The polonaise as a genre of piano music has a long tradition.

Its origins lie in a popular Polish dance, accompanied by singing, performed at formal celebrations such as weddings. This gradually became refined by knights and lower nobility, and eventually, when it was incorporated into royal courts, the singing ceased, and it became a processional dance with only instrumental accompaniment. A processional dance is a type where participants walk relatively slowly in an orderly line, serving functions such as introductions and greetings among attendees, or displaying costumes. The polonaise, having become a court dance, was not only internationally recognized as a representative Polish dance but also became the most symbolic music expressing the Polish national spirit.

However, the name "polonaise" is French, meaning "Polish-style," and does not appear in Polish historical sources before the 18th century. The "polonaise" as a genre of instrumental music, especially keyboard music, developed not in Poland but in Germany and France. While these certainly originated from the instrumental accompaniment of the court polonaise, by the time Bach incorporated it into his French Suite No. 6, its function as dance accompaniment had already been lost. The polonaise inherited the rhythms and forms of the original dance, transforming into a style that conveyed a Polish taste, a kind of exoticism. Such forms were, in turn, re-imported into Poland.

The polonaise that Chopin inherited in the early 19th century was thus one of the forms or genres that had long been internationally known, rather than a purely local tradition. However, Chopin's writing of polonaises in Paris after 1830 had another meaning. This was because Poland was a nation that had disappeared from the map at that time, and exiled Polish cultural figures had gathered in Paris. The audience sought "Polishness" in the essence of Chopin's music, and Chopin, as a patriot, sought to respond to this. This is why the polonaises written after his Paris debut differ significantly from those written before. Chopin's polonaises prior to his arrival in Paris were either solely displays of transcendent virtuosity or paraphrases of famous operatic melodies in the polonaise rhythm. However, these were apparently deemed worthless by the composer himself and were not published during his lifetime. In contrast, the seven polonaises from 1835 onwards are highly original in terms of melody and harmony, unreservedly showcasing Chopin's unique style.

The "Heroic Polonaise"

This work, commonly known as the "Heroic Polonaise", possesses a magnificent theme that condenses only the bright and healthy aspects of the composer, and is counted among Chopin's greatest masterpieces for requiring almost the highest level of performance technique for a piano piece.

However, this work is by no means difficult music. The melody is clear, and the form is extremely succinct. The entire piece, including the introduction, is almost completely structured in 16-bar sections. These 16 bars consist of 4x4, with each part corresponding to kishōtenketsu (introduction, development, turn, and conclusion). The piece begins with an introduction, followed by four 16-bar sections, which further assume the functions of kishōtenketsu. In the recapitulation (from measure 155 onwards), the second section of the opening returns, leading into an 8-bar coda. The coda also distributes the kishōtenketsu functions in 2x4. The final three measures are a repetition of the "conclusion" part of the coda. (Incidentally, while the 16-bar introduction at the beginning itself encompasses a 4x4 kishōtenketsu, it can also be seen as an enlarged form of the "introduction" part relative to the larger kishōtenketsu composed of the first four sections.)

The middle section (measures 81-154) is where this logical and orderly structure is gradually deformed. Measures 81-84 serve as a prelude to the subsequent 16 measures, functioning as an expanded "introduction." The six notes from the second note of measure 100 to the first beat of measure 101 possess two functions: an expansion of the "conclusion" and further preparation for the next expanded "introduction." The equivalent in the next section is measure 120, where the "introduction" function is stronger than the "conclusion." And in the third section, the "turn" and "conclusion" are significantly expanded. The phrase in measures 129-132 is repeated three times. In the fourth repetition, C, the dominant of F minor, persistently rings out in both the bass and treble. From measure 129 onwards, the clear 4-bar kishōtenketsu is abandoned, and the music proceeds with its direction obscured, also utilizing the effect of the right hand's chromatic progression. The dominant of F minor is heard from afar but remains unresolved, plunging into a chromatic unison. Beyond this dimly lit tunnel, the bright opening theme abruptly awaits, and the orderly world returns. Considering a higher-level structure, it would also be possible to view the first 40 measures from measure 81 onwards as the "introduction" and "development," measures 129-154 as the "turn," and measures 155 onwards as the "conclusion."

Thus, the "Heroic Polonaise" possesses a kishōtenketsu structure at multiple levels, and is therefore full of drama and propulsion. Today, this work has come to be felt as the very archetype of the polonaise. It is not only a true masterpiece but also a work that sets a benchmark when considering polonaises both before and after it.