Demonstration - Chopin's Polonaise in G minor, Op. Posthumous (B.1)

Ivona Kaminska Performs Chopin's Polonaise in G minor, Op. Posthumous (B.1)
Notes from the performer:
The Polonaise is the oldest national dance of Poland, and the name simply means "Polish" in French. French culture with its language was the dominant language of royalty and aristocracy well into the XXth century.
The first Polonaises that todays’ performers come across appear in Anna Magdalena Notebook by J.S. Bach. Some piano literature books claim these Polonaises have nothing in common with the later Polonaises. However, one can wonder why then Bach and his contemporaries utilized the rhythm and character of the Polonaise - if they have nothing in common with what we know as Polonaises of the later eras.
Even Bach’s early Polonaises share the same meter of 3/4 time and some represent even the same characteristic rhythm of the opening, as well as the same “Affekt” (main emotional message). The influence of the Polish court’s musical influences upon German composers simply comes from the marriages between Polish royalty and the courts of Saxony, and others. Polish court music and musicians travelled with their royals abroad and performed their national music in foreign courts with regular occurrence.
The performance of this dance must evoke the feelings of national pride as it was traditionally an opening processional for Polish Royalty and during other court ceremonies. It is a dance of kings, queens and other mature nobility and as such it is a processional (walking) dance in moderate tempo and without any acrobatic dance steps. The aristocratic character of the dance is underlined by the fact that dancers walk by placing their toes first on the floor as if avoiding any loud stomping. As in most dances, beat 1 is the most important, however, what most performers do not realize is that beat 3 bears also a great significance and is often slightly extended, as if serving as a gestural preparation for the beat 1 (the most important).
The most characteristic for the Polonaise, however, is the rhythmic figure that comprises an 8th note followed by two 16th notes on beat 1. In order to emphasize the regal character of the dance, the first 8th note should be slightly extended, and the following two 16th notes should be played in the last possible time allotted for them within the beat.
This exaggeration of the first 8th note brings to mind the similarity to Baroque-like over-dotting (except of course there is no dot in this rhythm). The phenomenon of over-dotting is associated with the rhythm of the French Overture, which coincidentally was a processional music for the entry of the Sun King, Louis the XIV. The exaggerated length of the first 8th note should bring up the emotion of courage, pride and elegance. A strict and metronomic performance of this figure is actually incorrect and not advisable.
Polonaise in G minor, Op. Posthumous (B.1) was composed by Chopin when he was only seven years old. It opens up with a quasi-orchestral and chordal introduction. Already in measure 3, one is exposed to the salient Polonaise rhythm where the first 8th note must be slightly exaggerated and the following two 16th notes must be played as if “over-dotted” and with a clear direction to beat 2.
In measure 5 we notice that Chopin, already at the age of seven, had the predilection for improvisation, which is exemplified here by the g minor arpeggio that should be performed with sense of freedom and elegance.
Typically for Chopin (even as a child) this Polonaise features many beautiful melodies which call for cantabile shaping and careful voicing.