Twenty Mazurkas, Op.50

The twenty Mazurkas op. 50 mark the beginning of Szymanowski's final stylistic period, his fascination with Polish native music. In these works, the composer eschews the supercharged virtuosity and the florid impressionism of his earlier works in favour of a more gritty and dissonant style. Szymanowski was a lifelong admirer of his compatriot Chopin, and the influence of Chopin's mazurkas can be heard in many places. But there is little of the salon here. The dance rhythms of his beloved southern Tatra region are used in a very personal manner, not unlike the way Bartók and Kodály treated their Hungarian source material, to produce music of striking vitality and originality.
1 | Sostenuto molto rubato | 2:05 | Breemer, C. |
3 | Moderato | 2:21 | Hanysz, A. |
10 | Allegramente, vivace, con brio | 2:36 | Hanysz, A. |
13 | Moderato | 2:37 | Hanysz, A. |
15 | Allegretto dolce | 2:16 | Hanysz, A. |