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Thanks everyone!

As Jason pinted out, I don't know Chopin's Mazurkas well, and my I posed my question to get an idea about where to start. Op.17 no.4 seems to be very popular. I agree that it is a beautiful piece, but I'm afraid it takes a master pianist to make real justice to this Mazurka. Maybe Op.59 No.2...
Anyhow I'll listen to some of the other ones before I make my desicion.

Ah how could I forget this one! Add it to my list. One of my favorite performances is from Argerich's "Legendary 1965 Recording". While I feel her tone is a bit harsh at some points (some of those forte base octaves) I think this is as good as it gets. The way she treats that moment where the main theme returns with the piano treble accompaniment is masterful, and always brings a smile to my face. And I love that she takes her time with the little flurry of notes in those 7 measures at the end. So wonderful!

Legendary indeed.

Daniel

The most impressive of the lot, and
the most technically difficult, is
the A min. op. post., aka: mazurka
"no. 51," the one with the r.h.
triplets and the middle section in
octaves. This is only 3 pgs. long,
and doesn't look like anything special
at first glance, but this is one of
the most difficult pieces in the
piano repetoire. You can't get
away with just playing the
notes on this one. This
will teach you rubato, because it
won't sound right played in
time. If you want a big challenge,
forget all the others. This is
the one to take a stab at if you
want to really improve your playing.

Mazurka No. 51 in a minor isn't posthumous. Better known as "Emile Gaillard" (after the dedicatee), it was first published in 1841.

Steven

No-one's mentioned op.50 no.3 yet, so I will. It's a very interesting piece with lots of contrast.

My favorite is B minor, Op 33 No. 4. It's the only one I can get thur fairly well, except I die on the leaps in the key change to B section ("la
so
fa,

It seems the numbering system is somewhat arbitrary after you leave the opus numbers, the a minor 'Emile Gaillard' is #53 in my edition (Henle) and also has been given the identifier 'KK IIb Nr 5' if that helps. It is certainly an impressive piece. I had never taken a look at it before.

There are so many mazurkas and they are so varied in style and mood that it seems very difficult to pick one or two that are my 'favorites'. But you could also look at all four of the Op 30, and all the Op 7 are great.

shhhhhh





it's very intimate now...

b-flat minor op. 24 no. 4

That is my favorite.

Here's a better version:

"Here's a better version"? I guess that's in the ear of the beholder, isn't it? I auditioned several and chose the Rubinstein because I thought it best represented the piece.

I'm glad you shared the Horowitz. Your statement of personal opinion as though it were fact ... not so much. Anyway, the thread is supposed to be about favorite mazurkas, not favorite performances—or one-upmanship.

Steven

It wasn't a favorite until I heard Horowitz's performance. Besides, you're are getting a little touchy (probably from online arguments ), I did put a big grin after my comment. Rubinstein is my favorite pianist, overall.

i haven't liked any Chopin Mazurka much until i heard this (by Bozhanov):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WegVrm-RwaE

The Op 59 mazurkas are my personal favorites. They are part of Chopin's later mazurkas and, therefore, bring to light his Polish and very original style. I also like the fact that the first and third very stormy mazurkas flank, as it were, the soothing second mazurka.

I have twelve favorite Mazurkas by Chopin, which I practice & make recordings of regularly (for my ears only, great for working on interpretation; or maybe friends & family can listen).

Here they are: op6n1 F#m; op6n2 C#m; op7n2 Am; op17n2 Em; op17n3 Ab; op24n2 C; op30n2 F#m (starts in Bm); op50n3 C#m; op67n2 Gm; op67n4 Am; op68n3 F; and, op68n4 Fm.

I achieved this list of faves the same way anyone should; I read through the whole book playing each piece twice or more, used post-its to mark the ones I didn't like, then went through the rest & eventually settled on my faves. Takes a few days to do this but well worth it. I've used this method with lots of collections of short works, like Mend. songs without words, Grieg lyric pieces, Scriabin preludes, etc.

Forget choosing pieces based on recordings--at least, I wouldn't do that. Play the music yourself & choose. Of course, you can always go back to the book later & play the "rejects"--often after some time you'll find some overlooked gems by doing that.

P.S. Get the book & recording "Scarlatti 60 Sonatas" by Ralph Kirkpatrick & study those pieces if you want some good background insight into these Chopin mazurkas.

Why not?

Having read through your comments, listened to the recordings and played through some of the pieces myself, I feel that I have got an idea about Chopin's Mazurkas, and (at least) know where to start.

Somehow I get the feeling that this music is "essential Chopin" - more than many of his longer and more famous pieces. It is even interesting for me to notice that there are obvious parallels between Polish and Norwegian folk music when considering characteristic intervals and rythmic anomalities. Although Chpoin's Mazurkas are not folk music, the source of inspiration often shines through.

I enjoyed listening to the relatively early Mazurkas (e.g. 30/4 and 33/2). Trying to play them, however, makes me realise that there is a long way to go to make real music out of them.

Op. 50/3 is a very interesting piece, and I may end up including this one into my repertoire.

Op.59/2 is a lovely piece with which I think it will be interesting to work. Also the other ones of Op.59 are very beautiful, and I have put them on "hold" in case I get the time to work with them.

There are two Mazurkas on the next Opus, 63/1 and 63/2, which I found more or less by accident. I haven't heard any recordings of them, but especially the first one has a great appeal to me, and I have decided to start studying it. 63/2 is a "Lento" piece with few technical obstacles, and that is also a very beautiful piece, contrasting with the previous one.

The posthumous A-minor (No.51) is a mystery to me, since it is not present in my Peters edition of the Mazurkas. I hope tp have the chance to listen to it, but if it is very challenging technically, it will probably not be my choice.

Has anyone mentioned op30 no3? It's my (new) favorite. Those ascending major passages with the trill at the top.. AHHhhh. *man tear shed*