Waltz is a wonderful dance that inspired many poets to penetrate lines.
Dance was constantly present in people's lives. From the most ancient times to the present day, it has been one of the ways of self-expression. Before, dances could be seen in rural squares or in lush palace halls. Some of them are forever preserved in their era. Others have successfully reached our time. A waltz is one of the dances that has not lost its popularity so far.
The Waltz Origin
This extremely fascinating and always young dance has been living for two centuries and is very popular. In Austria, Germany and the Czech Republic at various holidays peasants merrily circled in pairs. Walzen in German means "roll." Hence the name of the dance. Gradually, the "trampling" and "bouncing", characteristic of the folk dance, left.
Waltz is one of the dances, which at the turn of the 18-19th centuries was rapidly spreading to different countries.
Which composer wrote the waltzes?
The waltz genre was addressed by many composers. Initially, this dance conquered Vienna. One of the famous composers Johann Strauss wrote about 447 plays of this kind. Thanks to Slavic composers, the waltz acquired a special softness of outlines. The music of Frederic Chopin is filled with a wide melodic chant. His dances, written in this genre, are distinguished by tenderness and deep penetration. F. Chopin can rightfully be considered the creator of poetic, lyrical and brilliant concert waltzes.
Waltz Characteristics
- three-part waltz size;
- lyricism;
- plastic;
- grace;
- typical rhythmic formula;
- pretty fast movement;
- textured accompaniment formula: bass and two chords;
- a simple melody that often comes from the sounds of a triad;
- flight;
- "soaring" melodic line.
Waltz predecessors
First of all, this is a landler. It is a three-part Austrian and German dance of leisurely movement.
Landlers are found in the works of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert. The melody in these dances is mostly simple. It moves in eighth notes by the sounds of a triad.
Walzer later appeared as a variety of landler. Translated from German, it means "spinning."
And actually the waltz appeared in the eighteenth century as a ballroom version of the waltzer.
Classic. Music. Waltz
Many waltzes were written by Franz Schubert. They remind him of landlers and waltzers. However, the composer has elegant and light dances in the waltz genre. Franz Schubert also has a kind of "chain", which can include up to twenty small different waltzes.
In the 20s of the 19th century, a Viennese waltz appears. It has an already more ordered form. The number of "links" ranges from five. They all sound in a single key. Music begins with an introduction and ends with a code. This form was invented by Joseph Lanner and Johann Strauss. The son of I. Strauss uses the five-part form favorite by his father, but his waltzes turn into detailed musical poems.
Frederic Chopin's piano waltzes are lyrical miniatures that tell about the experiences of the human soul. In total, the composer has eighteen of them. Waltzes of Frederic Chopin are different in character. There are quiet and melodic, and there are brilliant and masterly. They are written in the form of a rondo.
Types of Waltz
- Viennese Waltz. To dance it correctly, you need to follow a strict and taut body. The beauty of this dance is in a changing pace and in alternating right and left turns. Despite the speed of whirling, movements are performed smoothly.
- Waltz Boston. This is a slow waltz that was finally formed in England. At the moment, he is considered an independent dance. In the music of the English waltz, the rhythm of the melody changes. Along with this, the movement of partners, the position in the pair, the technique of execution are changing. The movements in this dance are wave-like, soft and gliding.
- Tango Waltz. It is also called Argentinean. It combines elements of tango and waltz. He dances for three quarters.
Thus, a waltz is a pair dance of rather fast movement. Its size is three quarters. Its characteristic features include: smoothness, "flight", grace, plasticity and lyricism. It has a typical rhythmic and textured formula. The melodic line is simple. The waltz genre was addressed by many composers. These are Schubert, Strauss, Chopin, Glinka, Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich and many others.