The waltz is another type of dance like the Minuet or Gigue, but people danced the waltz during the time of George Washington and they still dance the waltz today. In fact the waltz is the most popular ballroom dance ever. The word waltz comes from the German word walzen, which means to turn about. And indeed the waltz was danced first by German-speaking people and is characterized by turning motions. The waltz originated alongside the Ländler, an older dance used by Germans and Austrians who lived in rural areas. If you would like to see a Ländler being performed, check out the film The Sound of Music. The Ländler is danced at the party about half-way through the film. The Ländler used many leaps and stomps which were fine for rustic peoples, however the polite society in the Imperial City of Vienna demanded a more refined sensibility. The waltz is similar to the Ländler in that it uses a 3/4 time signature and is a partner dance in which the couple embraces. However, it has a faster tempo, includes no stomping or leaping, and was danced by every part of society, not just in rural villages.

Who composed waltzes? Nearly every famous composer from 1800 until now has composed some kind of waltz. Some are danced to and some are meant just to be played. Some aren’t even called waltzes, but have the meter, tempo and character of the waltz. Beethoven, Schubert and Hummel all wrote waltzes that were intended as dance music. Some of these pieces are for piano, but most are for an ensemble of string and wind instruments, or orchestra. Many times, dances were held outdoors, so a louder sound than a piano would be needed for the dancers to hear the music. Schubert, Chopin, Liszt and Brahms wrote many waltzes to be played on the piano as salon or concert music. Dance orchestras or bands in Vienna in the early to middle 1800s were very important to the development of the waltz. The most famous composer of waltzes, Johann Strauss, Jr. was a leader of such an orchestra, as were his father and brother. Because of the by-now widespread popularity of the waltz, Johann Strauss, Jr. was a celebrity: as well-known to people in Abraham Lincoln’s time as Madonna is in our time.

Would you care to dance? The waltz is usually a partner dance, but you can try this variation by yourself. First count out loud 1-2-3 four times- Keep it steady! Now keep counting, but say 1 more loudly than 2-3- like an accent. Keep the count and accent going and step at the same time as you say 1. Once this is comfortable, move forward as you step and count. The final step is to add two very tiny steps- up on tip-toes as you say 2 and 3. Once this is mastered, try turning and going backwards. Stand up straight and be as graceful as possible! You are waltzing!

What is it like to play a waltz? Waltzes are almost always in 3/4 meter, 3 beats in every measure, and a quarter note equals one beat. Usually one hand has the melody and the other supplies the harmony and basic rhythm. Waltzes are usually written in repeated sections, so the main melody is played several times. Where can I hear a waltz being performed? Viennese Waltzes are traditionally programmed by major symphony orchestras on New Years’ Eve concerts and Pops Concerts. If you can’t go to one of these performances, tune in to PBS on New Years’ Eve, there is usually a program broadcast from the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Waltzes are everywhere, used in commercials, TV and movie soundtracks. Classical radio stations program the waltzes of Chopin, Brahms and Johann Strauss Jr. frequently. What is it like to play a waltz? Waltzes are almost always in 3/4 meter, 3 beats in every measure, and a quarter note equals one beat. Usually one hand has the melody and the other supplies the harmony and basic rhythm. Waltzes are usually written in repeated sections, so the main melody is played several times. When playing a waltz, always try to bring out the melody. Supply a strong bass on the first beat of every measure and try to play the harmony on beats 2 and 3 lightly. Always keep the music moving forward- no stopping on at the bar lines!

Can I play a waltz on the piano? Absolutely! Waltzes have been written for every level of piano ability. The following is a list of recommended pieces and their corresponding levels. If you would like to try one, ask your teacher to check these pieces out from the PLIYH library.

♫ Beginning students (corresponds to Piano Adventures Level 1) Carousel Melody by Faber, in Accelerated Piano Adventures Performance Book -Early Elementary (corresponds to Piano Adventures Level 2a)

♫ A Sad and Happy Waltz by David Karp in The Allison Contemporary Piano Collection

♫ On a Merry-Go-Round by Kathleen Massoud in The Allison Contemporary Piano Collection

♫ Sleeping Beauty Waltz by Tchaikovsky, arr. Faber in PlayTime Piano Classics level 1 Elementary (corresponds to Piano Adventures level 2b-3a)

