Composed in 1846, this piece was published in 1990, posthumously, well into the 20th century. A “galop” is a duple-meter dance of German origin, characterized by its imitation of a galloping horse. “Marquis” was the name of a puppy owned by the French writer George Sand, with whom Chopin was associated during this period. In French, “marquis” denotes a “marquess,” but when used ironically, it can imply “a pompous individual.”

The piece is written in A-flat major and 2/4 time.