Description
The polonaise, a stylized dance music, first emerged in the late 16th century. Through his own polonaises, Chopin expressed his deep connection to his native Poland. The genre had captivated him since childhood - his earliest published work was a Polonaise (KK IIa no. 1 in g minor), composed when he was just seven years old. The first three posthumously published Polonaises op. 71 as well as KK IVa nos. 1–3, 5 and 8 were youthful compositions from his Warsaw years. Chopin's mature polonaise works began with the seven great Polonaises op. 26 nos. 1 and 2, op. 40 nos. 1 and 2, op. 44 and 53, culminating in the Polonaise-Fantaisie op. 61 of 1845/46, his last great piano composition. These works showcase Chopin's inimitable artistry, blending festiveness and refinement, power and suppleness, heroic pathos and graceful charm.