♫ Waltz of the Young by Louis Kohler in Masterwork Classics Level 1-2

♫ Dance by Cornelius Gurlitt in Masterwork Classics Level 1-2

♫ The Merry Widow Waltz by Franz Lehar in ShowTime Piano Classics level 2A -Late Elementary (corresponds to Piano Adventures level 3b)

♫ Jessica’s Waltz by Joyce Schatz Pease in The Allison Contemporary PIano Collection

♫ Thistles in the Wind by Martha Mier in The Best of Martha Mier Book 2

♫ Blue Danube Waltz by Johann Strauss, Jr. in FunTime Piano Classics Level 3A-3B -Early Intermediate (corresponds to Piano Adventures level 4)

♫ Waltz Op. 101 No. 11 by Cornelius Gurlitt

♫ Waltz for a Princess by Dennis Alexander in Especially for Girls

♫ Waltz in G Major, Op. 4 No.2 by Carl Maria von Weber in Celebration Series Piano Repertoire Book 4

♫ Waltz in A-flat Major by Schubert in A Romantic Sketchbook for Piano Book II -Intermediate (corresponds to Piano Adventures level 5).

♫ Waltz Op. 12, No. 2 by Edvard Grieg in Lyric Pieces Book 1

♫ Waltz by Rebikov in Celebration Series Piano Repertoire Book 7

♫ Waltz in B flat, Op. 39, No. 8 by Johannes Brahms in A Romantic Sketchbook for Piano Book III Late Intermediate

♫ Waltz in A Minor, Op. Posth by Chopin

♫ Waltz in B Minor, Op. 69, No. 2 by Chopin- Advanced

♫ An Invitation to the Dance by Carl Maria von Weber

♫ Mephisto Waltz No. 1 by Franz Liszt¯

Dianna Anderson is the Regional Director of Piano Lessons In Your Home in Cincinnati, Ohio. Mrs. Anderson is a doctoral student in Piano at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. In addition to teaching privately, Mrs. Anderson enjoys spending time with her husband Erik (a cellist) and their three children, Erik, Miles, and Curtis.

A Brief History of Austria

Austria is a republic in central Europe, located in the middle of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Italy, Switzerland, and Germany. It is about 360 miles long and has an area of 32,378 square miles – it would only take about six hours to drive from one side of the country to the other. Modern-day Austria was born in 996 when Emperor Otto III signed a deed specifying the borders of a new land – the Österreich (Austria in German). He began the Babenberg Dynasty, which ruled until Frederick II, the twelfth Babenberg ruler, died in 1246, and left no male heir to take control. As a result, King Przemysl Ottokar II of Bohemia assumed power in 1251. On August 26, 1278 King Ottokar died in a battle near Vienna, and his army was defeated. The victor was King Rudolf I, the Holy Roman emperor, and also a Habsburg, one of the oldest and most prominent royal families in Europe. During the next centuries, the Habsburg family continued to rule, fighting numerous wars against Prussia (modern-day Germany), the Ottomans, and Napoleon. The Habsburgs ruled Austria until 1918.

Music in Austria

Imperial music in Austria can be traced back to the twelfth century, during the Babenberg dynasty. The Habsburgs also liked to surround themselves with music and musicians. Rudolf von Habsburg had minstrels in his employ, and then Albrecht I (1237-1309) employed two "hovegumpelman" (court conductors). Albrecht II used the musical services of the Dutchmen Jean Brassart and Johannes de Sarto. His successor, Friedrich III (1415-1493), had a German and a French choir, as well as drummers and pipers. In 1477, his son, Maximilian I (1459-1519), took over as ruler. He also inherited the court chapel, and the 26 musicians who played at his coronation in 1486. During the Habsburgs rule, Baroque and Classical musical flourished in Austria via the genius of many talented musicians. Hence, "The Land of Music" is a name often given to Austria.

Vienna

The capital and largest city of the country, Vienna has long been known for its cultural institutions. During the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, it was the musical capital of the world, the home of many famous composers and musicians, including Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Johannes Brahms, Franz Schubert, Anton Bruckner, Gustav Mahler, and Alban Berg. Vienna is the seat of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, the Vienna State Opera, and a music conservatory. The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, whose first performance was March 28, 1842, is one of the most renowned classical musical ensembles in the world. The Wiener Sängerknaben (Vienna Boys Choir) was formed in 1498, when Maximilian ordered that twelve boys should sing Mass every day. Today the choir performs in the Imperial Chapel every Sunday and also for many international events.

