Chopin, F: Polonaise-Fantaisie As-dur op. 61

The "Polonaise-Fantaisie" is among Chopin's last great piano works, and is a testament to his mastery and maturity. While the typical rhythm and noble character of the Polonaise repeatedly shine through the notes, the Polonaise-Fantaisie is characterized above all by a great freedom in its thematic and formal aspects. The out-of-the-ordinary title betrays the fact that Chopin was uncertain about which genre to assign it to.

The work brushes against a great variety of keys, moods and motifs, and leads into a grandiose closing apotheosis as if at the end of a long journey.