Polonaise
tagStarted 1570Peak 1770–1840Last big hit 1900
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Polonaise is a stately triple-meter dance marked by a distinctive rhythmic cell that gives it a proud, processional swing rather than a lilting whirl. In classical music it often sounds ceremonial, noble, and slightly martial, with broad phrase lines and a strongly emphasized downbeat.
History
Originating in Polish court and ceremonial practice, the polonaise entered European art music through keyboard, chamber, and orchestral stylization, then reached its concert apogee in the piano repertory of Chopin; later composers preserved its aristocratic bearing as a sign of nationalism, pageantry, or formal grandeur.
Defining artists
Essential listening
- Polonaise in A-flat major, Op. 53 — Arthur RubinsteinSpotifyYouTube
- Polonaise-Fantaisie, Op. 61 — Krystian ZimermanSpotifyYouTube
- Andante spianato et grande polonaise brillante — Martha ArgerichSpotifyYouTube
- Polonaise in C-sharp minor, Op. 26 No. 1 — Garrick OhlssonSpotifyYouTube
- Polonaise in F-sharp minor, Op. 44 — Maurizio PolliniSpotifyYouTube
- Polonaise in A major, Op. 40 No. 1 — Evgeny KissinSpotifyYouTube
Sources
- Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Oxford Music Online
- Grove Music Online
- Chopin and Polish dance notes from DG, RCA, and Naxos