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Mazurkas - please help me

Mazurkas - please help me

Hello!
Please can someone tell me how to play a Mazurka? (How are they different to, eg Waltzs?)
Thanks a lot guys
Fran

# Posted on February 12th 2004 by frannyc

Re: Mazurkas - please help me

In the tunes section, Jocklet writes about "The barnacle"

"this goes well in a set with sonny's mazurka,and like all mazurkas,should be played with a slighly dotted rythym.this tune is not a waltz"

In my experience, mazurkas are similar to waltzes timing wise but tend to be a little faster. As Jocklet points out, the rythym also tends to be more "dotted". I think this is the key, here.

John

# Posted on February 12th 2004 by Johnny Jay

Re: Mazurkas - please help me

Fran, pick an easy mazurka, like Sonny's, and play along with a recording of it until the rhythm sinks in.

# Posted on February 12th 2004 by Will Harmon

Re: Mazurkas - please help me

... Caoimhin Mac Aoidh was asked by many musicians about the more exotic rhythms in irish music ...

the answer he sent out was translated in german and published on the website of the german uillean pipe association (DUPG) ... he (and/or his translator) mainly says about Mazurkas: they are dances of polish origin ... in 3/4-beat, but are accentuated 1-2 3, while the waltz is played 1 2-3 ...

I don

# Posted on February 12th 2004 by crannog

Re: Mazurkas - please help me

Crannog - you've been there a second before me.

If that is in any way interesting to anyone, Mazurka is not truly original in Polish folklore - it was invented by...

Wait, that's an Irish Trad Music site... I sometimes get carried away.

# Posted on February 12th 2004 by Janek

Re: Mazurkas - please help me

Why would anyone want to play a mazurka?

# Posted on February 12th 2004 by cluaintarbh

Re: Mazurkas - please help me

Why? Why not? Tim O'Leary (Brother of Christy) has written quite a few new mazurkas. He argues that there's not enough of them in Irish music. Doubtless, you would disagree, Dublinfluter.

Hope nobody asks why anyone would want to play a flute. :>))

# Posted on February 12th 2004 by Johnny Jay

Re: Mazurkas - please help me

Fran
Try to get hold of some Altan-recordings of mazurkas.
Snorre

# Posted on February 12th 2004 by snorre

Re: Mazurkas - please help me

There are some great mazurkas around - apart from Sonny's, already mentioned, there's Johnny Doherty's and 2 by Vincent Campbell which immediately come to mind. No, my question would be "Why play jigs and reels all night?"

# Posted on February 12th 2004 by Bannerman

PS - Mazurkas

I've posted Vincent Campbell's second mazurka at http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display.php/2493 - the first one was already there.

# Posted on February 12th 2004 by Bannerman

Re: Mazurkas - please help me

diddly Dee di di diddly Dee di di diddly Dee


mazurka rhthym......sponsored by nick

# Posted on February 12th 2004 by NickPhelan

Re: Mazurkas - please help me

where waltzes are heavy on the 1, mazurkas are almost equal on all beats, but most on 1 and 3.

The diff. is in the dance. It also depends on the type of mazurka. There are several different dances to the mazurka, all with the same basic steps. At least in the Danish tradition.

Lars.

# Posted on February 12th 2004 by Larshansen

Re: Mazurkas - please help me

John J - why would anyone want to be a 'jack of many instruments and a master of none'. At least I'm a master of my flute!!

# Posted on February 12th 2004 by cluaintarbh

Re: Mazurkas - please help me

whut?

As a proud member of Schizophonics Autonymous, I'd just like to say.. *thrrrrrrrrrpt*

# Posted on February 12th 2004 by Q

Re: Mazurkas - please help me

Am I the ONLY one who doesn't rate mazurkas? Barndances, polkas, slides, slip jigs - much more melodic that mazurkas in the opinion of a humble flute player who by no means plays jigs and reels all night, au contraire

# Posted on February 12th 2004 by cluaintarbh

Re: Mazurkas - please help me

Master of your flute!!!! Phoaaah!

Mazurkas are great, Moving Cloud do Mooney's - I love it.
A mazurka or two among the reels and jigs is just right.
I heard somebody say once that Tom Bhetty's waltz was originally a mazurka - could be I suppose. But someone might just ask "why play Tom Bhetty's?"

# Posted on February 12th 2004 by Cath

Re: Mazurkas - please help me

Well, you should put "Master of the flute" in your profile, Dublinfluter, and we might know something more about you. :>))Actually, I love listening to the flute and I was only joking. I had thought you'd realise that with the "smiley" I left.

I'm not a "Jack of many instruments" through choice but we can't all be brilliant. I play these as they are all similar i.e. stringed. Probably, you play whistle etc as well and , maybe, the pipes. I don't know. Anyway, let's not get upset with each other.

John

# Posted on February 12th 2004 by Johnny Jay

Re: Mazurkas - please help me

Fran, try http://www.geocities.com/Athens/6464/mzrk.html, a fine page especially about mazurka's !

# Posted on February 12th 2004 by Henk Bos

Re: Mazurkas - please help me

Fran
Here is my favourite mazurka http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display.php/2497

# Posted on February 12th 2004 by snorre

Re: Mazurkas - please help me

thanks guys, that's really great!
Fran

# Posted on February 12th 2004 by frannyc

Re: Mazurkas - please help me

I thought the accent wason the 2nd beat in mazurkas. On the continent they seem to be danced with a little hop. Damn, I've just tried it and found I've forgotten.. where can I find a partner at this time of day?

# Posted on February 13th 2004 by Paul_draper

Re: Mazurkas - please help me

I play now and again for dancers in Flanders,and we always play a few mazurkas.They're played in a dotted rhythym,with the accent on the first beat,and if you ever saw the mazurka being danced,you'd understand why.It's one bar waltz and then a hop figure,front foot up then down,back foot up and down,front foot up and down and then waltz for the next bar and so forth.

# Posted on March 1st 2003 by dafydd

Re: Mazurkas - please help me

Thinking about it again it's not the 2nd beat that's stressed but the first beat is often dotted so that the second NOTE gets emphasised more than normal. They are great tunes especially if played with that continental flow and not treated as a kind of plodding waltz.

# Posted on February 13th 2004 by Paul_draper

Re: Mazurkas - please help me

anyone knows sth. about the composer?

Merry Christmas,
Axelfritz

# Posted on December 24th 2011 by folk-axel

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