Chronologically, this was Chopin's ninth surviving polonaise, coming a year before he departed Poland (November 1830), ultimately for Paris, never to return. While this effort discloses his youth, it also bears witness to his burgeoning mastery, marrying joyous effervescence with subtle thematic coloration, producing many contrasts and wide emotional swings. This is generally regarded as the last of the early polonaises, since Chopin's next efforts would be the Paris-era Op. 26 pair, from 1834 - 1835.

The piece opens with a brief, lively introduction, after which follows a sort of chameleonic theme that initially takes on a rather wistful, if capricious manner, but quickly turns playful. Chopin's writing here is amazingly imaginative in its ability to convey constant mood changes. The middle section is more robust, but the playful spirit cannot be dispelled, as it often seizes the expressive reins and scampers merrily away. The opening material returns, again bringing its contrasts and multi-colored music. In the end, this must be ranked among Chopin's more successful early compositions, and if it lacks the sophistication of some of his later polonaises, it is a fine composition still.

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