Hyperion Knight plays Chopin's "Heroic" Polonaise in Ab

One of the most striking aspects of Chopin's genius was taking the dances he grew up with, like the Waltz and the Mazurka, and turning them into art music. The "Polish" dance itself, the Polonaise, came to serve an even larger purpose. As Chopin's homeland battled for its independence, the Polonaises didn't just immortalize a courtly dance rhythm: they carried the dance itself into battle, with the sounds of cavalry charges and drum rolls. Chopin remains not only the hero of the Romantic piano, but also a champion of human liberty...