I just recently wrote an article on Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2; I saw it befitting to write an article on the other piano piece which is considered to be just as famous as Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2: Chopin’s Polonaise in A Flat Major Opus 53.
Chopin composed his most famous piano piece in 1842 (take this statement with a grain of salt; Chopin wrote many famous compositions for the piano). This piece has a short chromatic introduction in 6th chords which is very typical of Chopin’s compositional/writing style. The introduction builds up to the dominant region and starts to reinforce that region using arpeggios until it becomes a dominant 9th chord; the main theme which has made this piece so famous starts right after this first section. The theme is repeated a second time with octaves reinforcement. The work progresses in generic rondo form which is unusual for larger/lengthier compositions. Chopin and Schumann both had problems with larger musical forms; Chopin and Schumann are considered two of the greatest miniaturists (composers who write compositions for piano solo and/or chamber music, etc) who have ever lived. New themes are introduced throughout the piece, but the main theme (some think it’s march like but the verdict is still out) keeps on coming back (rondo form). The last page of this composition is very showy and exciting, requiring the most from even the most gifted amongst pianists.
The Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 is typical Liszt, but this Polonaise is not typical Chopin. Some sections of this piece are Chopin-like, but somehow this piece misses the mark as a “typical Chopin” composition. The middle section is quite silly, it seems all Chopin wanted to do here is to be loud and ponderous like his friend Liszt, but there’s little musical material in this middle section. The section that follows it is sublime. Soft chromatic passages dominate this section; the “big tune” finale returns to end this very famous piano solo composition.
This was Liberace’s signature piece. Although Liberace never gave a serious concert/recital in his life, his many performances of this composition made it more famous than it already was. Liberace would introduce his concerts (if you can call them “concerts”???) by playing parts of this composition.
Chopin wrote 13 polonaises, yet to many it seems he only wrote one. None of the other Chopin polonaises (not even the military polonaise) have achieved world fame/stature like the Polonaise in A Flat Opus 53 has.
