The waltz (from German Walzer [ˈvalt͡sɐ̯] ), meaning "to roll or revolve") is a ballroom and folk dance , in triple ( 4 time ), performed primarily in closed position . Along with the ländler and allemande , the waltz was sometimes referred to by the generic term German Dance in publications during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
32-603: Anton (or Antonio ) Diabelli (5 September 1781 – 8 April 1858) was an Austrian music publisher, editor and composer. Best known in his time as a publisher, he is most familiar today as the composer of the waltz on which Ludwig van Beethoven wrote his set of thirty-three Diabelli Variations . Diabelli was born in Mattsee in Austria, then in the Archbishopric of Salzburg . A musical child, he sang in
64-440: A dedication to Antonie Brentano . By the time the second part was published, the two principals, Diabelli and Pietro Cappi had parted company, and Diabelli had joined with Anton Spina and renamed the firm Diabelli & Co. Part II was published in late 1823 or early 1824 by Diabelli & Co., and includes the other 50 variations and Czerny's coda. It is also not known how many composers were approached, but 51 responded to
96-701: A high-minded character complains about the newly introduced waltz among aristocrats thus: "But when he put his arm around her, pressed her to his breast, cavorted with her in the shameless, indecent whirling-dance of the Germans and engaged in a familiarity that broke all the bounds of good breeding—then my silent misery turned into burning rage." Describing life in Vienna (dated at either 1776 or 1786 ), Don Curzio wrote, "The people were dancing mad ... The ladies of Vienna are particularly celebrated for their grace and movements of waltzing of which they never tire." There
128-465: A new publishing house, Diabelli & Co., in 1824. Following Schubert's early death in 1828 Diabelli purchased a large portion of the composer's massive musical estate from Schubert's brother Ferdinand . As Schubert had hundreds of unpublished works, Diabelli's firm was able to publish "new" Schubert works for more than 30 years after the composer's death. Diabelli's publishing house expanded throughout his life, before he retired in 1851, leaving it under
160-432: A number of well-known Classical works, including an operetta called Adam in der Klemme , several masses , songs and numerous piano and classical guitar pieces. Numerically his guitar pieces form the largest part of his works. His pieces for piano four hands are popular. Diabelli's composition Pleasures of Youth: Six Sonatinas is a collection of six sonatinas depicting a struggle between unknown opposing forces. This
192-646: A proofreader for a music publisher. During this period he learned the music publishing business while continuing to compose. In 1809 he composed his comic opera, Adam in der Klemme. In 1817 he started a music publishing business and in 1818 he formed a partnership with Pietro Cappi to create the music publishing firm of Cappi & Diabelli. Cappi & Diabelli became well known by arranging popular pieces so they could be played by amateurs at home. A master of promotion, Diabelli selected widely-accessible music such as famous opera tune arrangements, dance music and popular new comic theatre songs. The firm soon established
224-413: A reputation in more serious music circles by championing the works of Franz Schubert . Diabelli recognized the composer's potential and became the first to publish Schubert's work with " Erlkönig " in 1821. Diabelli's firm continued to publish Schubert's work until 1823 when an argument between Cappi and Schubert terminated their business. The following year Diabelli and Cappi parted ways, Diabelli launching
256-550: A sequence of steps. "Valse a Trois Temps" was the "earliest" waltz step, and the Rye Waltz was preferred as a couple dance. Vaterl%C3%A4ndischer K%C3%BCnstlerverein Vaterländischer Künstlerverein was a collaborative musical publication or anthology , incorporating 83 variations for piano on a theme by Anton Diabelli , written by 51 composers living in or associated with Austria. It
288-480: A sliding or gliding dance, including volte , that would evolve into the waltz that date from 16th-century Europe, including the representations of the printmaker Hans Sebald Beham . The French philosopher Michel de Montaigne wrote of a dance he saw in 1580 in Augsburg , where the dancers held each other so closely that their faces touched. Kunz Haas (of approximately the same period) wrote, "Now they are dancing
320-647: A volume of variations on a "patriotic" waltz he had penned expressly for this purpose, with one variation by every important Austrian composer living at the time, as well as several significant non-Austrians. The combined contributions would be published in an anthology called Vaterländischer Künstlerverein . Fifty-one composers responded with pieces, including Beethoven, Schubert, Archduke Rudolph of Austria , Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart (jun.), Moritz, Prince of Dietrichstein , Heinrich Eduard Josef Baron von Lannoy , Ignaz Franz Baron von Mosel , Carl Czerny , Johann Nepomuk Hummel , Ignaz Moscheles , Simon Sechter , and
