The mazurka emphasizes which beat?

• A. First beat
• B. Second or third beat
• C. Fourth beat
• D. Fifth beat

Answer: (B)

The Mazurka’s distinctive feel comes from where the emphasis falls within a three-beat bar. In a mazurka, the strong accent is not on the first beat; it’s on the second beat, and sometimes the third beat gets a secondary emphasis as well. This creates a lively, offset groove—the characteristic two-beat feel within the three-beat measure that gives the dance its playful, elastic bounce. This is different from a waltz, which typically stresses the first beat of every measure. Since there are only three beats in the bar in this style, there isn’t a fourth or fifth beat to emphasize, so the second (and sometimes the third) beat is the correct focus.