Frédéric Chopin wrote his Polonaise in A flat major, Op. 53, in 1842, and dedicated it to Auguste Leo. It has since become one of his most admired works, and a staple of the classical piano repertoire, because of both its high technical demands (which lets the pianist show his/her skills) and its powerful and emotional character. Bearing the mark Alla polacca e maestoso (like a polonaise and majestic) it employs a form intermediate between a ternary form and a rondo. A standard performance lasts around 7 minutes. The Heroique nickname seems to have originated with Chopin’s companion, George Sand, who suggested that the piece be a symbol of the 1848 Revolution because of its heroic character.
Frédéric Chopin wrote his Polonaise in A flat major, Op. 53, in 1842, and dedicated it to Auguste Leo. It has since become one of his most admired works, and a staple of the classical piano repertoire, because of both its high technical demands (which lets the pianist show his/her skills) and its powerful and emotional character. Bearing the mark Alla polacca e maestoso (like a polonaise and majestic) it employs a form intermediate between a ternary form and a rondo. A standard performance lasts around 7 minutes. The Heroique nickname seems to have originated with Chopin’s companion, George Sand, who suggested that the piece be a symbol of the 1848 Revolution because of its heroic character.