Shall we dance? (Chopin, Polonaise in F#m, Mazurkas op. 59)

So... maybe the entire Polonaise is not meant to be danced, but... how about that little waltz of a middle section? Defining a secondary character in the Polonaise, this waltz-y bit is quite a bit gentler than the thunderous polonaise that surrounds it. It is very like Chopin to write forms within forms - and in that regard the waltz is the rule rather than the exception. Chopin also writes plenty of character changes, so no surprise there, either...

And yet... while these things are such standard Chopin-isms... still... the Waltz. Especially with so much impassioned music surrounding it. It is amazing to see in juxtaposition things that are far more miniature in scale,that can have as much an impact as other, much thicker, weightier textures.


And while we're talking about miniature bits... the Mazurkas. Again, very typical in so many ways: There are more notes on beat one, and less movement on beats two and three, which helps define the Mazurka. The harmonies are not typical, but are relatively Chopin-esque. Melody lines gradually become more embellished. Again, it's not that Chopin does things that are 'unexpected' for him... it is more that he does what he does very well, managing again to capture the spirit of the form, while still being distinctly himself.