What's the Difference Between a Waltz and a Mazurka?

[@jgamez5023]

Chopin was such a genius, I can listen to his music all day long....

[@kerder8660]

His geniuseneses was in that he could incorporate life & struggle of polish people into music, not many did that.

[@annatat2020]

Yes, I can listen to his music all life long...

[@anhducduong0105]

Same

[@NN-rn1oz]

A professor once taught me a good shortcut to beginning to understand the difference. He said in a waltz the first beat is the most important, whereas in a mazurka it is the least important.

[@AcousticBruce]

That's actually a better way to conceptualize it. Often times, the first beat is hardly there.

[@hopesonmakokha5217]

You're playing is incredible, I was absolutely immersed. It didn't cross my mind there was a distinct difference between waltzes and mazurkas, I just always felt mazurkas were jumpy in the way their beat is counted. Really informative video, thanks

[@michaelprozonic]

This question sounds like a real ice-breaker at a party. I’ll let you know how it goes

[@josephbadams1]

Guaranteed winner.

[@kurainaru]

Michael Prozonic how did it go?

[@MaestroTJS]

At least you'd weed out the interesting people from the ones you can forget about.

[@laramirinjian]

Lmao!!

[@josephpedulla7831]

It might help if you're trying to pick up a Polish girl. LOL!

[@maronthehill]

Can't find a better tutorial like this. Very clearly explained, with a good demo. And such a lovable middle aged gentleman!

[@haviskam]

When i want to chill out after a hard day's work, i tune into this gentleman's videos. So relaxing, so out of the world. Thank you.

[@drkekenstein5750]

I actually knew the difference because of Andrew Furmanczyks music theory series. Really interesting to be able to incorporate it here. Nice video as always

[@anak_kucing101]

Wow! I didn't know anything about Andrew. I checked out the channel and it seems helpful for me I want to know about Classical Music.

[@DomskiPlays]

The pedal control is stupendously good

[@haviskam]

Im a classical guitarist, yet I learn a lot of music from you. You are a great inspiration.

[@balthasarte5649]

Same here! I'm studying Tárrega's Mazurkas and of course I don't want them to sound like valses

[@salvadorbragais6498]

Thanks for enlightening us about the nuances of famous ,familiar and favourite genre in music.GOD bless.❤

[@baigner25]

Dear Maestro, thank you so much for the clear explanation regarding the difference between Valse and Mazurka. 🙏🏾🙏🏾

[@tymanung6382]

Mazurka (originally Mazurek) and waltz musics are relatively similar, BUT the 2 dances are VERY different. In 20th and 21st centuries, Mazurek dance is popular in Poland, Gouadeloupe and Martinique, and Puerto Rico, at least.

[@exploringwithdave5926]

You are a good pianist!!! Someday I hope I can play like you. :)

[@Kindandcultivated]

I have been watching a lot of your videos as I share them with my students! THANK YOU for sharing your knowledge and expertise! I can't help but feel an affinity to you as well because you remind me so much of my college piano teacher who passed away in 2010. I miss him so much and learned many of these same techniques and phrasing that you share in your videos!

[@Mukundanghri]

Just listen and learn. Thank you again. I have a deep appreciation to you for sharing your knowledge.

[@steinway1414]

I’m impressed. With your playing . U can play, !!!!u have gone up in my esteem . Not like some pianist on u tube who demonstrates pianos but doesn’t a thing substantial . Great listening to you

[@francobonanni3499]

Love both forms waltz and Mazurka. There is however so much more to learn on this topic . Music is immense.

[@zoe.h.nelson04]

Your playing gorgeous! Respect!

[@eventsrusinc]

Beautiful explanation and piano talent! Thank you for sharing this.

[@bamaslamma1003]

I learned something new today! By the way, that Mason & Hamlin has an incredibly beautiful sound.

[@shentonpeters1191]

lovely lesson and wonderful Performance. Thank You so much

[@seelenlerche]

Geht es hier nur um Musik von Chopin? Damit kenne ich mich nicht aus, aber die beiden Tänze kenne ich. Beim Walzer bleiben die Füße am Boden, und das Hauptelement ist die Drehung. Bei der Mazurka kann man auch geradeaus vorwärts tanzen, und die Füße werden angehoben und wieder aufgesetzt, was man als Hüpfen bezeichnen könnte. Eine starke Betonung liegt auf der ersten Taktzeit! Hören Sie doch mal die Mazurka aus dem Ballett "Coppelia" von Leo Delibes an.

[@ΠολυτροποςΟδυσσέυς]

the waltz is unbelievably beautiful

[@cielounarastrologia5778]

And its among the easiest Chopin Waltzes to play 😉

[@vmdp8790]

@@cielounarastrologia5778 it's hard to get used to the rhythm. very weird for me because the note starts before the bar and I have to get it with a different chord

[@mausib]

Great. I'm on my first Maruzka. Wonderful teaching here.

