Described in an early evaluation as “evocative of a fleeting dream-vision,” Jean Sibelius’ Valse triste (“Unhappy Waltz”), Op. 44 was initially conceived as incidental music. It accompanied a haunting scene from the 1903 Symbolist play, Kuolema (“Dying”), by the composer’s brother-in-law, Arvid Järnefelt. A program be aware from the unique manufacturing provides the next description:
It’s night time. The son, who has been watching beside the bedside of his sick mom, has fallen asleep from sheer weariness. Steadily, a ruddy mild is subtle by way of the room: there’s a sound of distant music: the glow and the music steal nearer till the strains of a valse melody float distantly to our ears. The sleeping mom awakens, rises from her mattress and, in her lengthy white garment, which takes the illusion of a ball costume, begins to maneuver silently and slowly back and forth. She waves her palms and beckons in time to the music, as if she have been summoning a crowd of invisible friends. And now they seem, these unusual visionary {couples}, turning and gliding to an unearthly valse rhythm. The dying lady mingles with the dancers; she strives to make them look into her eyes, however the shadowy friends every body keep away from her look. Then she appears to sink exhausted on her mattress and the music breaks off. Presently she gathers all her power and invokes the dance as soon as extra, with extra energetic gestures than earlier than. Again come the shadowy dancers, gyrating in a wild, mad rhythm. The bizarre gaiety reaches a climax; there’s a knock on the door, which flies huge open; the mom utters a despairing cry; the spectral friends vanish; the music dies away. Dying stands on the edge.
Because the temporary waltz unfolds, the strings hardly ever rise above an eerie whisper. Phrases evade decision and ship harmonic surprises akin to a shapeshifting ghost. The ultimate bars fade into the intimate voices of a string quartet.
Sibelius thought of the piece to be trivial, and relinquished the rights for a small price. Valse triste captivated audiences as a live performance piece, to the monetary advantage of the writer.
Recordings
- Sibelius: Valse triste, Op. 44, Paavo Berglund, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Amazon
