Politically the Poles and
Celts rub shoulders. Niecks points out that if Chopin was "a
flattering idealist as a national poet, as a personal poet he was
an uncompromising realist." So in the polonaises we find two
distinct groups: in one the objective, martial side predominates,
in the other is Chopin the moody, mournful and morose. But in all
the Polish element pervades. Barring the mazurkas, these dances
are the most Polish of his works. Appreciation of Chopin's wide
diversity of temperament would have sparedthe world the false,
silly, distorted portraits of him. He had the warrior in him,
even if his mailed fist was seldom used. There are moments when
he discards gloves and soft phrases and deals blows that
reverberate with formidable clangor.
By all means read Liszt's gorgeous description of the Polonaise.
Originating during the last half of the sixteenth century, it was
at first a measured procession of nobles and their womankind to
the sound of music. In the court of Henry of Anjou, in 1574,
after his election to the Polish throne, the Polonaise was born,
and throve in the hardy, warlike atmosphere.
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