Chopin was born in Zelazowa Wola, Poland, near Warsaw. The mazurka was a once-popular dance that originated with the Mazurs, who lived in Mazovia, also near Warsaw. Chopin was quite familiar with this dance, not simply because of the proximity of its origins, but because he was keenly aware of his country's music, especially its dance music. Indeed, he would compose many mazurkas, polonaises, waltzes, as well as write in other dance forms not specifically related to his homeland, such as the ecossaise, bolero, bourrée, contredanse, and tarantelle.

In the Mazurka No. 3, Chopin offers a lively theme that is delivered in contrasting dynamics, its bursts of happiness and celebration resounding emphatically, while alternating reflective passages are played softly but with rhythmic jauntiness. In a sense, it contrasts the bombastic elements of the dance with its more elegant side. This mazurka is, in the end, an attractive and colorful piece, whose joyous moments often recall the keyboard writing of some of the better-known Polonaises.

This piece is usually performed in about two minutes, and while it is not technically as challenging as some of Chopin's other keyboard works, it is far from easy.

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Chopin wrote more works by far in the Mazurka genre, than in any other—over 50. The mazurka is a dance form that came from Mazovia, located near Warsaw. It, like the Polonaise, had spread from the villages to the cities, not only in Poland but throughout Europe, reaching Paris and London. It is an attractive, lively dance in triple time.

The Mazurka No. 2 is one of the most Polish-sounding of the four that comprise the Op. 6 set. The tempo is leisurely but still lively, the main theme demure, at times even coquettish in its rhythmic sensuality. There is a mood of both gaiety and intimacy in this cleverly crafted, colorful dance. What is remarkable about this piece is that it was written when the composer was only 20—remarkable because it is already stylistically pure Chopin.

This mazurka lasts about three minutes in a typical performance and is one of the finest in the entire lot. In fact, it can be ranked among Chopin's best short keyboard compositions.

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Of the 51 numbered mazurkas—and over 60 altogether, counting early and "orphaned" efforts—the four comprising Op. 6 stand as strong early mazurkas that established this genre's pattern of wide-ranging modes of expression and a seemingly ever-expanding view of the color possibilities on the keyboard. True, these four are generally light and do not quite plumb the depths encountered in the A minor Sixth or A flat major Twelfth, to mention just two other early efforts. Still, they are worthwhile pieces, and this F sharp minor First is probably the strongest entry in the group.

Certainly it offers variety in moving from its elegant yet melancholy main theme to the jolting alternating material, which seems bent on sabotaging the somber character of the piece, but only temporarily succeeds in doing so. The work carries no textual tempo instruction but bears the metronomic marking of a quarter note equals 132. It is a lively piece then, but one whose mood is rooted in darker realms. In the end, this must be assessed as one of the composer's finer early mazurkas. A typical performance of it lasts about three-and-a-half minutes.

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The piano pieces of Chopin changed the way the piano was played, not so much in the technical sense as with Liszt, but in the expressiveness required of the pianist. In shorter works, Chopin experimented with textures and sonorities, creating an utterly distinct piano style. Perhaps the most unusual and individual of the shorter forms is the mazurka, which reflects the merging of Chopin's cosmopolitan influences in Paris with his growin consciousness of being Polish. While retaining the flavor and rhythm of traditional Polish dances, the mazurkas also reflect the sophisticated melodic nuances and the coloristic harmonies found in Chopin's other music. These brief, intimate evocations of his homeland are perhaps some of Chopin's greatest contributions to the piano repertoire.

The four mazurkas of Op. 6 were not the first Chopin composed; he began writing them at the age of fifteen. The mazurka sets Opp. 6 and 7, published in 1832, were, however, the first of the genre that he published. The first piece in the Op. 6 set is the most rhythmically ambiguous, with the accented third beats and tied downbeats. The mournful, reflective thematic material is briefly interrupted by a much more joyous and rhythmically simpler interlude, returning shortly to the opening melody. The second piece in the set is more outwardly dance-like, with a triple-meter waltz-like bass line. The music seems fairly straightforward, but the play between the inner voices adds extra character and nuance. The third mazurka, marked Vivace, is the only one in a major key. Its accented third beat and its rhythmic drive add animation to the set. The interplay between the flashy right hand and the sneaky left-hand melodies also adds to the fun. The final piece in Op. 6 is very brief, with a recurring, spinning melody that gives the impression of a carousel.

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Chopin's output of mazurkas, numbering 51, expands to over 60 when one counts early versions and juvenile efforts. He had a lifelong interest in this dance genre, writing his first mazurka when he was ten and his last in 1849, the year of his death. He also devoted much effort to the genres of the waltz and polonaise, but wrote much larger works in the latter form. His mazurkas, numerous though they were, were generally quite short.

Quite short indeed: in some cases, they last less than a minute. The E flat minor Fourth Mazurka is one of the shortest Chopin wrote, with only the pipsqueak Ninth clocking in marginally ahead of it in most performances. The Fourth Mazurka is a curious piece, expressing an austerity and brusqueness in its dead-serious manner. Yet, for all its stiffness and seeming inelasticity, this mazurka comes across as an effective nugget of autumnal grayness, a striking black-and-white sketch of a cloudy sky. Its one-dimensional character was a bold stroke for the 30-year-old composer.

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