Valse Diabolique

Description

Violin 1, Violin 2, Violin 3, Viola, Cello, Contrabass, Piano — Valse Diabolique is an easy concert piece for a moderately advanced string ensemble. The mood of this piece takes its point of departure from Danse Macabre by Camille Saint-Saëns. The imagery is that of a corps de ballet of fantastically grotesque creatures dancing in an awkward, heavy-footed manner. To that end, a successful performance will rely on the proper balance of a graceful lilt in the upper strings with the awkwardness presented in the forceful lines given to the lower strings. Given the non-traditional harmonies in this music, young students will benefit from a prior introduction to chords with which they may not be familiar, such as tritones, minor ninth chords and chords built on fourths instead of thirds. Thank you for choosing this composition. I hope you and your students find it enjoyable, challenging and instructive.–Joseph CompelloGlen Arm, Maryland, 2014 Dark, rich and mysterious best describes this wonderful new piece from Joseph Compello. It would fit perfectly on a Halloween concert or for any contests and festivals. This is the type of music students love to play.

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