On the Polonaise-Fantasie of Chopin

The Polonaise-Fantasie is a piece of music for piano written by Frederic Chopin who is generally regarded to be the greatest composer of piano music who ever lived.   And rightly so.  His music is universally loved and performed throughout the world more than a century and a half after his death.   As a composer he is second to none (okay, Bach).    His melodic inventiveness, the unique quality of his ideas, his craftsmanship, his overall compositional genius are all on conspicuous display upon serious listening.   Among his greatest large-scale works are the Ballades in A-flat and F-minor, the Barcarolle, the Fantasie in F-minor and the already mentioned Polonaise-Fantasie.

The Polonaise-Fantasie is an especially interesting, indeed curious work.   The "polonaise," is a specific form of music based on a courtly Polish dance.  In Chopin's hands the polonaise is a powerful, almost militaristic piece, with sharp rhythmic delineation and a frequent march-like quality; the "fantasy" is a genre of music whose prominent features are surprise, unpredictability and the suggestion of improvisation.   To combine the two forms seems impossible, if not, unappealing.  Yet, Chopin does, because he is, after all, a genius of the first rank.   How it came to him to create such a piece is not known.  

But in spite of the obvious disparate nature of the two musical forms what Chopin accomplishes in work is no less than brilliant.  It is music of such power and beauty that one must stand back in awe.

Now, I could, as could any musicologist with my gifted insight into music, give you examples of how Chopin manages to combine the two forms and it would be dry, meaningless, and quite boring.   I could point to the typical polonaise rhythms, the flights of fancy, the extraordinary passages of tonal ambiguity and transition so critical to the fantasy style.  I could describe in detail, extraordinary passages that portray the astonishing development and exploitation of the musical material.  I could do that and put you to sleep.   Because the real genius of this music lay elsewhere.   Certainly, these simple analytical elements are important, no doubt.   But they do not speak to genius, they do not explain the sublime.  They may, indeed, aid the journey there, to be sure, but they are not the goal in themselves.  As I said, that sublime, perfected vision of beauty lay elsewhere in the music.   Where?   I do not know.   It is a mystery, thank God.  

And so,  I stand, yet again, in awe of this short-lived Polish genius.  

I'm sorry if I've disappointed you.   But go!  Listen to the music.