Valse Slav

The composer’s waltz style follows that of Chopin piano waltzes in general format with the main theme based in the tonic key, modulating to a secondary theme in the dominant key followed by one or more transitional passages in a related minor key before returning to the main and secondary themes, ending on the tonic.

There is a predominant dense ¾ Slavic beat in the lower bass throughout the piece akin to the waltzes of Prokofiev, Khachaturian, and Kabalevsky. The primary melody is a descending tonic note progression of half notes employing first and second inversion chords.

A recapitulation of the melody is then accompanied by an ascending arpeggiated series of chords that modulate to a second theme in A Major with a calliope beat employing descending scales over the “Slavic beat” in the bass.

The secondary melody modulates from A Major through the relative key of F# minor returning through A Major before abruptly modulating in a Schubertian fashion directly to the primary A minor melody accompanied by the arpeggiated ascending base which spins under the melody to the end.

The waltz was composed over the period 31 March 2010 to 29 April 2010.

This piece is dedicated to Aileen James Traeger, DMAPP the composer’s piano coach from 2009.