[@BrassicaRappa]

Thanks for the video! I'm surprised you didn't play the 33/4 Mazurka! I think half the time I go to play that waltz, I end up playing the mazurka instead, and vice versa. It's like there's a coin that flips somewhere in the back action every time I hit that first F#. lol

[@jiriwiesner]

I was wondering about that. I play the accordion and the particular song book I use does not even have the left hand - it has just harmony. I play a mazurka today and played it mostly like a waltz. But I did get the sense that there is something different about mazurka - phrases ended on the second beat. :-) I'll make sure to emphasize the second beat tomorrow and see how that'll go.

[@mdenizot2]

Thank you, awesome video. I usually recognize waltz and mazurka thanks to classical ballet, but I never actually knew the music difference. Merci bien!... and excellent pronounciation of Chopin, a little bit nasal but not too much as often Americans do 😃

[@ellielane8173]

Thank you so much!! After two months trying to figure this out, I finally understand!!!!!

[@okjhum]

I love all your piano lessons! Thank you!

[@memeguaia]

Great as always, thank you so much!

[@exploringwithdave5926]

I tore open my grand piano and am rebuilding it. I hope it sounds as nice as yours when I finish!

[@davmar9923]

What about timing differences between a waltz and mazurka, if any? The three beats of a waltz are not played equally spaced in time, there is a slight hesitation following the downbeat before the second and third beats are played. Is there any similar difference between beats in a mazurka?

[@noriskky]

good point

[@themancable]

Outstanding demonstration, thanks!

[@garyschneider5781]

Brilliant explanation!

[@johndoe6050]

Chopin brings tears to my eyes

[@Felven]

great video. is there a type of piece that emphasizes the 3rd beat? also amazing performances.

[@GoCoyote]

Thank you. I have been trying to get this answered for awhile. I am used to dancing to traditional music, not Chopin. While his music is incomparable, it has a rather different character from the traditional styles. I am familiar with french Bourrées that use the same accent on the 2 as mazurkas.

[@gaames]

"Second OR third beat accent" would be more accurate for the mazurka. Also, it seems strange to pick a waltz where the first beat is often tied over from the previous measure. Your point is still correct, but it's harder to hear. Greg Niemczuk has a good video on KZbin about the difference between waltz rhythm and mazurka rhythm.

[@noelantezana7328]

Thank you!! I was looking for this a long time ago..

[@sunii9929]

Thank you so much for the video. very instructive and fun. Peace & Blessings.

[@MickBrownFolksinger]

Brilliant thanks for this, couldn;t find this anywhere, thanks for sharing

[@Freeman2023]

Good explaination. Thanks Robert!

[@el0774]

if i want to know more about different dances rithm wise, are there any good books/resources that i might want to checkout/read. like bourree, scottish the traditional dances. merci in advance

[@TheWFamilyMusic]

very good explanation and quite some nice Music :-) thank you!

[@WarrenPostma]

That b Minor Waltz is so enchantingly lovely. And you played it so well. The Mazurka had a strange brooding feeling to it, I really liked it.

[@neapolitan6th]

You play the b minor waltz beautifully

[@moyrawoodward2291]

Superb listening. Many thanks.

[@NidusFormicarum]

So, what's the difference between a vienna walz and the rest then? (In a Mazurka there are often some rythms going on that are not typical for a waltz.) They say that the second beat is stressed, but of course, there must be much more to it than that. Wha t about the tempos? They say that the vienna walz is fast, but there is probably a dirrerence between walzes that are meant to be danced to and those that are not. In the french, emotional style Chopin wrote in the tempo can sometimes be really fast and in general there are probably a wide varieties of tempos for both types of waltzes.

[@12thDecember]

I guess I'm not musically inclined when it comes to the piano. I was trying to imagine dancing to these compositions and simply couldn't conjure the imagery, not like for example the KZbin video "Stanford Viennese Ball 2013 - Opening Committee Waltz." That's my dream version of the waltz, elegant and graceful.

[@shylockwesker5530]

If you ask this question to a dancer it's very easy. Two completely different dances.

[@TheModicaLiszt]

I thought the rhythm of the waltz was mainly six quavers and the mazurka has dotted quaver + semiquaver + two chrochets

[@antoinescicluna1535]

Thanks! Very interesting!

[@madraven07]

The dotted rhythm is one of the biggest differentiations. Then emphasis on different beats being second. .

[@ocbgrounds6168]

The real secret is that the middle of the waltz he played has a mazurka figure in it, which can be brought out more.

[@ocbgrounds6168]

And I'd actually say there's an obereck figure combined with it, although that is less compelling.

[@johnzimmerman2379]

Great video, thanks!

[@minaicoz9161]

You are my favorite person now

[@allanapaulino6000]

Thank you very much

[@pranavapragadeesh2393]

Brother please give any example of piano pieces in 7/8 time signature

[@roxiethecockapoo1138]

How do they differ from a polonaise?