352-541: A waltz is called for, declaring "No, no, I don't allow that! Come, it's time to be going home." The waltz, especially its closed position, became the example for the creation of many other ballroom dances. Subsequently, new types of waltz have developed, including many folk and several ballroom dances. In the 19th and early 20th century, numerous different waltz forms existed, including versions performed in 4 , 8 or 8 (sauteuse), and 4 time ( 4 waltz, half and half). In
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#1732794415714384-675: Is a waltz in the second act finale of the 1786 opera Una Cosa Rara by Martin y Soler . Soler's waltz was marked andante con moto , or "at a walking pace with motion", but the flow of the dance was sped-up in Vienna leading to the Geschwindwalzer , and the Galloppwalzer . In the 19th century, the word primarily indicated that the dance was a turning one; one would "waltz" in the polka to indicate rotating rather than going straight forward without turning. Shocking many when it
416-538: Is mostly progressive, moving counter clock wise around the dance floor. Both the posture and frame are relaxed, with posture bordering on a slouch. The exaggerated hand and arm gestures of some ballroom styles are not part of this style. Couples may frequently dance in the promenade position , depending on local preferences. Within Country Western waltz, there is the Spanish Waltz and the more modern (for
448-525: Is not known exactly what lay behind this project, other than perhaps a simple act of self-promotion, either for the firm or for Diabelli himself. The combined contributions were published as Vaterländischer Künstlerverein , in two parts. Part I was published by Cappi & Diabelli in June 1823, and consisted of Beethoven's 33 variations (now known as the Diabelli Variations , Op. 120), with
480-429: Is suggested by the sharp and frequent change in dynamics from forte to piano . When forte is indicated the pianist is meant to evoke a sense of wickedness, thus depicting the antagonist. In contrast the markings of piano represent the protagonist. The composition for which Diabelli is now best known was actually written as part of an adventuring story. In 1819, as a promotional idea, he decided to try to publish
512-666: The Regency period , having been made respectable by the endorsement of Dorothea Lieven , wife of the Russian ambassador. Diarist Thomas Raikes later recounted that "No event ever produced so great a sensation in English society as the introduction of the waltz in 1813." In the same year, a sardonic tribute to the dance by Lord Byron was anonymously published (written the previous autumn). Influential dance master and author of instruction manuals, Thomas Wilson published A Description of
544-557: The Schleifer , a country dance in 4 time, was popular in Bohemia , Austria , and Bavaria, and spread from the countryside to the suburbs of the city. While the eighteenth-century upper classes continued to dance the minuets (such as those by Mozart , Haydn and Handel ), bored noblemen slipped away to the balls of their servants. In the 1771 German novel Geschichte des Fräuleins von Sternheim by Sophie von La Roche ,
576-485: The boys' choir at Salzburg Cathedral where he is believed to have taken music lessons with Michael Haydn . By the age of 19 Diabelli had already composed several important compositions including six masses. Diabelli was trained to enter the priesthood and in 1800 joined the monastery at Raitenhaslach, Bavaria . He remained there until 1803, when Bavaria closed all its monasteries. In 1803 Diabelli moved to Vienna and began teaching piano and guitar and found work as
608-628: The 1910s, a form called the Hesitation Waltz was introduced by Vernon and Irene Castle . It incorporated "hesitations" and was danced to fast music. A hesitation is basically a halt on the standing foot during the full waltz bar, with the moving foot suspended in the air or slowly dragged. Similar figures ( Hesitation Change , Drag Hesitation , and Cross Hesitation ) are incorporated in the International Standard Waltz Syllabus. The Country Western Waltz
640-608: The Correct Method of Waltzing in 1816. Almack's , the most exclusive club in London, permitted the waltz, though the entry in the Oxford English Dictionary shows that it was considered "riotous and indecent" as late as 1825. In The Tenant of Wildfell Hall , by Anne Brontë , in a scene set in 1827, the local vicar Reverend Milward tolerates quadrilles and country dances but intervenes decisively when
672-518: The Fatherland", "Patriotic Culture Club", "Fatherland's Society of Artists", "National Artists' Association", "Native Artist's Association" and "Native Society of Artists". In 1819, the Viennese publishing house of Cappi & Diabelli invited a number of Austrian composers to contribute one variation each for the piano, on a theme written by Anton Diabelli himself, one of the principals of
