Chopin’s Minute Waltz
Listen While You Read
You’ve probably heard Chopin’s piece above called the “Minute Waltz”. The official title of the composition is the Waltz in D Flat, Op. 64, No. 1.
Origin of The Name Minute Waltz
Many of us have always thought that it was called the “minute” waltz because it had such a rapid tempo, and most likely was written to be played in a minute. That is incorrect. The term “minute” here was used to denote “small”, as in the sense of a "miniature" waltz.
The True Story Behind This Composition
But there’s yet another name for this piece which is accompanied by a very amusing story.
One of Chopin’s most talented pupils, Camille O'Meara, referred to the waltz in a letter as “la valse au petit chien” or “the waltz of the little dog”. Why?
It All Started With A Dare
According to stories told by those who were in Chopin’s circle of friends, the waltz was created as a result of a dare. Apparently George Sand, Chopin’s mistress, challenged him to set the movement of her dog chasing his tail to music.
While some have questioned the validity of the story, we have found several documents which show how much Chopin loved her dog, whose name was “Marquis”, and how he enjoyed creating musical sketches for both of her dogs at her country home in Nohant.
We know from George Sand’s letters that around 1840 she acquired two dogs, named Marquis and Dib.
Chopin’s Fondness For The Dog Marquis
In October 1846, during the last of Chopin's annual visits to Nohant, he wrote sent the note below to his family in Warsaw.
“ The little dog Marquis (you remember) is staying with me and is lying on my sofa. He is an extraordinary creature: he has a soft fluffy white coat which Mme. Sand herself brushes every day, and he is as intelligent as can be. I can’t begin to tell you all his original tricks. For example, he will neither eat nor drink from a gilt vessel: he pushes it away with his nose and upsets it if he can.”
Marquis
Here is a painting of a Bichon Frise by the young painter Louis-Eugene Lambert, who was a friend of George Sand’s son, Maurice. He visited the family often in Nohant and it is widely thought that this is a picture of the famous Marquis.
Marquis Taking Part in Staged Events At Nohant
Further support for this legendary tale is drawn from Sand’s letters in 1846 in which she describes putting on plays at Nohant with her children, having built a small stage with various pieces of painted scenery.
Apparently George Sand's dogs enjoyed getting involved in Nohant's amateur theatrical productions. She writes: "Marquis is acting too. The costumes get him tremendously excited. He takes part in the action, jumps to the arms of people being murdered, weeps at the feet of those singing romances and at the end dances a 'pas de deux' with Lambert. He takes the play seriously and feels all the emotions of the audience."
Chopin’s Other Musical Sketches For Marquis
She also wrote that Chopin helped out by providing music for these plays, including a musical sketch which was entitled “Gallop Marquis”, a light-hearted sketch which also demonstrates the fun antics of the dog.
Below we see an actual musical score in Chopin’s own handwriting, which demonstrates his enjoyment in entertaining people with this type of improvisation, and should satisfy even the greatest skeptic regarding the story of “la valse au petit chien”.
We know that the Waltz in D Flat was first written during the autumn of 1846 at Nohant, and was first performed publicly by Chopin at his very last Paris concert, in February 1848. So it all fits together as a wonderfully believable story.
Now Watch and Laugh As You See It Brought To Life
Below is a delightful YouTube video created by Jack Gibbons, a British pianist and composer. We can just imagine the famous couple at Nohant laughing at it too.
Visit Jack’s website here to find out where he’s playing and listen to his recordings.
