Minute Waltz

Waltz in D-flat major "Minute Waltz", Op. 64, No. 1 performed by Muriel Nguyen Xuan

(Left) Chopin in 1849

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The " Minute Waltz " is the nickname for the Waltz in D flat major, Op. 64, No. 1 by Frederic Chopin . It was written in 1847. It is a piece of music for the piano . It is sometimes called "The Waltz of the Little Dog" ( French : Valse du petit chien ). This is because Chopin was watching a little dog chase its tail when he wrote it. ^[1] The little dog was "Marquis". He belonged to Chopin's friend George Sand . Marquis had befriended Chopin. The composer mentioned Marquis in several of his letters. In one letter dated 25 November 1846, Chopin wrote: "Please thank Marquis for missing me and for sniffing at my door." ^[2]

The waltz was published by Breitkopf & Hartel. It was the first of three waltzes in a collection of waltzes called Trois Valses, Op. 64 . The publisher gave the waltz its popular nickname "Minute". The word here means small or little. The tempo marking is Molto vivace (English: Very fast, very lively ), but Chopin did not intend the waltz to be played in one minute as some believe. A typical performance will last between one and a half to two and a half minutes. ^[3]^[4]

The time signature is 3/4. The waltz is 138 measures long with one fifteen-measure repeat. The waltz is written in ternary , or ABA form. The A section is characterized by a whirling line of eighth notes and triplets over the "om-pah-pah" rhythm of the waltz. The whirling line of the A section is abandoned in the B section. This section consists of a consistent half note and quarter note pattern from bar to bar. The B section breaks off and a long trill heralds the return of the A section, which is repeated in full. The waltz ends with a descending scale.

In popular culture, Minute Waltz was used on Pretty Little Liars, The Girlfriend Experience, One Tree Hill, and Sex and the City.

References [ change | change source ]

↑ Frederic Chopin; John W. Schaum (2001). Chopin-Schaum, Bk 1: Based on Events and Episodes of Chopin's Life . Alfred Music Publishing. p. 8. ISBN 9780757905117 . Retrieved 2 October 2010 .
↑ 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.
↑ Maurice Hinson (June 2004). The pianist's dictionary . Indiana University Press. p. 114. ISBN 9780253216823 . Retrieved 2 October 2010 .
↑ Frederic Chopin; Joseph Banowetz (1 October 2000). Piano works . Alfred Music Publishing. p. 6. ISBN 9780769298542 . Retrieved 2 October 2010 .

Other websites [ change | change source ]

Minute Waltz sheet music available at Musopen.com
Quatre Mains version for Piano Duet.
Free recording of Minute Waltz

[1] Frederic Chopin; John W. Schaum (2001). Chopin-Schaum, Bk 1: Based on Events and Episodes of Chopin's Life . Alfred Music Publishing. p. 8. ISBN 9780757905117 . Retrieved 2 October 2010 .

[2] 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.

[3] Maurice Hinson (June 2004). The pianist's dictionary . Indiana University Press. p. 114. ISBN 9780253216823 . Retrieved 2 October 2010 .

[4] Frederic Chopin; Joseph Banowetz (1 October 2000). Piano works . Alfred Music Publishing. p. 6. ISBN 9780769298542 . Retrieved 2 October 2010 .

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