Chopin, the iconic Polish composer and virtuoso pianist of the Romantic era, left an enduring legacy with his deeply expressive and technically refined piano music. Among his most personal and innovative contributions are his mazurkas—stylized dance pieces inspired by Polish folk traditions. Mazurka in B minor, Op. 33, No. 4 is one of the most celebrated examples of this genre, reflecting both Chopin’s emotional depth and his artistic sophistication. Written in 1838, this particular mazurka captures the essence of Chopin’s connection to his homeland while transcending national borders through its universal beauty and poetic nuance.
Historical Context
The year 1838 was a significant one for Chopin. It was during this period that he retreated to Mallorca with his lover, the French writer George Sand. Although he intended the trip as a means to restore his ailing health, it became both a time of personal struggle and immense creativity. Despite harsh conditions and worsening illness—he likely suffered from tuberculosis—Chopin composed some of his most enduring works during this period, including the 24 Preludes, Op. 28, the Ballade No. 2, and the Mazurkas, Op. 33.
Op. 33, No. 4, the final mazurka in this set, is often regarded as one of the most poetic and subtly emotional pieces Chopin ever wrote. Although born and raised in Poland, Chopin lived most of his adult life in Paris, exiled by circumstance and choice. This distance from his homeland only intensified his attachment to Polish culture, and it was through the mazurka that he found a musical language capable of expressing that longing and identity. These were not literal transcriptions of folk tunes, but imaginative recreations that blended folk idioms with refined harmonic language, formal innovation, and lyrical expression.
Mazurka as Genre and Transformation
The mazurka originated as a Polish folk dance, traditionally in triple meter, with strong accents often placed on the second or third beats of the measure. It was lively, rustic, and communal. However, in Chopin’s hands, the mazurka was transformed. He elevated this simple dance form into a highly nuanced art form, suitable for the salon and the concert stage. Chopin’s mazurkas are not meant for dancing—they are meditations, character pieces, and sometimes lamentations. They are imbued with improvisatory charm, rhythmic subtlety, and melodic inventiveness.
Op. 33, No. 4 is one of the best examples of this transformation. It is not a dance in the traditional sense, but a dream-like reflection, full of intimate gestures and emotional ambiguity. It speaks more of memory than movement, more of reflection than rhythm, and yet it remains unmistakably Polish in spirit.
Formal Structure and Thematic Development
The piece is written in B minor and follows a rounded ternary form (A–B–A’) with a brief coda, which lends it a balanced and cohesive structure:
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Section A introduces the main theme in B minor. The melody is plaintive and singing, characterized by lyrical phrasing and subtle ornamentation. The rhythm emphasizes the second beat, typical of the mazurka, but Chopin’s use of rubato and phrasing blurs the dance rhythm into something more introspective. Harmonically, the section is full of gentle chromatic shifts and modal colorations, lending the music a sense of nostalgia and melancholy.
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Section B shifts to D major, the relative major of B minor. This section provides contrast through a brighter tonality and more defined rhythmic motion. It introduces a second theme that is more animated and grounded, though it still retains the softness and lyrical quality of the A section. Even in this lighter moment, the music never loses its introspective character.
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Return of Section A (A’) brings back the main theme with slight variations, now imbued with a greater sense of emotional depth. It is as if the journey through the contrasting section has changed the theme’s meaning—what once seemed wistful now feels quietly resigned.
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The coda is one of the most magical parts of the piece. It recalls fragments of the main theme, but gradually fades into silence, like a memory slipping away. It ends not with finality, but with suggestion—a hallmark of Chopin’s late style.
Rhythmic Nuance and Rubato
Rhythm in Chopin’s mazurkas is never rigid. While the pieces are in triple meter, the placement of accents, the use of rubato, and the phrasing all work together to create an elastic sense of time. In Op. 33, No. 4, this is particularly pronounced. The second beat is subtly emphasized in many measures, yet Chopin often displaces accents and uses syncopation to create a shifting rhythmic landscape.
