Minute Waltz

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Opening of the "Minute Waltz"

The Waltz in D-flat major, Op. 64, No. 1, sometimes known as "Valse du petit chien" (French for "Waltz of the puppy"), and popularly known in English as the Minute Waltz, is a piano waltz by Polish composer and virtuoso Frédéric Chopin. It is dedicated to the Countess Delfina Potocka.

History

Chopin composed the waltz in 1847 and had it published by

enharmonic parallel minor key of C-sharp minor
.

A fast version of the waltz, played by Arthur Rubinstein, has served as the theme music for the BBC Radio 4 show Just a Minute since the programme’s inception.[2]

Structure

"Minute Waltz"
Performed by Muriel Nguyen Xuan
Problems playing this file? See media help.

The waltz is in the key of

triplet motive. The B section is somewhat calmer, using alternating half and quarter notes over waltz accompaniment. Following a lengthy trill
, the A section is repeated, modified only in the ending, which features a three-octave descent instead of a two-octave one.

Tempo

The piece is given the tempo marking Molto vivace. Although it has long been known as the "Minute" Waltz, its nickname was intended to mean "small" in the sense of a "miniature" waltz, given by its publisher.[3] Chopin did not intend for this waltz to be played in one minute. A typical performance of the work will last between 1+1⁄2 and 2+1⁄2 minutes.[4] The waltz is 140 measures long with one fifteen-measure repeat included, and thus it would have to be played at almost 420 quarter notes per minute in order to play it completely within a single minute. Playing the piece as fast as possible is still a feat some pianists attempt.[5] Camille Bourniquel, one of Chopin's biographers, reminds the reader that Chopin got the inspiration for this waltz as he was watching a small dog chase its tail, which prompted the composer to name the piece Valse du petit chien, meaning "The Little Dog Waltz".[6][7]

Derivative works

A vocal version of the piece, with lyrics by screenwriter

Muppet on the 1969–70 premiere season of Sesame Street. That same version was also used for a skit on Captain Kangaroo
in the 1970s.

New Orleans rhythm and blues pianist James Booker included an instrumental version on his album Junco Partner (1976).[9]

The composers Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji,[10] Rafael Joseffy, Max Reger, Leopold Godowsky, Jeannot Heinen [lb], Moriz Rosenthal, Giuseppe Ferrata,[11] Sam Raphling, Marc-André Hamelin,[12] and Bertold Hummel[13] created paraphrases of the "Minute Waltz".

References

  1. ^ Letter of Frédéric Chopin to Breitkopf & Härtel (Paris, 30 June 1847), in Selected Correspondence of Fryderyk Chopin, translated and edited by Arthur Hedley, McGraw-Hill, New York, Toronto, London, 1963, Library of Congress Catalog Card Number:62-17703 27815.
  2. BBC.com
    . Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  3. ISBN 978-0-253-21682-3
    . This piece bears an erroneous nickname since the story long associated with this nickname presumes the pianist is supposed to play the piece in one minute. The word 'minute' means small or little waltz.
  4. ISBN 978-0-7692-9854-2
    .
  5. ^ Setting the metronome at 200 bpm, for a total of nearly 420 quarter notes, gives a few seconds over two minutes playing time.
  6. ISBN 978-0-7579-0511-7
    . Sometimes called Minute Waltz Chopin's puppy cuddled quietly at ... This was the happy memory that helped Chopin write the waltz 'Little Dog Chasing His Tail'.
  7. ^ George Sand's little dog, "Marquis", was the dog of the "Valse du petit chien". It had befriended Chopin who mentions it in several of his letters, one from Nohant, dated 11 October 1846, another from Paris, dated 25 November 1846, in which he writes to George Sand: "Please thank Marquis for missing me and for sniffing at my door." in Selected Correspondence of Fryderyk Chopin, collected and annotated by Bronislaw Edward Sydow, translated and edited by Arthur Hedley, McGraw-Hill, New York, Toronto, London, 1963, pp. 267 & 272.
  8. ISSN 0006-2510
    .
  9. AllMusic
  10. ^ Roberge, Marc-André (26 November 2020). "Titles of Works Grouped by Categories". Sorabji Resource Site. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  11. ^ 2 Studies on Chopin's 'Minute Waltz' (Ferrata, Giuseppe): Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
  12. YouTube, January 2013 at the 92nd Street Y
  13. ^ Bertold Hummel: "Tarantella on a Tone Sequence from Chopin's Minute Waltz for Piano, op. 77c

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Minute Waltz.
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