The Pianostreet MAZURKA Project

[rubinsteinmad]

Hi all,
    Let's start a project for the Chopin Mazurkas. Each member is eligible to participate; just post recordings here of maximum of THREE Chopin Mazurkas. Only 3 people per mazurka; so SIGN UP FOR YOUR MAZURKAS TODAY!!!!!  

[theholygideons]

Why only Chopin Mazurkas, why not Liszt Mazurkas?

[rubinsteinmad]

Why only Chopin Mazurkas, why not Liszt Mazurkas?

Because Pianostreet's members are too ignorant to recognize the beauty of the Liszt Mazurkas. #YOLO

[kawai_cs]

Ok, I sign up for op 7 no 1. I don't know when it will be ready though because I have just started and I am so lazy lately...
Are there any prizes?

[chopinlover01]

Taking 17/2 and 17/4

[ahpahpah]

I'll be taking Op. 50 no. 3

Are you going to compile the recordings all into one video?

[abbyes]

And how much time do we have to learn them ? I'm busy until 22th february, but after that i'd like to record one :

If I can, I'll chose Op.6 No.1

[coda_colossale]

68/2 and 63/2 please.

[rubinsteinmad]

There is no deadline, but hopefully we can call this project finished by the end of the year 

[zpianist]

I sign up for all of op. 59... they will sound kind of bad though

[adodd81802]

.

[zpianist]

I sign up for all of op. 59... they will sound kind of bad though

sh*t did I really write that?
I only sign up for op. 59 no. 1 and no. 2... and op. 30 no. 1

[ajlongspiano]

This sounds like a great idea. I'll go for 17 4, 67 4, & 68 4.

[rubinsteinmad]

Since nobody has signed up for Op. 24 #2 and Op. 63 #2, I'm guessing it's my duty to murder them  

[ronde_des_sylphes]

I play next to no Chopin nowadays, but I do have a soft spot for op.7 no.3.

Spoilsport alert, but hasn't cbreemer already recorded and posted all of them here?

[ahpahpah]

You should make up a time-windows for when all recordings should be posted on this (or some other) thread.

[chopinlover01]

Taking 17/2 and 17/4

This sounds like a great idea. I'll go for 17 4, 67 4, & 68 4.

*Vader voice* Nooooooooooo

[hozepshad]

Sounds like a good idea.
I'll take op 6 no 4, op 17 no 1 and 3.

[visitor]

please take Chopin limiter off. There are other cool mazurkas by others, (though of Chopin's output, much of it I find to be sorta , meh, no big, the Mazurkas I believe are his most interesting and best pieces, they are my favorite lot of his and probably the only piano solo pieces of his I actually seek out to listen to occassionally).

I have a jazzical re arrangement of one of them (along w/ several jazz ver of preludes I'm messing w currently) I will look it up and see which number it is and claim it and work it up. However, other composers should be allowed, Scriabin, Szymanowski immediately come to mind, there are others of course....


-the V

[abbyes]

please take Chopin limiter off. There are other cool mazurkas by others, (though of Chopin's output, much of it I find to be sorta , meh, no big, the Mazurkas I believe are his most interesting and best pieces, they are my favorite lot of his and probably the only piano solo pieces of his I actually seek out to listen to occassionally).

I have a jazzical re arrangement of one of them (along w/ several jazz ver of preludes I'm messing w currently) I will look it up and see which number it is and claim it and work it up. However, other composers should be allowed, Scriabin, Szymanowski immediately come to mind, there are others of course....


-the V

Indeed. I think this is an amazing thread, I hope someone extend it to another repertoire, maybe Chopin Nocturnes also, Mazurkas, études ( Many composers..)...and compile it in a video played by pianostreet forists..I dont know, I think this MAZURKA Project will provide us tons of fun !!

I will take op 6 1-3.

I also asked for op 6 nº1

[ahpahpah]

it's 3 people per mazurka

[abbyes]

it's 3 people per mazurka

Oh fine then, I read 3 mazurka per person, I'm sorry ^^.

[zpianist]

Hi all,
    Let's start a project for the Chopin Mazurkas. Each member is eligible to participate; just post recordings here of maximum of THREE Chopin Mazurkas. Only 3 people per mazurka; so SIGN UP FOR YOUR MAZURKAS TODAY!!!!!  

nope it's 3 mazurkas per person, 3 people per mazurka...

[zpianist]

please take Chopin limiter off. There are other cool mazurkas by others, (though of Chopin's output, much of it I find to be sorta , meh, no big, the Mazurkas I believe are his most interesting and best pieces, they are my favorite lot of his and probably the only piano solo pieces of his I actually seek out to listen to occassionally).

I have a jazzical re arrangement of one of them (along w/ several jazz ver of preludes I'm messing w currently) I will look it up and see which number it is and claim it and work it up. However, other composers should be allowed, Scriabin, Szymanowski immediately come to mind, there are others of course....


-the V

[rubinsteinmad]

Scriabin, Szymanowski immediately come to mind, there are others of course....

If you want to create a S-Mazurka project, you do it. The only Scriabin Mazurkas that interest me are the Op. 3 nos 1 and 2.

[rubinsteinmad]

lol

BTW, in Latin, do you pronounce the 'h' in "hors"?

[zpianist]

lol

BTW, in Latin, do you pronounce the 'h' in "hors"?

ok enough dankmemes for the day bois

[zpianist]

please take Chopin limiter off. There are other cool mazurkas by others, (though of Chopin's output, much of it I find to be sorta , meh, no big, the Mazurkas I believe are his most interesting and best pieces, they are my favorite lot of his and probably the only piano solo pieces of his I actually seek out to listen to occassionally).

