Chopin Mazurkas

[davidjosepha]

My teacher wants me to play a Chopin mazurka next term, but she allowed me to choose which one. Unfortunately, I'm not even remotely familiar with the mazurkas, and there are a few to choose from. I also don't have a recording of all of them (only a couple), and I don't really want to YouTube my way through every single one. Lastly, I don't even have a book of them yet (ordered, but on backorder so it might be a couple weeks before it arrives), so I can't just play through them all without wasting a ridiculous amount of paper printing them all out.

So, does anyone have any suggestions on mazurkas? I don't really have any preference on difficulty--this is an on-the-side piece, so it doesn't need to be exceptionally challenging for me, although harder ones are also welcome.

[ianw]

There's 55 entries for Chopin Mazurkas on the Piano Syllabus app (free on Google Play) ranging from grade 4 to Licentiate programs. You might get a quick tick with one of these:

Op. 67 no. 3.    grade 4
Op. 63 no. 2.    grade 6
Op. 7 no. 2.    . grade 6
Op. 67 no. 4     grade 7

If you are keen for a challenge there's obviously plenty to choose from at higher grades.

[j_menz]

I don't really want to YouTube my way through every single one.

There are a few playlists, and it's only like 3 hours listening. The youth of today. No stamina. Hurrumph. 

I think most of them are grade 6-7 or thereabouts, and actually pretty readable, so I would suggest you do a read through when you get the book.  My preferences change, and are scattered throughout them (and I don't remember useful things like Ops anyway). If you want to just print out a few, look for ones in your favourite sight reading keys and print them until your book arrives. The latter Ops are probably better works generally, just as a (not completely accurate) guide.

How Chopin Mazurkas can be on backorder escapes me. What kind of dodgy/rarified edition are you after??

[davidjosepha]

There's 55 entries for Chopin Mazurkas on the Piano Syllabus app (free on Google Play) ranging from grade 4 to Licentiate programs. You might get a quick tick with one of these:

Op. 67 no. 3.    grade 4
Op. 63 no. 2.    grade 6
Op. 7 no. 2.    . grade 6
Op. 67 no. 4     grade 7

If you are keen for a challenge there's obviously plenty to choose from at higher grades.

Excellent, I will check these out! Grade 6/7 is about what I had in mind.

There are a few playlists, and it's only like 3 hours listening. The youth of today. No stamina. Hurrumph. 

Ohhhh, playlists! Great idea. I was thinking I'd have to manually open each mazurka separately

I think most of them are grade 6-7 or thereabouts, and actually pretty readable, so I would suggest you do a read through when you get the book.  My preferences change, and are scattered throughout them (and I don't remember useful things like Ops anyway). If you want to just print out a few, look for ones in your favourite sight reading keys and print them until your book arrives. The latter Ops are probably better works generally, just as a (not completely accurate) guide.

I'll probably read through quite a few of them once I get my book. I've seen sheet music for several of the mazurkas and they all looked quite sight-readable, although I'll have to try to know for sure! I'll make a note about the "latter works" part.

How Chopin Mazurkas can be on backorder escapes me. What kind of dodgy/rarified edition are you after??

It's the Jan Ekier edition. The website I'm ordering from doesn't currently have the mazurkas in stock but should be getting more soon, I think.

And lastly...

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Stupid Aussies

[j_menz]

And lastly...

Stupid Aussies

And the Brits, Kiwis and all other civilised parts of the English speaking world where Miriam Webster is not regarded as gospel.