Op. 64 No 2, Waltz in C♯ minor

 b. 33

The relation between the tempos of particular fragments and phrases of the Waltz is not entirely clear, particularly the relation between the opening section (bars 1-32 and analog.) and the following it repeating figurative section (bars 33-64 and analog.). In the course of the Waltz, the sections appear consecutively three times:

• for the first time (bars 32-33), Chopin did not mark the change of tempo, hence we should assume that, despite a clear difference in the rhythmic structure of the melodic line, and consequently in the music's character, they are to be performed in the same tempo;
• for the second time, in bar 129, the return of the initial section is marked with tempo primo, which undoubtedly suggests a noticeable change of tempo;
• a tempo difference between these sections is confirmed then by più mosso in bar 161.

A logical consequence of the above interpretation is to assume that the figurative section is to be played slower for the first time than for the second and third. However, it contradicts the intuitive feel of the form of the Waltz, based on juxtaposing calmer cantilena sections and a repeated, as a chorus, slightly faster figurative section, which naturally implies performing the latter every time in the same tempo. There is particularly no reason to perform bars 33-64 slower than bars 97-128. Therefore, Chopin may have overlooked a respective indication (più mosso) in bar 33 – we suggest a text including this possibility as an additional variant. However, a more detailed analysis of particular agogic indications, taking into account the flexibility in shaping the tempos, characteristic of the Romantic music, leads to different conclusions.

Tempo giusto at the beginning of the piece does not indicate the tempo in itself; it rather refers to the – generally known – tempo and character of the waltz. Since waltzes are danced in different tempos, Chopin seems to expect from the performer to both know the range of possible tempos and feel which type of waltz corresponds best to the written here music. The following observations arise:

• feeling the right character concerns the entire section embraced with the tempo giusto indication, which at the same time may indicate a certain tempo sphere, including both a moderate tempo of cantilena bars 1-32 and a slightly faster tempo of figurative bars 33-64;
• in bars 49-64 and analog. the  indication, no repeating  signs and long slurs suggest a light dance performance, very regular and – perhaps – still slightly faster than in bars 33-48;
• in the other published Waltzes Chopin indicates the tempo-character in a more precise manner (Op. 18 Vivo, Op. 34 Nos. 1-3 Vivace, Lento, Vivace, Op. 42 Vivace, Op. 64 Nos. 1 and 3 Molto vivace and Moderato). Moreover, it is the only Waltz in which there are written changes of tempo, although the sostenuto indication appears a few times, indicating a change of character, which may be related to a calmer tempo. It can be considered to be a confirmation of an assumption that the Chopin avoidance of indicating the tempo of the Waltz in C minor means quite a clear differentiation between the tempos of particular sections within the changeability proper to typical waltzes.

The two further changes of tempo in the Waltz in C minor – più lento in bar 65 and più mosso in bar 97 – do not raise doubts, although theoretically più mosso could indicate an arbitrary tempo faster than the tempo of the D major section. However, in practice, only exceptionally speculative pianists would consider the indication to be an excuse to look for a different tempo than in bars 33-64.

After what has been written above on the meaning of the initial tempo giusto, the presence of the next indication, tempo primo in bar 129, can be explained in a simple way if preserving the same tempo of both figurative sections, compatible with intuition – the slightly faster tempo in bars 33-64 stays within the range of the initial tempo giusto, but the return in bar 129 of the calmer tempo of the cantilena section would be irreconcilable with più mosso from bar 97.

Now we have to discuss the last più mosso in bar 161. The indication also can be compatible with the concept of the generally same tempo of all appearances of the figurative section – tempo primo in bar 129 may be considered to be referring only to the tempo of the cantilena section, after which it is necessary to indicate a faster tempo of the figurative section. In other words, it is to be understood as "tempo of the beginning" and not "tempo indicated at the beginning." According to us, it is highly unlikely that this reasoning, although logical, would explain the genesis and sense of the agogic indications of the Waltz correctly. It is hard to assume that Chopin would have offered to pianists a sui generis logical puzzle combined with an analysis of possible hidden semantic nuances of the used indications.

It is another explanation that seems to be more likely – Chopin could have written più mosso in bar 161 without being conscious of the introduced inconsistency, by mistake. Distraction could be a result of the combination of two factors:

• agogic indications in A were most probably added at the time of reviewing an almost already finished manuscript, which is proved by the way of writing the initial tempo giusto – it can be seen that Chopin tried to fit it between the slur and the letter 'A';
• in A the second half of the Waltz (already from bar 88) it is written on one page of the manuscript, generally with the use of empty, numerated bars, corresponding to the respectively marked bars written earlier.

In this case, one can imagine that after having written più mosso in bar 97 Chopin, seeing a similarly looking bar 161, mechanically repeated the same indication in it. The absence of the indication in GE could have been then a result of Chopin's proofreading. Therefore, in bar 161 we give più mosso in brackets.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Editorial revisions

issues: Inaccuracies in A

notation: Verbal indications