Grieg - Waltz Op 38 No 7
Background
Edvard Grieg (1843 – 1907) studied music as a young man at the Leipzig conservatoire, so his music was originally grounded in the German Romantic tradition. However, his later studies with Scandinavian composers, including the Danish, Niels Gade and the fellow Norwegian, Ludvig Mathias Lindeman, encouraged Grieg to express his Norwegian nationality more and more in the use of folk idiom within his music.
This Waltz is the seventh of the eight Lyric Pieces of Opus 38, written in 1883 and the haunting key of E minor along with the lilting melody is indeed suggestive of the earlier, traditional folk dances of Norway.
Pupil Match & Suitability
The piece requires nimble fingers, particularly for the quick middle section, along with confident agility in the LH, which features leaps of over an octave. Large hands are not necessary however, as no wide stretches are required.
The character of the music will probably appeal particularly to older students, rather than the very young.
Style & Tempo
The piece is essentially a dance, so there must be a sense of movement in the pace.
The outer sections are certainly suggestive of a waltz in terms of metre and character, although it is clear that the music needs a rubato style that suggests a concert waltz to be listened to, rather than music that might actually accompany dancing.
The middle section is much quicker and the sense of energy here surprisingly conjures up a fleet-footed, whirling, folk dance rather than a waltz.
Phrasing & Articulation
A feel for the lyrical music will best be expressed in sensitive use of rubato, which may be used quite liberally, as well as in musically graded dynamics.
Listening to the piece played stylishly, either by the teacher or on a recording, will guide the student in developing tasteful and appropriate rubato.
Tone & Texture
The style, in common with many Romantic pieces, is one of melody and accompaniment so the RH needs a singing tone accompanied by a quieter LH.
Technique
The main technical challenge of this piece is the fast playing in the middle section.
It will only be possible to play the RH fast with hands together if the LH is well known too.
Fingering
The fingering suggested in the Peters’ edition of 1884 has much to recommend it.
Grieg Valse Presto section B17-21.pdf
Ornamentation
The grace note, G in the penultimate bar sounds better if it coincides with the rest of the chord, with the F sharp played afterwards, rather than taking time from the previous bar.
Pedalling
Pedalling is needed in order to both enhance the tone and to sustain the LH bass notes.
The pedal should be applied just after the first LH note of each bar in outer sections of the piece. Although the Peters edition shows no pedal in Bars 2 and 4, there is no reason why these bars should not be pedalled too.
Teaching Strategies
A good way of beginning this piece is by listening to different types of waltz in order to understand the particular style of this one.
The Royal Ballet demonstrates dancing to Tchaikovsky’s Waltz of the Flowers from the Nutcracker Suite. Notice that the tempo remains constant to enable the dancers to perform well:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIDV-zvcV0U
A concert waltz by Chopin, played by Rachmaninoff can easily show that tempo changes and rubato make this type of waltz less appropriate for dancing, but very moving to listen to. This music is much more in the style of Grieg’s Waltz:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDP5rOTpZBg&feature=fvw
Practice Tips
It is recommended that the student should replicate the steps taken during the lesson, separating out the RH textures and also practising the LH separately.
It is recommended that the student should replicate the steps taken during the lesson, separating out the RH textures and also practising the LH separately.
If the student incorporates the ritardandi from the very start of learning the piece, this important aspect of interpretation will not be forgotten in subsequent performances.
The fast section should be accurate at a slow pace before a quick tempo is attempted.
If the student incorporates the ritardandi from the very start of learning the piece, this important aspect of interpretation will not be forgotten in subsequent performances.
The fast section should be accurate at a slow pace before a quick tempo is attempted.
Troubleshooting
Fluency:
Sometimes when a student is failing to play a fast passage fluently, they believe that the problem lies in the technique of fast playing, whereas it is often the case that the notes are simply not known securely. Memorisation needs to be completely reliable for fast, fluent playing.
The student may then believe that the memorisation problem lies in remembering the fast moving notes themselves – in this piece, the RH of the middle section. Often this is not the case and the problem is rooted in not knowing the other hand – in this case the LH - sufficiently well to be able to concentrate fully on the perceived technical challenge.
Another reason for disappointing fluency is not always using the same, correct fingering.
Always insist on the chosen fingering from the very first attempt, as we tend to remember every different way in which we have fingered a particular section, even the wrong ways. Under the challenge of the performance situation, the wrong fingering sometimes emerges and mistakes ensue.
Final Performance
An excellent performance will characterise the style of this miniature concert waltz in convincing use of musical detail and rubato. The sections will contrast in mood and in pace, with a light, breezy Presto section that is exciting without sacrificing poised control of tone and timing. Fluency and accuracy will be assured throughout, with the melody lines singing clearly.
A good performance will show an affinity with the dance character. Much of the detail will be in place and fluency will be maintained despite the occasional smudge in accuracy. The tempo changes will be made although the pace may be less adventurous than that achieved in an excellent performance.
A sound performance will have reliable continuity overall, although a few slips may be made. There will be a secure sense of the three-time waltz and the dynamic level will be suitable, if not yet showing much contrast. There will be a developing sense of phrase but, as yet, little feel for the rubato style and the tempo may be on the cautious side, with little contrast between sections.