maio 26, 2007
Mazurka in e minor
The mazurka began life no later than the 16th century as a lively Polish folk dance. Although he did have some predecessors, Chopin (1810-1849) is largely responsible for transforming the mazurka into art music. He wrote approximately 58 for solo piano. Unlike previous incarnations of the form, the primary intent was no longer to accompany dancing or singing. Instead, the music itself was the main point. The mazurka differs from the waltz, which is also in triple meter, in that the accent usually falls on the second or third beat. This is usually the natural result of the melody’s rhythmic structure. Other devices can be used, though, such as placing a rest in the first beat of the accompaniment or just adding accent marks above the appropriate beats.
This mazurka is written with an abcda structure. The b section could have been called a’ since it is actually a variation of a. The d section is more or less a recitative with no left hand accompaniment. Each section is 8 measures in length for a total of 40.
mazurka.mp3
Posted by kcourter at maio 26, 2007 11:57 AM
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