Description
This set of three mazurkas from 1842 reflects Chopin's move toward a later, more complex style, with prominent contrapuntal writing and chromatic harmony. The pieces function less as straightforward dances and more as concentrated character pieces. Performing them well demands a refined sense of harmonic color and places them among his more advanced mazurkas, with the third piece notably larger in scale and forceful in character.
Works based on Polish folk dance, infused with Chopin's longing for his homeland — deeply personal music.
About the Composer
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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