Mazurka in F-sharp minor, Op. 6 No. 1

History

Chopin placed this F-sharp-minor mazurka first in his Op. 6 collection. The piece later became one of his more often transcribed mazurkas, a reminder that a piano dance could travel beyond its original keyboard setting.

Sources

• mutopiaproject.org
• chopin.pl/katalog_part_04.en.html
• chopin.pl/reception_works.en.html

What to listen for

1. 1

   A short lead-in starts triplet motion

   The lead-in opens a triplet-led line with falling responses and repeated closing calls. Hear the longer contour across the smaller groups.

2. 2

   Accented octaves create a contrast

   A second lead-in introduces accented octave attacks. Compare their stronger chordal sound with the first flowing line.

3. 3

   Grace-led calls receive lower answers

   The later episode alternates grace-led upper chords with lower responses. Listen for that dialogue without counting its free lead-in as an ordinary numbered bar.

How to practise it

Tied approach and triplet turn; rest interrupts the upper line.

1. Practise the triplet group separately from the unequal pair, keeping both inside the same phrase.
2. Count the short silence and avoid filling it with an extended previous note.

How hard is it

About this piece

Collection

At the dance floor

Licence

Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

Source

mutopiaproject.org

Credit

“Mazurka: Op.6, No.1” by F. F. Chopin (1810 to 1849). Mutopia edition maintained by Ryan Prince. Source: https://www.mutopiaproject.org/cgibin/piece-info.cgi?id=1687. Licensed under CC BY 3.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/. Changes to the supplied file: none; any later conversion or edit must be disclosed separately.

More by Frédéric Chopin

1. 1Prelude in A major, Op. 28 No. 7Level 5, estimatedWith Maestro
2. 2Nocturne in E-flat major, Op. 9 No. 2Level 7, estimatedWith Maestro
3. 3Ballade No. 4 in F minor, Op. 52Level 10, estimatedWith Maestro