polonaise

In the keyboard music of W.F. Bach, a short stylised dance movement in triple meter with characteristic rhythmic patterns — not the grand concert polonaise of Chopin, but an intimate character piece, typically 16–32 bars, exploring a single mood or texture. His 12 Polonaises, F. 12 are his most frequently performed keyboard works.

W.F. Bach's polonaises are introspective miniatures, not ceremonial processions. Play them with rhythmic clarity but without the grandeur of a Chopin polonaise. The characteristic dotted rhythm on the second beat should be crisp but understated. Each piece has a single, unified character — identify it before playing and sustain it throughout.