Understanding Form: The Polonaise
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- čas přidán 2. 06. 2024
- In this video I discuss the traits and rules needed in order to write a Polonaise.
A special thanks as always to musopen.org and imslp.org for offering free public domain sheet music and recordings online.
Oh, my favorite Polonaise of Chopin that was also made into a song very popular in Poland. Every graduation ended with Polonaise danced by students in a certain pattern. It was loved by Russian composers, for example Tchaikovsky's Onegin or Glinka's from Ivan Susanin, it was also used by Minkus in ballet Paquita. in Poland most popular was Oginsky Polonaise, very patriotic and Russians tried to make it theirs. Polonaise has a rhythm that can't be ever mistaken for anything else
I'm Russian and I can't stand Oginsky's polonaise. Russians didn't try to make it theirs - the Soviets did. It was pushed relentlessly down everyone's throat as some kind of patriotic classic, especially in connection to the victory in the WW2, and it always felt wrong and forced. Which is hardly a surprise, considering the history/background of that particular polonaise and the idea/feelings it was written to express. Russian composers appreciated the polonaise form for its grandeur, and for its celebratory mood, and for its rhythmic pattern that works well with many things Russian composers tend to do. Tchaikovsky's, Glinka's and Musorgski's (in 'Boris Godunov') polonaises are all about these traits (up to the level of a caricature, as some may argue). Oginsky's piece is almost the opposite. It's a depressing mumbling coupled with certain melodies/motives very familiar in Eastern-European backwaters, where folks like to cherish their bottomless victimhood and rarely miss a chance to overindulge in self-pity. The fact that this particular polonaise, written and intended to be an anti-Russia rallying cry, was chosen by Soviet ruling class as a symbol for Russian people to embrace - it's a good example of how wicked and russophobic the Soviet regime was in its core.
You said that the polonaise rhythm can’t be repeated throughout or that it shouldn’t. To that, I would say "What about Chopin’s Military Polonaise? Chopin does exactly that. The B section isn’t any calmer in my opinion than the A section."
All "rules" on form are just scaffolds. Most rules for any given form were broken at some point or another by great composers. But when you are writing your first piece in any form, it is good to have a few guidelines to follow. Even grammar has exceptions, nothing is cut and dry, especially when it comes to art, where creativity is valued above all else. The point of explaining a B section as being perhaps calmer, is to get the idea into your head that the B section should at the very least be a contrast to the A section. Chopin titled his Military Polonaise "Military" for a reason. The deviation from the standard is written right there in the title. Let's say you wrote a "Pastoral" Polonaise, I would in that case expect the A and B sections to both be calm.
aw3esome best explanation on youtube so far, beating out the with your hand really helped me understand the form. thanks
Just a point i want to make. When discussing folk dances, a circle dance usually means a dance where a group of dancers hold hands for the majority (or throughout) of the dance, often they sing along with the dance. Most dances in fact are danced in a circle around the hall, mostly to avoid clashing together or just as part of choreography. So calling a popular 19th century "ballroom" dance a circle dance can prove to be difficult.
why isn’t your channel more well-known?? your content is SOOOOOOOOOO GOOOOOD
Because I haven’t uploaded enough videos. But you can always help by sharing my videos.
You all probably dont give a damn but does any of you know a way to get back into an Instagram account?
I stupidly lost the password. I would appreciate any help you can give me!
@Ignacio Marlon Instablaster :)
@Otis Theo Thanks for your reply. I found the site through google and Im trying it out atm.
Seems to take a while so I will reply here later with my results.
@Otis Theo It did the trick and I finally got access to my account again. I'm so happy:D
Thank you so much, you really help me out :D
I am definitely a fan of 'hybrid' form
Excellent work! Thanks a lot for this videos. 😊
Very informative musical synopsis. I'll share this with my students- thank you! A+ and Bravo! 😀
Ah Chopin, quite the champion of the Polonaise
Very helpful! I would love to see more of these videos :)
We missed you! Nice video as always :)
Very nice video! I'm composing a polonaise... I was very helpful. Thank you!
Please do a video on Chopin Mazurka
Excelent video!
great video
this video is amazing
Thank you thank you thank you!
Oh and can anyone please tell me a traditional tempo for a polonaise? I counted around 90 bpm for the orchestra at Heroic 3:05. But some say allegro maestoso, and that's much faster, correct? Was there a range - depending on the audience? Like reading a crowd? Just curious your thoughts. I think most music is played too fast today- attention spans and all. Thank you!
Awesome!
That rhythm of the Polonaise, the eighth, sixteenth, sixteenth cell followed by eighth notes, is it just me or is that very similar to the rhythm you'd find in a March, just with a meter difference?
more videos about form please!!
You won’t have to wait much longer for another 😉
Dude! What's your Patreon? This and the Folía video are gold!
Stay tuned, I'm waiting for 10,000 subscribers to set one up. I'll reach that milestone fairly soon. Thanks for your interest in supporting the channel.
@@MusicaUniversalis Best of luck. I'm sure you'll hit 10k any day now.
And what about the baroque polonaise?
03:08
01:24
Really nice examples! ... except for Chopin - a composer whose music I usually cannot stand.
That's unfortunate, I consider Chopin a once in a million years miracle. I find it hard to find a better composer and melodist than him.
I would be rather tough discussing polonaise and omitting Chopin. Imagune the outrage. Like talking about the Fugue and not saying Bach.
"Form" is an inaccurate word in the title of this video The polonaise is a genre, not a form. The form (i.e.musical structure) of a polonaise, like a Strauss waltz or a Sousa march, is not its defining feature. In addition, rhythm should not be confused with form. One could compose a polonaise in the same form (structure) as a waltz, etc. Musical style is the defining factor.
By your definition the Minuet and Trio is not a form either. Strange that it‘s called Minuet and Trio Form in many texts. Apparently it isn’t a form at all, but a genre. Interesting theory.
wij vieren feest, ga weg met die malaise want het is weer tijd voor de polonaise.
Even though I don’t speak Dutch, I understood exactly what you wrote. I suppose speaking German helps though.
O shit legit 13 seconds from upload