Andante spianato et Grande polonaise brillante, Op.22
Polonaise · Op. 22
Frédéric Chopin 1810–1849
Polonaise
Form
Andante
Tempo
Op. 22
Catalogue
Score
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Difficulty
Our estimate Virtuoso
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Themes & character
Two works joined·Originally with orchestra·Brilliant salon style·Chopin's last Paris concert
At a glance
- Catalogue
- Op. 22
- Tempo / character
- Andante
- Form
- Polonaise
Movements
I
Andante spianatoG major
A serene, evenly flowing nocturne-like introduction for piano alone. The word spianato means smooth or level.
II
Grande polonaise brillanteE♭ major
A dazzling, extroverted concert polonaise, originally accompanied by orchestra.
About the piece
These are really two separate works. Chopin composed the Grande polonaise brillante for piano and orchestra around 1830 and 1831, then wrote the tranquil Andante spianato for solo piano in 1834 and joined the two, publishing them together in 1836.
The pairing sets Chopin's two sides against each other, the private and the public: a calm, unadorned meditation leading straight into one of the most brilliant display pieces he ever wrote. He performed it at what turned out to be his final public concert in Paris.
The composer
Frédéric Chopin
1810–1849
Frédéric François Chopin was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist of the early Romantic period who wrote primarily for solo piano. He has maintained worldwide renown as a leading composer of his era whose "poetic genius was based on a professional technique that was without equal in his generation".
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