Album insights
During Chopin's youth, the Polonaise, originally a popular Polish dance with rural roots, made its way into the ballrooms of the aristocracy. Chopin himself likely heard many Polonaises composed by Polish artists during his growing years. The Polonaise dates back to Bach in classical music, not to mention Beethoven, Schubert, Weber, and Hummel. While the dance's distinctive rhythm was used long before Chopin, he elevated the Polonaise to a higher level, influencing composers like Liszt, Scharwenka, and future generations. The presented works are fine examples of this genre.
Chopin's two Polonaises in C-sharp and E-flat major, op. 26 from 1836, differ significantly from the nine Polonaises he composed as a teenager, published posthumously. These compositions display an unprecedented maturity, reflecting his status as a Polish exile in Paris. They do not merely present virtuosic versions of a dance form but exalt his homeland's glorious past and convey his sorrow over its fate under Russian rule. The trio in the C-sharp major Polonaise could almost pass as an independent Nocturne, featuring a duet between soprano and bass, later serving as a template for the study in C-sharp minor, op. 25 no. 7. The reflective opening of the E-flat major Polonaise transitions into a contemplative trio in B major, concluding, according to James Huneker, in "hopelessness and the rattling of helpless chains."
The first of the two Polonaises, op. 40 in A major, the so-called "Military Polonaise," stands out as one of Chopin's most popular works. It epitomizes his mature period's structural, rhythmic, and character elements among his six Polonaises. Despite its heroic nature, this piece notably lacks a coda, concluding abruptly after a repetition of the initial theme. If the A major Polonaise symbolizes Poland's grandeur, then op. 40 no. 2 in C minor, composed a year later in 1839, portrays Poland's sufferings with noble grandeur and deep emotion. The Polonaises op. 40 are dedicated to Julian Fontana. Chopin's last contributions to this form, the Polonaise in F-sharp minor, op. 44, and in A-flat major, op. 53, composed in 1841 and 1842 respectively, represent his most significant Polonaise works. The F-sharp minor Polonaise opens with "a storm of despair and unease (and a saddened pause)—and then follows a cry of defiance" (Ashton Jonson), transitioning midway into a delicate, melancholic Mazurka. Op. 53, known as the "heroic," stands as one of the most renowned piano pieces ever, an awe-inspiring heroic ode that, under the hands of a skilled pianist, becomes an unforgettable experience. Notably, the introduction serves as a masterful prelude, setting the stage for what follows. The impressive middle section with descending bass octaves, commonly reflecting a cavalry charge, transforms into a majestic procession when played with the required tempo, grandeur, and dignity as desired by Chopin.
The Polonaise-Fantaisie in A-flat major, op. 61, is a unique work in title and structure. It evidences Chopin's experimental side, demonstrating his struggles, as seen in the manuscript, before reaching a satisfactory resolution. While the characteristic Polonaise rhythm appears in the first theme, it often fades elsewhere, with the second part of the title, "Fantaisie," suggesting a feeling of rhapsodic improvisation. Through the repetition of themes and an instinctive understanding of form, tempo, and proportion, Chopin successfully creates a remarkably cohesive unity.
Garrick Ohlsson concludes with the earliest work on this CD, the Andante spianato et Grande Polonaise in E-flat major, op. 22. This piece exists in two versions: for piano solo (the more popular one) and for piano and orchestra (the original version featured in this recording), the last composition Chopin wrote for this ensemble. The Polonaise portion was crafted in Vienna in 1830. Perhaps tired of the glittering Stile brillante, Chopin set this composition aside until he conceived the ingenious idea of preceding the Polonaise with a piece of completely different character: a genuine Nocturne. Indeed, Chopin's op. 22 can be viewed as a triptych alongside the Nocturnes op. 27, featuring this work in G major. Finally titled Andante spianato, translating to "smooth" or "even," it may seem, as a critic noted, "a rather arbitrary combination," yet it is a splendid success and, apart from his concertos, the only work for piano and orchestra by Chopin to have secured a regular place in the repertoire.
Jeremy Nicholas © 2010
German: Ludwig Madlener