F. Chopin – Polonaise op. 53 in A flat major "Heroic" (1842)
 
Chopin’s Polonaises are among his most iconic and recognizable compositions. Their production spans throughout all the composer’s life, from the Polonaise in g minor composed at 7-year-old in 1817 to the Polonaise-Fantaisie in A flat major composed in 1846, synthesizing all Chopin’s emotional attachment with his motherland Poland in a jubilation of musical brilliance and technical virtuosity. Among the 23 Polonaises, the op. 53 “Heroic” is probably the most famous, most loved, and most difficult of all. Following the typical ABA structure and triple meter of the traditional Polonaise dance, the Heroic demands all the pianist’s technical proficiency, both in terms of finger articulation and musical balance, unfolding its sparkling themes in a whirlwind of fast scales, arpeggios, jumps, trills and broken chords.