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

The polonaise is a dance of Polish origin, in 3/4 time.

The mazurka is a Polish folk dance in triple meter, usually at a lively tempo, and with accent on the second or third beat

The waltz is a smooth, progressive ballroom and [dance] dance, normally in triple (help. info) time, performed primarily in closed position

amazing what Wikipedia can explain

Headphone Hermit said:

The polonaise is a dance of Polish origin, in 3/4 time.

The mazurka is a Polish folk dance in triple meter, usually at a lively tempo, and with accent on the second or third beat

The waltz is a smooth, progressive ballroom and [dance] dance, normally in triple (help. info) time, performed primarily in closed position

amazing what Wikipedia can explain

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Thanks for the response. I have already looked at the wikipedia pages. There's a reason I asked on here instead.

^^^ OK, so what do you actually want to know?

I'm sure that someone will be able to help if you explain what it is that you want to know :tiphat:

How does one distinguish musical form of "waltz" differ from "polonaise"? Mazurka distinguishes itself by accenting on beat 2 or 3 instead of 1.

Thanks for the replies. I should have looked at wiki more carefully. Sorry about that.

No problem. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Btw, Chopin mastered all three forms and they are all great to listen to!

All I know is I can't dance any of them.

A polonaise has a distinctive syncopated rhythmic figuration at the beginning of first phrase -- strongly accented staccato first note followed by an evenly accented pair, etc.

GGluek said:

A polonaise has a distinctive syncopated rhythmic figuration at the beginning of first phrase -- strongly accented staccato first note followed by an evenly accented pair, etc.

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Yup. I hear it now listening to chopin's polonaises.

I'm learning to play my first mazurka. The second beat is heavily accented. In a waltz it's always the first beat. Mazurkas are usually livelier too.

The mazurka puts you in the hospital a lot sooner.

In addition to all of the above, the average polonaise is much slower than the average waltz. It has more or less the character of a march in 3/4 time, perfectly exemplified by Chopin's "Military" Polonaise in A. Polonaises have a dignified, emphatic, strutting feeling. Waltzes glides and whirl. The Viennese waltz has an additional rhythmic quirk, unwritten and fairly subtle, of a slight anticipation of the second beat; this is different from the second-beat accent of a mazurka and gives the rhythm an exhilarating lift. Viennese musicians know how and when to use this; non-natives either do it rigidly or, more often, not at all - like jazz musicians who don't know how to swing.

hpowders said:

All I know is I can't dance any of them.

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Neither can I ... But I know that it is key that rhythm and tempo plays for each form in question.

Waltzes have a strong "down" on the first beat that mirrors the swooping downward step on the first beat in the dance.
Mazurkas have a hop just before the second beat, both in the music and the dance.
I don't know how to dance a polonaise, but the music is generally slower than waltz or mazurka. The three beats are subdivided as shown in previous posts, and due to the subdivisions there ends up being a strong accent on all three beats.

This version of a polonaise is from a dance school:


looks more like some sort of quadrille, although danced in a ring, with clearly identifiable figures.

Here are the same mob doing a mazurka quadrille:


and the inevitable waltz