Salzburg

Salzburg is a city in western Austria, capital of the Salzburg Province, located on the Salzach River. Salzburg literally means "salt fortress," named so because Salzburg’s riches were based on money from the nearby salt mines. These riches were the foundation for Salzburg’s glorious architecture, churches, palaces and mansions. Salzburg is renowned for the magnificent music that was (and still is) created and performed within the city. Silent Night, Holy Night, a Christian Christmas carol, was composed by schoolteacher Franz Xaver Gruber about five miles outside of Salzburg, in the small village of Oberndorf, and was first performed on Christmas Eve in 1818. Ever since, this simple song has captured the spirit of Christmas around the world. The Silent Night Memorial Chapel in Oberndorf can be visited all year round.

Based on a true story, the successful movie The Sound of Music was filmed in Salzburg, as well. Born in Vienna, Maria von Kutschera (Julie Andrews’ character) was living as a novice candidate at the Benedictine Convent on Nonnberg in Salzburg when she was sent by her Mother Superior as a governess to the househould of Baron Georg von Trapp. Shortly afterwards, Maria became the Baron’s wife and in the early 30’s she founded a family choir with which she undertook frequent public performances while they remained in Austria. As in the movie, the family fled the country in 1938 to escape Hitler‘s influence. Their musical performances in the USA proved successful enough to enable them to purchase a farm in Stowe, Vermont, which ultimately became the Trapp Family Lodge (www.trappfamily.com).

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Mozart was born on January 27, 1756 in Salzburg, Austria, the son of composer, musical author, and violinist, Leopold Mozart and his wife, Anna Maria Pertl. He displayed musical gifts very early, playing the keyboard confidently at age four, composing his first pieces for it at age five, and quickly mastering the violin. When Mozart was just six years old, Leopold took his gifted pianist-daughter, Maria-Anna, and Wolfgang on a series of tours across Europe. In 1767 the family went for five months to Vienna, where Mozart wrote an opera buffa (comic opera) for the Emperor at age 11. Upon returning to Salzburg, he was appointed honorary Konzertmeister to Archbishop Sigismund von Schrattenbach.

By 1772, Mozart had written about 25 symphonies (some are lost), and his first quartets. Between 1775 and 1776 he composed two operas, five violin concertos, and masses for the Salzburg Court Chapel. Bach, Haydn, Handel, and the Italian composers were all major influences on him at the time. Unhappy working for Archbishop Colloredo of Salzburg, Mozart left his service in 1777 and sought employment elsewhere. In 1778, his father persuaded him to return to Salzburg. Back home, Mozart reluctantly accepted the post of court organist (1779). In 1781 Colloredo summoned Mozart to Vienna for the coronation of Emperor Joseph II. Again, he left the archbishop’s service, and remained in Vienna, which became his home for the rest of his short, full life.

Mozart married Constanze Weber in 1782 and they had six children, only two of whom survived. Mozart continued composing until his death. His last complete works were The Magic Flute (1791); an opera seria, The Mercy of Tito (1791); and a clarinet concerto for Leopold’s coronation. Deeply in debt at the time of his death, Mozart did not live long enough to enjoy the financial rewards from the success of The Magic Flute, and was buried in a pauper’s grave.

Joseph Haydn

A friend of Mozart‘s, Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) was born into an ordinary Austrian family. Haydn was blessed with an unusually long life for someone of his time, as well as the good fortune of being employed for some thirty years by the Esterházy family, some of the richest musical patrons in Europe. Haydn was also blessed with a great musical talent. When he was a boy of five, he was able to play perfectly by ear. At age six, he sang along with the choir during Mass and played some on the violin and piano. Until he reached the age of eighteen he sang both at St. Stephen’s Cathedral and at court. When his voice finally changed he gave music lessons to children for about eight years. Through a recommendation, he eventually received a position as music director to Count Morzin, and following this as Kapellmeister to Prince Esterházy.

During his long tenure with the Esterházys, Haydn was the director of an ensemble of about twenty musicians, with responsibility for the music and the instruments, and he was required to compose as his employer might command. While his music was not as emotionally intense and radical as that of Beethoven (who was his pupil at one point), or as profound and probing as Mozart’s, Haydn’s music shows a very solid structure that was an important part of the Classical Era. History has given him the titles of "father of the symphony," "father of the orchestra," and "father of the string quartet." Franz Joseph Haydn died in 1809. At the time of his death, Haydn was mourned as one of the musical giants of his time. His long career enabled him to produce a vast quantity of works that defined the Viennese Classical style.