[@jameswalker4249]

thank you

[@jassonsw]

Bravo, as always :)

[@leonarundell5267]

It would be useful for the description to clarify that the first six minutes were waltzes rather than mazurkas.

[@Savannahphillipsdj]

How would you conduct the accent on beat 2 for the mazurka if the piece is written in 2/4 time?

[@allanbeckett1809]

Couldn't tell the difference, both very pleasing. Of course I pronounce Chopin as Chop'n.

[@ecureuil10]

Thank you, I didn't know about that.

[@СергейПетров777]

Cool video!

[@tomastelensky-vlog8723]

You have amazing vibe and passion into it! :-) Anyway I find it impossible to dance to your play, seems you play in a very irregular rhythm? :-) Regards!

[@RobertOrgRobert]

Straight to the point & great for newcomers to romantic music

[@helostcontroll]

I had no idea!

[@IslandForestPlains]

So why don't they make the second beat of Mazurka's the first one? It's sort of cyclical ...

[@mdenizot2]

Thank you! This seems like an excellent question 🤔😃

[@kittylam2972]

Which is the easiest Maruzka , I think the one I am doing is too difficult for me .

[@noriskky]

Op 67 n.2

[@IndieTimberStudio]

What about Ländler?

[@travisdt]

Thanks

[@TheCocolocuelo]

Very interesting!! Thanks! =)

[@snafu313]

Actually, my favorite definition of a mazurka comes from Victor Borge. He defined a mazurka as a waltz for people who limp. Sorry. I think I'll leave now...

[@billyrobts]

What is the difference between a waltz and polonaise???

[@dmnemaine]

The strong accent on the second beat gives the music a skipping or hopping sound.

[@cielounarastrologia5778]

So, ive been composing many "waltzes" with one strong beat and two weak. Now i discover that the third beat should be strong too 😆 One strong and two weaks can be considered a Waltz? Is it other things?

[@wobster109]

I think it's not so much that the third beat is strong, or equal to the first. It's more like it's building up anticipation. I think if you're writing a strong down beat, then your third beat will automatically rise to meet it :)

[@kerder8660]

One is before drink.. Hehehe where other after few.. That's Polish for u be joyful

[@viljamtheninja]

Haha, that's fantastic.

[@holachika5071]

Which Chopin waltz is this?

[@LivingPianosVideos]

It is the Chopin Waltz in B minor, op. 69 no. 2

[@Axel-gc8hp]

There’s a lot of details missing, and the point about the accents is wrong, it is usually the first and third beat

[@CptShelby]

dancing traditional dances and playing their tunes, I confirm.

[@ml-ei3nz]

Very important is that mazurka is a polish dance and valse a french. In mazurka you have the figure „podskok“ wich is used in many polish danceforms. This figure is what many great pianists Lack to execute correctly unless they from Poland or heard lot of original polish danceforms.

[@Deniz69567]

so mazurka is polish waltz?

[@scottchui9858]

The accented beats

[@jeffreybrody5666]

Yes, great ice breaker. The women wouldn't and couldn't leave their hands off me. Okay, maybe not. But I like this informative video!

[@ulti1000]

Hello

[@jilliemc]

So the mazurka is the rock music of the waltz world, huh? ;)

[@sylwia1410]

Of course! Have you seen how it's danced? In waltz people rotate, in mazurka they fly.

[@trwhite892]

Why would characters in Russian novels seem to favor the mazurka to the waltz? Esp the youths.

[@gabithemagyar]

The mazurka is more lively and quite energetic so appealed to younger folks :-) kzbin.info/www/bejne/hoPSYauOjNGDptU

[@viljamtheninja]

Probably also because it is closer; the mazurka originates in Poland while the waltz is German.

[@jack47531]

The mazurka is Polish Thus Slavic like the Russians. The waltz is Germanic. So the choice of Russian novelists is obvious.

[@handledav]

1st comment btw I'm working on a mazurka on piano

[@yamahajapan5351]

So, 1+2+3 = 6 and 1+2+3= 6...intriguing....

[@aranos6269]

So.... Move the barline and you have waltz from mazurka and vice versa😊

[@POLMAZURKA]

but dance it...

[@modernmozart813]

In short , dancing style are completely different! I can’t use mazurka music to dance waltz 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@jerlatti]

Did this guy escape from a saloon?

[@martiglesias60]

What you are telling is pure cliche! Listen to the mazurcas from the balletmusic: the beat is on 1 or 3, not 2!! Listen to Delibes, Tsjaikovsky! There is a difference between Chopins style and mazurcas from the peasants! The music of Chopin was not written for dancing.

[@gregniemczuk]

I'm sorry bit it's completely wrong. In Mazurka the strongest beat is 3, that's how we dance it in Poland and that's what Chopin wrote in the score. This video is very confusing and not correct.

[@Shostytea]

Music literature lessons :)

[@tw6539]

Why would a polish dance have anything to do with Western European culture or dances?

[@grantgaidies2960]

Im came here to see how to pronounce mazurka correctly lol

[@noriskky]

😂