The Three Mazurkas, Op. 59, were begun in 1844 and completed in 1845. This work is the only set of mazurkas published during Chopin's lifetime that is not dedicated to anyone.

In 1844, Chopin's health remained poor. Furthermore, the definitive estrangement with George Sand's son, Maurice, is said to have contributed to the delay in his creative output. Maurice was consistently hostile towards Chopin, and George, caught in the middle, found her affection for Chopin becoming limited. Nohant, once a comfortable place for Chopin, was reportedly enveloped in an unbearable atmosphere. Even Jan, a servant who was also a Polish-speaking companion, was dismissed due to harassment from Maurice and others.

Amidst such difficulties, these Mazurkas, Op. 59, were composed with a deep sense of homeland. In a letter to his family in Warsaw in July 1845, Chopin stated, “I am a Mazovian (a region in Poland said to be the birthplace of the mazurka) through and through, so I was able to write new mazurkas without any particular effort,” clearly asserting that the mazurka was music connected to his national heritage.

After negotiations, the score was published around November 1845 by Stern & Co. in Germany. Previously, most of Chopin's works had been published by Breitkopf & Härtel. However, having been introduced to Stern & Co., which had newly entered the publishing business through Auguste Léo, Chopin decided to publish these mazurkas with Stern. This did not indicate a deterioration of his relationship with Breitkopf, as subsequent works were again published by Breitkopf. The French first edition was also published by a new publisher, Brandus & Co., which was due to the acquisition of Schlesinger & Co., which had published the majority of Chopin's scores in France, by Brandus & Co. Chopin maintained a continuous relationship with Brandus & Co. thereafter.

Mazurka in A minor, Op. 59, No. 1 — Moderato

It begins with a lamenting monophonic melody and has a compound ternary form: A: || BCA || DDEE?A' || B'CAcoda. The recapitulation sections, A'–B', are transposed a semitone lower from the beginning, so the impression of the theme's return is only felt just before the coda, indicating an intentional ambiguity of form.

Each motivic theme clearly exhibits typical mazurka rhythms, but the transitions between sections are written to flow very naturally. The way new dance steps emerge seemingly from nowhere clearly demonstrates Chopin's mature compositional technique.

Among the sets of three mazurkas published during his lifetime, this is the only one where the first piece is in a minor key. Perhaps for this reason, after the resignation is reiterated in the coda, the final large ascending leap suggests an anticipation for the vibrant second piece that follows.

Mazurka in A-flat major, Op. 59, No. 2 — Allegretto

1844年、Mendelssohn sent a letter to Chopin (dated November 3rd), requesting, “As an old friend's wish, would you be so kind as to write a few simple measures for my wife?” In response to this letter, Chopin sent the score of this mazurka on October 8, 1845.

As if in response to the request for “a few measures of music,” the core of this work is a short, lively four-measure motif. The entire piece repeats this brief motif, forming a very simple ternary form. However, in the initial repetition, a counter-melody is added, making it polyphonic, and after the middle section, it is varied by being played in the bass by the left hand, thus masterfully expressing a rich sense of color despite its simple melodic idea.

Chopin's mature compositional technique is also concentrated in the coda, which accounts for approximately a quarter of the work, in addition to these thematic variations. From measure 85, a four-voice polyphonic sequence, including a soprano playing a complete descending chromatic scale and a tenor playing a descending whole-tone scale, creates an exquisite beauty of modulation.

Mazurka in F-sharp minor, Op. 59, No. 3 — Vivace

Chopin frequently used “Vivace” for his mazurkas, and it stands alongside “Allegretto” as a representative tempo marking for the genre. However, while “Allegretto” is used for both minor and major key mazurkas, “Vivace” is predominantly used for mazurkas in major keys. This Mazurka, Op. 59, No. 3, is the only one in a minor key to be marked “Vivace.”

The opening theme, marked “Vivace” and f, unlike the first mazurka of Op. 59, expresses intense, almost furious emotion. In contrast, the middle section, played in a major key, features a calm, sweet melody, as if recalling peaceful times spent with family in his homeland. This seems to reflect Chopin's state amidst the Sand family conflicts, experiencing intense emotions due to unexpected hardship while reminiscing about his reunion with his family the previous year.

The form of the piece is highly complex: AABB AA' || CDEDE A'' || AAF || Ecoda. The development from the beginning is similar to the compound ternary form often used in other mazurkas, but theme B does not recur after the middle section. It is also incomplete as a rondo-like cyclical form, suggesting it was conceived with great freedom based on forms used in previous mazurkas.

Polyphonic variation techniques are also employed in this work. In the first recapitulation of the opening theme, a descending chromatic figure is added to the inner voice, and in the second recapitulation, it is played by the left hand as a canon delayed by two measures. The coda modulates to F-sharp major, concluding with a positive sound that suppresses intense emotions and seeks to find hope.