At the end of the Renaissance (circa 1600), musicians were becoming more expressive and dramatic in their works. Building upon this development, the Florentine Camerata (see pg. 2) decided that singing music rather than just speaking the words would make these words even more powerful. The Camerata rejected multiple voices singing together (like a choir) and began to experiment with a new solo style, with one singer only. The term associated with one voice became known as monody, or the recitative style.

Jacopo Peri was the first to write dramas set to music: the first operas. Peri worked with another Camerata member, Jacopo Corsi, to create and produce the first opera, Dafne (1597), which is now lost. Euridice (1600), by Peri, Giulio Caccini, and Ottavio Rinuccini, is considered to be the earliest surviving opera. This music was the result of uniting the poetry and music of ancient Greece. Following in this Greek tradition, these first operas were based upon myths, such as Apollo and Daphne (picture at right). According to the story, Daphne was transformed into a laurel to escape the attentions of Apollo.

While the operas mentioned above were the first operas to be written and performed, early opera was given its most artistic expression in the works of Claudio Monteverdi (see pg. 4), a very important figure in the transition from Renaissance to Baroque. Monteverdi’s first opera, L’Orfeo (see pg. 4), was patterned on Peri’s Euridice, but it went must farther to draw from a rich palette of vocal and instrumental styles to create a truly great work.

These first operas were not performed for the masses in opera houses or theatres; they were showcased at private homes. It was not until opera spread to Rome and Venice in the 1620s and 1630s that the public could participate. In 1637, the first public opera house opened in Venice. Consequently, Venice became the center for entertainment and the concentration on Florence’s intellectual approach dwindles.

As opera’s popularity grew with the public, its general characteristics flourished, including:

a “stop-and-go pacing

This developed due to a pronounced difference between the singing (in arias) and the story/plot (recitatives). The recitatives would move things along; the arias would slow them down.

plots

In Venice, plots became very creative and complex, often involving lots of subplots and mistaken identities.

scenes

Very lavish and impressive scenic effects were commonplace.

By the late 17th Century, the above opera traits had become the norm, to an obscene degree. Plots were generally a mess, there was no chorus, the orchestra had little to do, the recitatives and arias were of slight musical value, and popular music was greatly influencing opera. As part of a reform movement to cure these abuses of a once-elegant art form, the center of opera shifted to Naples at the end of the 17th Century. Neapolitan composers developed a more stylized musical language and standardized aria forms, as well as improved the dramatic integrity of the plots. The great composer in Naples during this time was Alessandro Scarlatti.

The myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, which it celebration of the magic power of music, provided material for several of the first operas, from Peri’s Euridice to Monteverdi’s Orfeo.

In the Prologue, Music introduces the story of Orpheus. In Act I, we are introduced to Orpheus and Eurydice on their wedding day, which is celebrated in choral songs and dances. Act II begins with the same atmosphere of rejoicing, but turns to tragedy as the messenger, Sylvia, relates the news of Eurydice’s death, and Orpheus and his comanions lament her loss. Act II, the central act of the drama, is set in Hades and is dominated by the aria ‘Possente spirto,’ in which Orpheus attempts to persuade the boatman Charon to ferry him across the River Styx. Eventually Charon falls asleep, Orpheus steals his boat and crosses to the infernal city. His singing, though it failed to persuade Charon, has profoundly moved Proserpina, the consort of Pluto, and in Act IV she persuades Pluto to release Eurydice. This he does, on condition that Orpheus does not look back as he leads Eurydice from the underworld. Orpheus weakers, looks back, and loses Eurydice again. The act ends as a chorus of infernal spirits point the moral: ‘Orpheus conquered Hades, but was then conquered by his own emotions.’ Act V, set again in Thrace, begins with an extended lament for the loss of Eurydice, sung by Orpheus in recitative. In the end, Orpheus ascends to the heavens in the company of his father, the god Apollo.

"Why?" I asked as I played a piece with octaves and four-note chords.

