Between 1825 and 1849 Chopin composed at least 59 mazurkas, based on traditional Polish dance. Of these, 58 were published, 45 during his lifetime and 13 posthumously. The composer usually published them in groups of three or four. These sophisticated and highly original pieces display a wealth of ingenuity and melodic invention with their unstable harmonies and rhythmic and expressive nuances.
These mazurkas were written in 1843/44 and published in 1844.
Chopin at times essayed complex, even experimental structures that strain against the boundaries of conventional sociability. Most complicated of all in this set is the first mazurka which alternates between seemingly disparate themes, in different keys and tempos, and concludes with a chromatically intricate and lengthy coda.
The three mazurkas are:
1. Allegro non tanto (fast, but not too fast) in B major.
2. Vivace (lively) in C major.
3. Moderato (medium speed) in C minor.
(The first mazurka has the feeling of a story being told followed by a dancing section in the form of A-B-A-B, but the each dancing area has subtly different keys. The story-teller rounds off the piece by relating his dancing-days of years gone by.
The second piece sounds as if featuring big, strong, Polish cossacks, being contrasted with the lighter dancing girls. At 7' 46'' the males take the lead with bravado loud chords, but the two different groups seem to intertwine at 8' 38'' until finally leaving together.
Being in a minor key there seems to be a certain amount of sadness about recalling days of happiness celebrated by dancing. The scene could be that of men gathered around a camp-fire thinking of their loved ones. In the middle of the mazurka there seems to be two soloists being accompanied by a mandolin, or similar instrument).
GlynGlynn, alias GB, realiser.
Please feel free to leave any comments, be they good, bad, or indifferent as to whether the piece, or the performance, moved youor key in any way whatsoever!
(Since music is an aural art, and not a visual one, it is best to listen to these pieces, and other artists performances, with eyes closed, so as to be able to listen intently as to how the music is portrayed).
15 сен 2024