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#1732794415714704-426: The control of Carl Anton Spina . When Diabelli died in 1858 Spina changed the firm's name to “C.A. Spina Vormals Diabelli” and published much music by Johann Strauss II and Josef Strauss . In 1872 the firm was taken over by Friedrich Schreiber and in 1876 it merged with the firm of August Cranz who bought the company in 1879 and ran it under his name. Diabelli died in Vienna at the age of 76. Diabelli composed
736-420: The eight-year-old Franz Liszt (although it seems Liszt was not invited personally, but his teacher Czerny arranged for him to be involved). Czerny was also enlisted to write a coda . Beethoven, however, instead of providing just one variation, provided 33, and his formed Part I of Vaterländischer Künstlerverein . They constitute what is generally regarded as one of the greatest of Beethoven's piano pieces and as
768-458: The firm. Diabelli's theme is usually described as a waltz , but in form it has more of the character of a Ländler . Carl Czerny was asked to also provide a coda as a suitable way of rounding out the collection. Ludwig van Beethoven exceeded his brief by writing no less than 33 variations, and entered into negotiations with Diabelli to have his set published separately from the others. Beethoven's first biographer, Anton Schindler , wrote that
800-423: The godless Weller or Spinner ." "The vigorous peasant dancer, following an instinctive knowledge of the weight of fall, uses his surplus energy to press all his strength into the proper beat of the bar, thus intensifying his personal enjoyment in dancing." Around 1750, the lower classes in the regions of Bavaria , Tyrol , and Styria began dancing a couples dance called Walzer . The Ländler , also known as
832-506: The greatest set of variations of their time, and are generally known simply as the Diabelli Variations , Op. 120. The other 50 variations were published as Part II of Vaterländischer Künstlerverein . A sonatina of Diabelli's, presumably Sonatina in F major, Op. 168, No. 1 (I: Moderato cantabile), provides the title and a motif for the French novella Moderato Cantabile by Marguerite Duras . Waltz There are many references to
864-435: The invitation. Some well-known names such as Ignaz von Seyfried and Joseph Weigl do not appear. Whether they were not interested in participating or whether they were not even approached is not known. Apart from Beethoven's 33 variations, 48 of the other 50 composers wrote only the one variation they were asked for. Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart and Gottfried Rieger wrote two variations each, but only one from each of them
896-454: The late 1930s- early 1950s) Pursuit Waltz. At one time it was considered ill treatment for a man to make the woman walk backwards in some locations. In California, the waltz was banned by Mission priests until 1834 because of the "closed" dance position. Thereafter a Spanish Waltz was danced. This Spanish Waltz was a combination of dancing around the room in closed position, and a "formation" dance of two couples facing each other and performing
928-557: The project was first devised in the winter of 1822–23, but this is an error, as Czerny's manuscript is dated 7 May 1819 and Franz Schubert 's variation is known to have been written in March 1821. Czerny's was the earliest variation to be written and, as he also wrote the coda, it is likely that Diabelli involved him in the project from the very beginning. It is also likely that the invitations were sent not long before Czerny's contributions were written (May 1819), but certainly no later. It
960-573: Was first introduced, the waltz became fashionable in Vienna around the 1780s, spreading to many other countries in the years to follow. According to contemporary singer Michael Kelly, it reached England in 1791. During the Napoleonic Wars , infantry soldiers of the King's German Legion introduced the dance to the people of Bexhill, Sussex, from 1804. It became fashionable in Britain during
992-413: Was originally published. Ludwig van Beethoven 's Diabelli Variations , his last major piano work, is part of the keyboard music canon and is by far the better known volume. It is frequently performed and recorded to this day. The composers of Part II include some names still notable today, but most of them have been forgotten. The variations were numbered in strictly alphabetical order according to
Anton Diabelli - Misplaced Pages Continue
1024-638: Was published in two parts in 1823 and 1824, by firms headed by Diabelli. It includes Ludwig van Beethoven 's Diabelli Variations , Op. 120 (a set of 33 variations), as well as single variations from 50 other composers including Carl Czerny , Franz Schubert , Johann Nepomuk Hummel , Ignaz Moscheles , Friedrich Kalkbrenner , Franz Liszt (aged only 12 at the time of publication), and a host of lesser-known names including Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart and others now largely forgotten. The term Vaterländischer Künstlerverein has various translations, including "Patriotic Artists' Association", "Art Association of
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