Rubato—an expressive timing flexibility where the tempo is stretched or compressed for musical effect—is essential in performing this mazurka. The melody floats freely over the accompaniment, often with minute delays or accelerations that bring the music to life. Chopin famously encouraged his students to use rubato liberally, advising that “the left hand should be the conductor,” keeping time while the right hand plays with it.
This rhythmic freedom is not arbitrary; it is carefully crafted to mirror the natural ebb and flow of human emotion. In performance, it allows the pianist to breathe with the music, to shape phrases as one might shape sentences in speech or lines in poetry.
Melodic Expression and Ornamentation
Melody in this mazurka is at the heart of its expressive power. The main theme is simple yet deeply evocative, shaped by sighing appoggiaturas, ornamental turns, and flowing legato lines. Chopin’s melodies often resemble vocal lines, and this mazurka is no exception—it sings, but with a quiet, internal voice.
Ornamentation in this piece is not merely decorative. It serves to enhance the emotional nuance of the melody. Grace notes, trills, and turns are woven into the musical fabric with such subtlety that they become part of the expressive gesture. They hint at the improvisational nature of folk music, while also elevating the melodic line into the realm of classical refinement.
Harmonic Color and Modal Shading
The harmonic language of Mazurka Op. 33, No. 4 is rich and often understated. Chopin uses a blend of traditional tonality and modal inflections to create a sense of nostalgia and emotional complexity. In the main theme, shifts between B minor and its parallel modes (such as Dorian or Phrygian) give the music a veiled, almost ancient sound.
Chopin often avoids traditional cadences or delays them, allowing tension and release to ebb and flow unpredictably. Chromaticism is used delicately, creating moments of harmonic ambiguity that heighten the expressiveness of the melodic line.
Cultural and National Identity
Although Chopin lived in France for much of his adult life, his Polish identity remained central to his musical expression. He once said, “I am a Pole, and a Polish heart beats in me.” Through his mazurkas, he maintained a spiritual connection to his homeland, which at the time was under partition by foreign powers. The mazurka became for Chopin a symbol of Polish culture and resilience.
However, these pieces also transcended nationalism. Chopin’s stylized mazurkas were not folk music in the ethnographic sense; they were deeply personal reinterpretations of national forms. They spoke not only to Polish identity but to universal themes of longing, memory, and emotional complexity.
Interpretation and Performance
Performing Mazurka Op. 33, No. 4 requires more than technical accuracy. It demands sensitivity to nuance, tone color, and phrasing. The pianist must shape the melodic lines with care, allowing them to unfold naturally, with just the right touch of rubato and dynamic shading.
Voicing is critical—the melody must sing clearly above the accompaniment, but without harshness. The left hand provides a rhythmic and harmonic foundation, but it must never overpower the delicate right-hand line. The pedaling should be light and subtle, enhancing resonance without blurring harmonic clarity.
This mazurka, while modest in technical demands compared to some of Chopin’s more virtuosic works, is a test of musical maturity. It rewards a performer who listens deeply and plays from the heart.
Legacy and Lasting Appeal
Chopin’s Mazurka in B minor, Op. 33, No. 4 has remained one of the most beloved pieces in the solo piano repertoire. It is often included in recital programs for its introspective charm and expressive subtlety. Pianists ranging from Vladimir Horowitz to Arthur Rubinstein have brought it to life with their own interpretive insights, each finding new shades of meaning in its poetic lines.
For listeners, the piece offers a window into Chopin’s soul—a glimpse of beauty touched by melancholy, of longing shaped into sound. It is a work that resonates across cultures and generations, proving that even a short, quiet piece can carry immense emotional weight.
Conclusion
Frédéric Chopin’s Mazurka in B minor, Op. 33, No. 4 is a masterpiece of intimate expression. In just a few pages of music, it captures a world of feeling—nostalgia, sorrow, hope, and love. Rooted in Polish tradition yet transformed by Chopin’s genius, it is both a tribute to a nation and a personal reflection. Through its graceful melodies, subtle rhythms, and harmonic poetry, it stands as a shining example of classical piano music at its most profound and personal. In the hands of a sensitive pianist, it becomes