The Art of Listening

Some countries have musical characteristics that are easily recognised (Spain, for instance), while with others isolating musical identifiers can be more difficult. So while it’s often possible to guess the provenance of a piece of music from, say France, the nature of what constitutes musical ‘Frenchness’ can be quite elusive.

In the case of Poland there are (at least!) three musical things which are associated with the country. Here are examples of each, taken from the piano works of that most famous of musical Poles, Chopin:

In terms of melody, there’s the Lydian mode with its sharpened fourth scale note (in this case E-flat to E-natural):

… this is what it sounds like in the major rather than the lydian mode (i.e. with the E-flat ‘restored’):

A complete performance:

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Then there’s the rhythm of the nation’s two internationally known dances – the Mazurka and the Polonaise.

Mazurka:-

… a complete performance:

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Polonaise:-

… a complete performance:

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One of the last works the composer wrote before (what turned out to be) his final departure from Poland in 1830: his Piano Concerto No. 1 in e:

00:00 Maestoso
22:02 Romance
33:38 Rondo

Score

An opportunity to evaluate the work and it’s interpretation:

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And, if you feel inclined to expand on your decisions…

… only click ‘Submit’ if you’ve used the ‘Comments’ box. Your (green) yeas and/or (red) nays will be registered automatically.

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Pantygwydr!