigour! There is no doubt that such a spirit must be present in the French Revolution. Its stormy octaves in the middle section have suggested to some commentators the image of attacking hussars, to others an attacking cavalcade.

I think it is perhaps best understood as the triumph of the Polish dance. The theme is confident and dance-like. There is no doubt that such a spirit must be present in the French Revolution.

From now on this polonaise should be a symbol, a symbol of heroicness! The main theme is preceded by an introduction of about thirty seconds in length. The first theme is a dance-like theme and in the tonic key of A-flat major. It is the familiar part of the piece and has the left hand moving in pounding octaves. The theme is repeated up an octave with short trills that fill some of the auditory gaps in the theme.

The first interlude presents a series of chord progressions that lead into a recount of the traditional polonaise melody, with the polonaise rhythm employed in the left-hand accompaniment. The main theme then repeats once more. The second, main interlude or trio section opens with six loud arpeggio chords before switching to a very soft bass ostinato of descending octaves first in the key of E major and then in E-flat major written as D-sharp major. A march-like melody follows the descending octaves and this occurs twice, and then a long lyrical interlude firstly with harmonic chord progressions and frequent modulations.

This ends in a descending passage before the main theme is replayed. The theme is played louder and more dramatically and ends in a coda including material derived from the main theme. A typical performance of the polonaise lasts seven minutes.

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