Next to the polonaises and the waltzes, the mazurkas are the third dance form which Chopin cultivated in his music. They constitute the largest of these three groups, boasting nearly 60 pieces. Chopin made use of the mazurka genre from his childhood until the last years of his life. They testify not only to Chopin's love for his native Poland, but also to the depth of the composer's feeling for the mentality of his people. He took inspiration from the various types of mazurka found in different regions of Poland, but sublimated them into absolute music of the greatest elegance, refined harmonies and rhythmic power.