Chapter 37: Frédéric Chopin Mazurka in B-flat Major, op. 7, no. 1
oral tradition
one pass down without the aid of written words or notated music
The main (opening) theme of the mazurka in B-flat consists of
an upward contour and a major scale
When the accompaniment consists of two notes played simultaneously and repeated over and over, it forms a
drone bass
A character piece is intended to
evoke a particular mood
nationalism
in music, the use of melodies, rhythms, harmonies, or instruments that reflect the musical practices of a particular reason
Most of Chopin's music is for
solo piano
Using "tempo rubato" means that
time is "robbed" from one place and given back in another
folk dance
A type of dance passed down from generation to generation by a living tradition; each folk dance is typically associated with a particular rhythm and dance step.
Chopin spent much of his professional career in
France
What feature enables listeners to identify a mazurka?
a particular rhythmic pattern
mazurka
a polish folk dance in triple meter, often with a heavy accent on the second or third beat of each measure
character pieces
a relatively short work, usually for piano solo, that captures a particular mood ("character")
Much of Chopin's music exploits what texture?
a singing melody with accompaniment
drone bass
a single long note held underneath the melodic line
Chopin used "tempo rubato" to make his music sound more like
passionate speech
Chopin's choice to compose mazurkas reflects his
pride in his Polish heritage
