Group 3
Welcome to the latest TWO WEEK INTENSIVE on tonebase!
For the next two weeks either start learning OR take a Chopin mazurka in your repertoire to the next level through guidance and assignments from Jarred Dunn! Learn about stylistic advice, aspects of the dance and more!
Pianists of all levels are welcome.
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Assignment #1: Seeing the Mazurka
1) Watch Mazurka Dance Lessons 1, 2, and 3:
http://www.tance.edu.pl/en/lessons/show/dance/720
-Pay close attention to Lesson 3: the lesson builds rhythms from what we hear as a Waltz into a clear accent on 2nd beat, 3rd beat, and both 2nd/3rd beats
2) Learn one Mazurka
Choose one from the following suggested opuses for the whole TWI.
Week 1: Practice the LH:
-Op. 6 nr. 1, nr. 2
-Op. 7 nr. 1, nr. 2
-Op. 24 nr. 1 or 2
-Op. 30 nr. 1 or 2
-Op. 67 any
- or a different mazurka
Practice Activities:
a) Identify/mark all articulation in LH parts.
b) Clap the rhythm, emphasize accents and count aloud (speak louder for accented beats, eg. "one, Two, THREE" or "one, TWO, Three" etc.)
c) Identify/mark any unknown harmonic shifts or chords.
d) Find all cadences and notice unfamiliar accents (beat 2).
e) Voice tops of chords in LH or find a moving line (could be the middle notes of a chord that change).
f) Use RH for chords and LH for bass lines.
g) Circle any rests/pauses - they need to be heard.
Upload videos of your LH practicing/playing.
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ASSIGNMENT 2
Second Assignment: Continue your new Mazurka
Week 2: Practice the RH:
Listen to instruments, timbres, and moods in the following:
Kujawiak: https://youtu.be/RjV1bpxi0bc
Mazurek Dąbrowskiego: https://youtu.be/mTx45S-dQmQ?t=4
Chopin Mazurkas/Folk Mazurkas: https://youtu.be/n8OyddwnVbE
Look For/Listen For:
a) Learn the soprano part (melody), always sing/scream with it when you play. Think of dancers in this video: https://youtu.be/p6svoYBEWCs?t=10
b) Add ornaments after you learned the rhythms of the melody.
c) Dotted rhythms and triplets must sound distinctly different (no slackened dotted-eighth/sixteenths).
d) Accents on beats two and three can be subtle: try different levels of pressure/weight on the keys, to create at least four different accent types: sudden accent, leaning/swaying accent, light accent, heavy accent.
e) Remember that recording yourself is the best way to find out if you're actually doing what you intend. Record your melodic playing/singing/screaming whenever you practice.
Upload videos of your RH practicing/playing.
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- Sign-Up : starting July 14
- Course Period: July 17-31
- Class Size: ALL are welcome!
- Optional check-In via Zoom: July 27th 9am PT
CHECK IN VIDEO!
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HiJarred Dunn ! Sorry I am late to the Mazurka party, I’ve been away. Here is my Left Hand Only version of opus 6 no. 1. Thanks for all your guidance on this!
Btw, I have no idea what fingering to use for the repeated RH appogiaturas in the middle section of this piece — do you have any advice there? Bars 41 to 56. Thanks!
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Tammy Well done, Tammy! So glad to see you here! Your left hand version sounds already beautiful.
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Tammy słuchałem (I listened). Your tempo flows and there is the typical mazurka inflection in the first phrase. From mm 5-8, voice either tenor or bass more distinctly, think of it as a Bach line. When you get to the celebratory second dance at 0:33, use the bass G-sharp as a drone and let it really stand out against the alto. The bass can sound like an accompanying burczybas (a bit grizzly) to accompany the rather jolting screeches of the soprano - these types of octaves are usually signals of loud singing and screaming native to the mazurka. At 1:01, try a different timing for the end of the phrase, you’re repeating the same way you ended the first phrase. Another articulation option for 1:09 is a plucking or short release of the quints and octaves. For the third section in leaping figures, experiment more with articulation and find bigger accents for third beats. The first beat at 1:17 can have more emphasis, there is no worry in mazurka playing about giving a strong first beat as long as second and third have noticeable elements that accentuate them a bit more. Good work! Do roboty!
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Tammy Beautiful Tammy! I could imagine the whole mazurka(both hands) even with just your left hand playing.
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Tammy Beautiful singing with the left hand, Tammy!
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Tammy beautiful and expressive playing with the left hand, Tammy!
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Jarred Dunn Thanks so much for this feedback and all the intell on native Mazurka elements. Really appreciate it!
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Hi Everyone! As we come to the end of our Mazurkas TWI, I want to say dziekuję bardzo to everyone who joined and made this a positive, enriching experience. I have enjoyed seeing your playing, replying to your questions, and sharing my love of this repertoire with you. Feel free to send me a message if you have further questions!
Pozdrawiam i wszystkiego najlepszego!
JD
