This master’s thesis examines the musical dialogue between folk and art music in Chopin’s mazurkas. While the composer’s oeuvre has been extensively analyzed, the mazurkas remain less studied in terms of their connection to Polish folk music. The aim of the thesis is to explore, based on existing musical and musicological literature, to what extent and in what ways Chopin drew from this tradition and artistically transformed it.
The first part presents Polish folk music through the lens of regional diversity and the characteristics of the dances mazur, kujawiak and oberek. This is followed by a brief overview of Chopin’s life and his relationship to folk music, reflecting on his concept of national art and the possible presence of folk melodies in his mazurkas.
The concluding part of the thesis focuses on the analysis of selected mazurkas, highlighting musical elements such as rhythmic patterns, melodic structures, drone tones, and rubato, which Chopin adopted from the folk mazurka. At the same time, the thesis sheds light on the composer’s artistic departure from and stylization of folk elements. Chopin’s mazurkas are not mere arrangements of folk music, but artistically transformed dances that enabled him to explore new expressive possibilities and transform folk tradition into a universal musical language.
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