I only have a few weeks left before the end of the year, so I need to finish listening to the non-posthumous mazurkas or else I'll never forgive myself for being a quitter. I have 9 left. This week is Op. 56 and Op. 59. A double dose.

Trois Mazurkas

For à Mlle C. Maberly.

Op. 56, No. 1 in B major

This one starts off in my score with some ambiguous notation. The version I'm listening to is less ambiguous and uses accacciaturas instead of vertical parentheses.

The intro has some very strange modulation from B major to G major, and then eventually transitioning into the classic 7♭5 (one of my favorites from previous articles), which leads to F♯9 and then we're back in B. Nice.

And then an awkward key change from B to E♭. I feel like there's some theory there, but I don't know what it is. Chopin did the same thing in the Finale of his 3rd Sonata, in the middle section I think.

The E♭ section is quite lighty and frivolous, and is later mimicked in the key of G.

Op. 56, No. 2 in C major

The main theme of this one is quite lame. Lots of block chords in the left hand and an incoherent melody. But the B section has a pretty sweet little countermelody to it.

Op. 56, No. 3 in C minor

This main theme sounds very familiar, like it was used in a movie or something.

Eventually we get to something with a lot more accidentals. My score has a D♭7 with a C♭ on top which repeats itself with a B♮ in the next chord. The recording sounds different from what I have written, so that obviously warrants more investigation. But mostly I was reminded of that other mazurka that had almost the same weird spelling and I hunted down the original manuscript to see what was what.

Yes the recording definitely plays D♭maj7 followed by dominant 7th.

Some more fun enharmonic spelling in my score in the leadup back to the main theme, with a G♯ tied to an A♭. That kind of thing always amuses me.

Trois Mazurkas

Op. 59, No. 1 in A minor

More 7♭5 goodness in the A section, although it doesn't lead to anything that makes sense. But it wouldn't be a mazurka if it made sense.

The B section has some rather abrupt chord progressions. Definitely a mazurka.

Some mildly interesting RH-LH call/response things with lots of descending chromatics break up the monotony of confusing chord transitions.

And finally, I would never forgive myself if I didn't mention all the 7♭5 chords in the coda.

Op. 59, No. 2 in A♭ major

Op. 59, No. 3 in F♯ minor