BRIELLE PEREZ plays Chopin's Polonaise, op.44 in F sharp minor

Dear Friends,
This piece has stayed with me for a very long time. As a child, I was enamored with Maestro Vladimir Horowitz's recording of this piece from Carnegie Hall. In my opinion, this is one of Chopin's greatest Polonaises. A polonaise is a type of dance... but this work, to me, is less of a dance, and more an expression of unforgiving anguish. It's quite an emotional work, with a militaristic march in the middle section, followed by a nostalgic Mazurka (another type of dance), and then woken up again by the storminess of giant chordal patterns in the recap, all while encompassed in one of the most devastating keys, F sharp minor.
A note for those not familiar with classical piano music
Try to listen for how the angry moments contrast with the sweet and soft moments. Chopin most likely created this contrast on purpose to elicit a strong emotional response from the listener. Ask yourself, which parts of the piece make you feel angry? Which parts make you feel happy? Are there any parts that make you feel sad?

[@denizakman7910]

I think I played this back in the day, but it was so long ago I can't remember exactly. But if I did, you played it a lot better than I ever could! hahaha

[@shreyasverma27]

Congrats on a wonderful recording!! Can’t wait to see what you achieve in the future 🩵

[@brielleperezpianist]

Thank you so much!! 🙏🏼