"Your wrists: they’re tight as a harp string! Relax!" He took my wrist in his hand and bowed it up and down. But in practice, I found that I was missing too many notes, and I did not have the patience to relearn octave playing. Six years later, the necessity of wrist pain has forced me to relearn octaves. I am relearning many piano habits that have made piano playing, an otherwise creative and therapeutic source, painful.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is well-known among those who do repetitive motion with their wrists such as typing, machine work, and piano playing. With the traditional methods of visual learning and repetitive physical practicing, students may find back pain, TMJ, arthritis and other muscular ailments par for the course. This limits creativity and passion for playing the piano. Thus, it is important for us as teachers to recognize physical patterns that are damaging to our students. Even our pliable six-year olds will someday be susceptible to adult maladies.

This article focuses on alternative ways of learning music that avoid tension, as well as opportunities for letting loose the creative soul. Using the ideas of Julie Lyonn Leiberman, I will introduce six-fold memory, and discuss breathing and body awareness. It is important to note that these concepts are new to me, and I have just started to incorporate them into my teaching. So know that I am sharing as I am learning.

ATTITUDE

The concepts and exercises in this article probably are foreign to your student. The bottom line is that your student must be willing to learn new ways to use their body. A new student may be more willing go along with your teaching, but both new and seasoned students bring negative habits from life to the keyboard, and as the cliche goes, old habits- and ways of thinking- die-hard. So emotional intelligence is an important part of the equation- not just in this technique, but in learning piano altogether. Emotional intelligence, as defined by Daniel Goleman, includes being able to motivate oneself (see Goleman’s ground-breaking work for other qualities of emotional intelligence). A person who can motivate him/herself uses optimism and self-control to achieve goals, and is able to overcome barriers with creativity and mastery of skills. (Emotional Intelligence, p. 43). Motivation cannot be taught, but if you have a student who is open-minded, willing, and optimistic, the opportunities to create art in the form of music are endless.

SIX-FOLD MEMORY

Studies in psychology have discovered left and right-brain ways of functioning. While right-brain thinking focuses on creativity, images, and music (audio), the left-brain’s focus is on the verbal, rational, and linear (how to get from here to there). Most of our formal education emphasizes left-brained learning, including music education (an interesting fact, considering that musical understanding comes from the right brain!). Julie Lyonn Leiberman, a musician, composer, and educator has been successful in relieving the tension and ailments of musicians.

She argues that using a left-brain approach to music opens up the potential for injury because, in a nutshell, visual memory (seeing the music) deadens sensory awareness, which alerts us to tension and incorrect use of the body; the body is unable to relax and be sensitive to the music, and breath is shallow, and ultimately, the body is unable to restore itself (You are Your Instrument, p. 20-21). Instead, she encourages a six-fold way of learning music (six-fold memory), which integrates left and right-brain learning. Six-fold memory uses visual, analytical, and auditory skills, as well as visualization, imagery, and muscle memory to learn music.

The most common way of learning music is visual. This skill is necessary, since much of music is learned from a written score. Visual memory is literally seeing the music—the written page—in the mind. It is an important, but overdeveloped skill in many musicians, and, when overused, discourages sensory and auditory awareness. It is a left-brain process. Analytical memory is also a basic part of learning a piece of music. I prepare my students by asking "What is the key signature? time signature? What are the dynamics?" and so on, based on theory concepts they have learned. During some lessons, I alter this thinking by asking them, "what should you look for in this piece of music? What do you see that will help learn this music?"

AUDITORY MEMORY

Let us now concentrate on ways of learning music which use the right brain. Auditory memory is hearing music in your mind: the "inner ear." Auditory skill, while underused, is very important. A student who lacks an "inner ear," is thinking about proper body moves or translating symbols from paper to movement. Hands trained through rigorous repetition to move automatically in a sequential pattern take over. The effect is the same: the musician is hearing the sound after the fact, rather than before (Instrument, p. 28).

EXERCISES

Assign a piece which a student must learn from listening. Have the student tape him/herself slowly playing a piece. Then have them learn from the tape, without the score (when first doing the exercise, have them learn a piece which is a few levels behind their current performance level). Prepare the piece with them, using analyzing skills based on their level. I had one student learn a piece that was a I-IV-V-I Chord Progression by playing by ear and analyzing the chord progression.

During the lesson, have the student begin a piece slowly. Stop them a few measures late, then instruct them to continue playing after a few measures. Continue this pattern (varying the length of measures they play and stop) through the piece. Explain to the student…