Chopin Polonaise c minor Op 40, 2 Valentina Lisitsa

This Polonaise is a twin brother of another far more famous Op 40, bearing a title of Military polonaise. Unlike its famous sibling, this technically easy Polonaise suffered a lot from being a favorite piece to abuse for intermediate piano students. This tradition gradually led to depreciation of Chopin s own remark Allegro Maestoso. It is very frustrating to hear it performed like a dirge or a funeral march and while I can forgive students doing it, it is very bad when professionals try to milk it in order to elicit tears and sighs from the audience treating it like yet another prelude written by a sickly It cannot be further from truth. This is a very nationalistic piece in the very best sense of it. It was composed to swell the hearts of listeners with pride in their country, with a hope than no matter how despoiled and plundered at the moment, it will survive and flourish ( Just as famous words of Polish anthem Poland has not