Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Join In the Mazurka Marathon!!

I'm putting me down for 67/2 (Posth)
{edit: changed my mind to the haunting 68/2)

Everyone is "on the list" as they have selected which one they want to play...as indicated by the date submitted. First come....

I do believe (as Ramona suggested) that we might be thinking of playing just one. That way we will have many left to play in 2010, which will be Chopin's birthday. And what better way to celebrate it than by playing his most distinctive and unique Polish compositions, a genre that he created with such love of
homeland.

So those of you who posted a duplicate of one previously submitted, please be thinking of another. I think this is the fairest way to go, unless someone gives a better idea and one that we can all agree on.

Kathleen

rustyfingers, you have until March. Please choose another Mazurka and join in!

Can you put me down for 67 / 4, Mazurka in A-minor?

I'm off with the 17/4 too - Peyton I hope you can do a PERFECT job with it now that you've TAKEN IT AWAY! from many many other people who ALSO wanted to do it and would PROBABLY have done it BETTER than you but NOW it's too late so we are all going to WATCH YOU to make sure YOU do a better job then we would have so NO PRESSURE so what if it's ONLY my favorite mazurka.

Can you do 2? It looks like we might have to - are there 57 people on this board who will respond to this summons? If we can I"ll do Op 30 #3, 4

I hope this is mock petulance, not sincere.

BTW - I just downloaded WIlliam Kapell's recording of some (not even half) of the mazurkas and it is excellent, wonderful - how aweful he died at the age of 31

You've started something, Kathleen!

Mike

I'm sorry I've ruined your life. And everyone else's too. I promise that if I fail with this task I will quit piano and join a monastery.

I like -- I think it's Op. 6 No. 1 (the first one).

I'll have to think about others. My life is just on hold right now for the next few weeks.

No!
Just out of time.
I was just about to pick 6/1.
That's my favourite out of all of them.

For others, just tell me the hard ones, I'm there.

Wow, that was a close call.

I found this description of the mazurkas from the Vancouver Chopin Society: thought it might help those trying to choose:
Chopin\'s Mazurkas

Has Op 68 #4 (posth.) in F minor gone? And if not, can I do it?

Chopin's last composition...?

This thread is getting to be hiliarious! Keep it up everyone. I think I will do a daily update on the list as everyone seems to be changing his/her minds fairly often But that's OK.

Cruiser: I expect to see your name and selection popping up any time now.

According to Eleanor Bailie's book, the following are given an 8+ (which is advanced):

30/4
33/2
41/2 (often listed as #3)
41/4 (often listed as #1)
50/3
56/1
56/3

For those who might be interested, these are listed as 4/5's:

7/5
68/3
68/4

The rest are 6's to 8's.

If anyone has a mazurka in mind and would like to know its level, let me know. Remember that the difficulty level is an arbitrary opinion. Like everything else, it is NOT a fixed notion.

[Edit:] Rustyfingers: That is a great link and I know it would be very useful. Thank you so much.

Hope this helps,
Kathleen

Everyone who has posted a preference, has it. Schubertian, I am putting you down for your second choice and Ragnhild, the same. Let me know if this is OK.

Thanks,
Kathleen

But...but....I wanna play a Polonaise

LA: How we would love to have you play a polonaise, but I think the recital would consist of just a handful of people if we devoted it to his polonaises.

Maybe I could play the one he composed when he was 7, but it would take me several months. LOL.

So sorry. But pick a mazurka!

Kathleen

Put me down for Op.24 No.3 for sure.

I took a look at it last night for the first time in years, and wow, did it ever bring back memories... A couple of really vivid and specific memories of sitting on the bench and hearing my teacher's comments. It's funny what gets embedded in our minds.

L A, I've been working on a Polonaise. Lets have dueling Polonaises. (since my mazurkas have been taken by about a dozen people already)
Mike

I'd love to try 68/3 since that's what I have the most practice with; however since I have neck problems and am seeing another neurosurgeon for a second opinion in Nov. I don't know if I'd get it up to red dot level.

Nevertheless, my teacher would be happy if I'd start working on it again so maybe I'll just practice along with all of you anyway.