I have a jazzical re arrangement of one of them (along w/ several jazz ver of preludes I'm messing w currently) I will look it up and see which number it is and claim it and work it up. However, other composers should be allowed, Scriabin, Szymanowski immediately come to mind, there are others of course....


-the V

Ok, in all serious, Scriabin mazurkas must be great... the Liadov mazurkas are very unique as well, not contrived like some of the non-Chopin "salon mazurkas" of the 19th century...

[visitor]

Ok, in all serious, Scriabin mazurkas must be great... the Liadov mazurkas are very unique as well, not contrived like some of the non-Chopin "salon mazurkas" of the 19th century...

agreed in a lot of what is said there. be that as it may, there are also some stellar jewels to be found in the riff raff

[ajlongspiano]

*Vader voice* Nooooooooooo

Sharing is caring, right? 

[abbyes]

Sharing is caring, right? 

[/youtube]

[mjames]

You can discuss about non-Chopin mazurkas in some other thread.

[chopinlover01]

Sharing is caring, right? 

Care to share your knowledge with me, then?

[ajlongspiano]

Care to share your knowledge with me, then?

Skype me up sometime and we'll talk music!

[moritzloewen]

I will play Op. 6 No. 2 C-sharp minor, too.

[kawai_cs]

Here is my mazurka, op 7 no 1:

I am looking forward to hearing what you don't like or like. I am quitting work on this one for now but will came back to it in a couple of months so comments/suggestions will be helpful then

[mjames]

I liked it Kawaii!!

Nice playing.

[kawai_cs]

Oh, [relief], thanks so much for listening and kind words! 

[briansaddleback]

Here is my mazurka, op 7 no 1:

I am looking forward to hearing what you don't like or like. I am quitting work on this one for now but will came back to it in a couple of months so comments/suggestions will be helpful then

Perfectly played. Playful and artistic and well... Are you in your twenties?? I always thought you were around my age.

Anyways one critique I may have is coming from my Russian teacher not me. She told us that traditions mazurkas are played 3/4 time yes, but not in the manner of waltz.  Wherein the accenting is the first beat of each measure. The mazurka follows to be accented on the second beat w a slight pause on that beat.  She demonstrated a typical mazurka dance for us and it was revealed why it is. Very interesting. So I would say for the tradition sake try another version of this in that manner.
Other than that I enjoy this performance and can I only seldom say it but this one I would rewatch for it is you make it highly entertaining and musical.

[mjames]

^--

Is there a video/performance you know of that can demonstrate what you're talking about? Just curious!

Expanding on your teacher's words (not doubting her...it makes sense) how would you apply the mazurka tradition/rhythm in the late and more ambiguous mazurkas? I feel that in a lot of his late stuff the mazurkas start to sound like something else completely, I'm struggling to identify them with the traditional mazurkas.

One example would be op. 50 no. 3 i worked on...I have no idea how I'm supposed to apply the mazurka feel in that piece...

[briansaddleback]

I really have no idea or videos known. I just am repeating what my teacher told my class last year. She did not make any technical distinctions between mazurka eras. 

[mjames]

oh thats a shame! it really is an interesting comment though, i'll try and look into it. glad you posted it, thanks!

[kawai_cs]

Brian, thank you very much. Your feedback means a lot and gives me a lot of encouragement !
As mjames said, it is a very interesting comment about the rhythm and I will definitely look into it! I will try to look for some examples. Thank you for sharing this with us!

[distantfieldrelative]

It's not too late to enter this is it? If not I would like to pick op.68 no.4...

[chopinlover01]

oh thats a shame! it really is an interesting comment though, i'll try and look into it. glad you posted it, thanks!

The later, more improvisatory mazurkas often can't be danced to (as is true with some of the waltzes, albeit less so), but I doubt Chopin would leave out any kind of rhythm in it. With those particular ones I'd bring out the improvisation like passages to contrast with the bright rhythmic ones.
Just a few off-the-cuff thoughts.

[pencilart3]

save me the op. 50 plz

[quantum]

Op 7/1 was a Mazurka that I had learned many years ago, but haven't played it for some time.  I needed a piano postlude and decided to dust this one off.  The piano's action was in need of work with a lot of variances between responses of each key.  Each key was a bit of a surprise - made things interesting  . 

The recording appealed to me, so I thought of sharing it here.

[mjames]

save me the op. 50 plz

3 people per piece. So it's ok, we can compare our op. 50 no. 3 (won't be working on any other in the set..)

Plus, I don't think you have to worry about it. Op. 50 doesn't seem to be popular in here. <.<

@Quantum

Wow, this mazurka is really popular huh. Like your playing! Please post more.

[chopinawesome]

I guess Op.24 no.1 and Op.30 no.2 if anyone didn't choose them already...

[kawai_cs]

Brian’s comment about accents initiated a little research I have done about mazurkas.
Those miniatures are based on three Polish folk dances: Mazur, Kujawiak and Oberek. Typical rhythm is 2 semiquavers and 2 quavers or 2 quavers and 2 crotchets.

Mazur is a moderate dance with a tendency to irregular accents. An example of Mazur dance:

Op 7 no 1 mazurka is based on Mazur.

Kujawiak is rather slow and melodious. The accents in this one are rather weak.  
One example of Kujawiak:

Op 17 no 2 is mazurka is based on Kujawiak. Also the beginning of mazurka op 50 no 3 is stylistically derived from Kujawiak.

Oberek is a fast or very fast, lively and joyful dance with strong, regular accents.
One example of Oberek:

Op 33 no 3 mazurka is inspired by Oberek.

Chopin very often used features of multiple dances in one mazurka.
Tempo rubato is typical for interpretation of mazurkas since it is a very characteristic feature of Polish folk music.
Chopin said that left hand should be like a conductor, keeping the tempo steady while the right hand is allowed to played with the rhythm hesitantly slowing it down or vehemently speeding it up.