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I've played many Chopin waltzes in my time, and have heard the full collection of 19 (18?) known waltzes many times. As everyone is saying, it sounds very much
by cvoss 2y ago
I've played many Chopin waltzes in my time, and have heard the full collection of 19 (18?) known waltzes many times. As everyone is saying, it sounds very much like Chopin.
However, the article notes that it's unusually short, while still claiming it's complete. But beyond being short, to my ear it is simply thematically incomplete. It ends exactly at the moment that my ear expects the second theme, the B of an ABA form, to be introduced, possibly, though not necessarily in a new key. Here, we just have A twice. Where's the rest of it? Even the famously brief "Minute" waltz has room for an ABA form. It's essential for closure that we at least travel somewhere and probably come back again. This new one doesn't go anywhere, but simply ends. It ends lamely as such, but its ending would be perfectly appropriate as a transitional moment, leading to the next part.
Anyone else disagree with the experts and think this waltz is incomplete?