Romantic · 1847
Waltz in D♭ 'Minute', Op. 64 No. 1
F. ChopinOp. 64 No. 1
- Key
- Db
- Time
- 3/4
- Tempo
- ♩=144
- AO focus
- AO2
Incipit
Form
Molto vivace — ABA. The 'minute' nickname refers not to time (it takes ~2 minutes) but to the Italian 'minuto' meaning 'small'. Whirling RH figuration over a dancing LH waltz pattern.
Teaching points
- RH perpetual motion — non-stop figuration. Even sixteenth notes
- LH waltz pattern — bass note + chord-chord on every bar. Don't let it stiffen
- Practical: a Grade 7 audition staple
Full score ↓Public domain
Score: IMSLP (Paderewski + Henle urtext, public domain).