Mazurka in F minor, Op. 7, no. 1

Listening Guide

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Performed by Arthur Rubinstein

Composer: Fryderyk Chopin

Composition: Mazurka in F minor, Op. 7, no. 1

Date: 1836

Genre: piano character piece

Form: aaba'ba'ca'ca'

Nature of Text: the title indicates a stylized dance based on the Polish mazurka

Performing Forces: solo piano

What we want you to remember about this composition:

  • This mazurka is in triple time with emphasis on beat two
  • The texture is homophonic
  • Chopin asks the performer to use rubato

Other things to listen for

  • Its "c" strain uses a drone and augmented seconds
  • Its form is aaba'ba'ca'ca'

Timing

Performing Forces, Melody, and Texture

Form:

Triple-meter theme ascends up the scale and then descends and then repeats; brief ornaments on beat two of the measure. In F minor, with homophonic "boom-chuck" texture.

aa

After a contrasting theme that oscillates, part of the first theme returns in a'.

ba'

[above section repeats]

ba'

Folk-like melody using augmented seconds. Listen for the drone as well as rubato (which Chopin asks for here).

c


a

C returns, then a.

ca