Waltz in G “Echo et Narcisse”

The waltz as a musical form evolved from various Renaissance and Baroque sliding or gliding dance forms and encompassed peasant country folk dances of Central Europe. The classical waltz in which partners were held closely and whirled around the dance floor was first described in the mid-eighteenth century in Bohemia and Bavaria. Johann Strauss Jr introduced an anticipation type of rhythm in which the second beat of the measure was sounded making the third beat late resulting in more of a two-step waltz. The waltz became popular in Vienna around 1780 where it became widespread throughout Europe due to the influence of the Hapsburg court.

The composer’s waltz style follows that of Chopin 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. Chopin waltzes were more salon pieces rather than considered Viennese in style and use. The symphonic waltz style achieved it pinnacle with the waltzes and ballets of Tschaikowsky.

The waltz in G is subtitled “Echo et Narcisse” and paints a “tone picture” of the myth related by Ovid in his Metamorphoses of Echo (a woodland nymph) who fell in love with a human Narcissus who was more enamored by his reflection in a pond than with Echo. Narcissus eventually drowned in trying to pursue his reflection in the pond. Echo’s motif is one of ascending and descending triplet rhythms over the typical waltz ¾ bass to reflect the curse imposed on her by Juno to repeatedly repeat phrases without completing a sentence or thought.

The Narcissus motif is a lyrical melody in which the quarter note bass of the waltz tempo is doubled by employing eighth notes. The melody echos itself capturing Narcissus’s viewing of his reflection on the surface of the pond. The D Major melody rapidly shifts to D minor with a change of the bass rhythm to triplets as Narcissus falls into the pond in the pursuit of his image. The agitated melody concludes in a triumphant recapitulation in D Major indicating his transformation into daffodils at the pond edge.

The piece concludes with a return of Echo’s motif ascending into the distance ending in a trill while she continues to look for Narcissus who is now a daffodil near the pond’s edge.

The work was composed from 23 October 2016 through 16 March 2017.