Description
Composed in 1839 during a period of convalescence at Nohant, this set of four mazurkas moves beyond simple dance writing toward more intricate harmony and interweaving voices. It reflects the deepening compositional craft of Chopin's middle period. Listeners can appreciate it more for its refined musical construction than for dance-floor lightness, and it rewards attentive listening as well as careful balancing of its inner voices.
Works based on Polish folk dance, infused with Chopin's longing for his homeland — deeply personal music.
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Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849)
Frederic Chopin was born in Poland and made his career in Paris, remaining unusual among great composers for writing almost exclusively for piano. He poured his longing for his homeland into mazurkas and polonaises, while his ballades and etudes combine poetic melody with harmonic innovation. This site includes 131 of his works, including the "Revolutionary" Etude, Op. 10, No. 12, and Ballades No. 1 and No. 4.
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