39 replies to this topic

[Josh500]

There has to be more, but I can't think of any off the top of my head. Anyone know other JW-waltzes?

[JMan]

Isnt The Days Between sort of waltzish?

[Quint]

The second part of the the Raiders love theme is a waltz.

[Mr. Breathmask]

I think Josh is looking for tracks that have the word "waltz" in the title.

[Marcus]

While I love and cherish the listed options, I have always had a soft spot for "Seven Years in Tibet", which has some of the most deeply tragic waltz music Williams has ever penned.

[Mark Olivarez]

I like Aunt Marge's waltz but I feel it's too light for the film. The sequence felt and looked darker

[KingPin]

The second part of the the Raiders love theme is a waltz.

No, because the beat isn't in three (1-2-3 - 1-2-3).

I think the Theme from Sabrina is pretty waltz-like, especially the middle section when the full orchestra comes in.

[Sylvan]

I've always considered "Fawkes the Phoenix" a waltz. Even though it doesn't have "waltz" in the title, that's my favorite.

[KingPin]

I've always considered "Fawkes the Phoenix" a waltz.  Even though it doesn't have "waltz" in the title, that's my favorite.

I was actually thinking of that too, and it's actually my favorite piece that Williams has ever written.

[RomanticStrings]

"Big Beautiful Ball" is a jazz waltz.

~Conor

[Docteur Qui]

Along with Fawkes, Hedwig's Theme is almost a waltz (though they're both in compund time, at least HT is three beats per bar).

[king mark]

The Ballroom Scene from Witches of Eastwick.I think it's a waltz...

K.M.

[Mr. Breathmask]

I was thinking of that one too.

[king mark]

There's also The Weightless Waltz from The Reluctant Stowaway(Lost in Space).


K.M.

[nicholas]

The Fury, of course.
And "Growing up in Whittier" from Nixon has the feel of a waltz, although technically I don't think it is one.

[Josh500]

I think Josh is looking for tracks that have the word "waltz" in the title.

Not necessarily. It doesn't have to have the word waltz in the title.
Also, there's no such thing as a waltz-like piece. Either it's a waltz or it's not. A piece may sound like a waltz, but if it's not in triple time, it's not a waltz!

[nicholas]

I stand corrected and offer my apologies....

And at the risk of being castigated again - surely the most famous (if not the best) waltz in all film music must be Richard Rodney Bennett's "Murder on the Orient Express"?

[Composer_Fan]

I love Aunt Marge's Waltz. It's so perfect for that scene and has humor in it. Chairman's is good, but I like Aunt Marge's better, for how it relates to that scene.

Question: Is the ending of Aunt Marge's Waltz in 6/8? It sounds like it.

[Bowie]

I think Josh is looking for tracks that have the word "waltz" in the title.

Not necessarily. It doesn't have to have the word waltz in the title.
Also, there's no such thing as a waltz-like piece. Either it's a waltz or it's not. A piece may sound like a waltz, but if it's not in triple time, it's not a waltz!

Can you explain this again? Is "Where Dreams are Born (Monica's Theme)" a waltz or just a piece in 6/8?

[Quint]

I've always considered "Fawkes the Phoenix" a waltz.  Even though it doesn't have "waltz" in the title, that's my favorite.

I was actually thinking of that too, and it's actually my favorite piece that Williams has ever written.

Fawkes The Phoenix sounds quite generic to me, even 'meh'. I guess this somewhat explains my whole meh attitude towards the Williams Potter scores - they're adequate, but certainly no Empire Strikes Back in terms of sheer melody per-moment, apart from Hedwigs theme, perfect as it is.

I never thought I'd say that about Williams, but I did with Harry Potter.

[Romão]

I can't believe the Chairman's Waltz is not winning this poll.

[KingPin]

I love Aunt Marge's Waltz.  It's so perfect for that scene and has humor in it.  Chairman's is good, but I like Aunt Marge's better, for how it relates to that scene.  

Question: Is the ending of Aunt Marge's Waltz in 6/8?  It sounds like it.

The entire piece is in 3/4, but where it gets fast towards the end, it is instructed to be conducted in one.

I think Josh is looking for tracks that have the word "waltz" in the title.

Not necessarily. It doesn't have to have the word waltz in the title.
Also, there's no such thing as a waltz-like piece. Either it's a waltz or it's not. A piece may sound like a waltz, but if it's not in triple time, it's not a waltz!

Can you explain this again? Is "Where Dreams are Born (Monica's Theme)" a waltz or just a piece in 6/8?

Neither - it's in 12/8.

The Ballroom Scene from Witches of Eastwick.I think it's a waltz...

K.M.

I disagree. The middle section has some slight waltz tendencies perhaps, but the primary theme definitely has a 4-beat feel.

[Docteur Qui]

I was going to say the exact same thing. It's a four pulse.

[Mr. Breathmask]

Yeah, I had a feeling it wasn't a waltz. It's still gorgeous, though.

[Josh500]

I think Josh is looking for tracks that have the word "waltz" in the title.

Not necessarily. It doesn't have to have the word waltz in the title.
Also, there's no such thing as a waltz-like piece. Either it's a waltz or it's not. A piece may sound like a waltz, but if it's not in triple time, it's not a waltz!

Can you explain this again? Is "Where Dreams are Born (Monica's Theme)" a waltz or just a piece in 6/8?

I'm not an expert, but I know this: A waltz has a very noticeable 1-2-3 time, with the emphasis on the first beat. Even if a piece is in 3/4 time, it doesn't have to be waltz. If a piece is written in 6/8, it's most definitely NOT a waltz.

If you listen to Aunt Marge's Waltz or The Chairman's Waltz, you notice the very distinct 1-2-3 rhythm . . . you can almost dance to it! LOL

[Bowie]

A Window to the Past has a ONE-two-three feel, so does Harry's Wondrous World (1:59 onwards). I can dance to it. In fact on our Dancing with the Stars dancing reality show, they played Hedwig's Theme and the contestants walted to it in pairs.

[Kramer]

Just because it's in 3/4 times or equivalents doesn't mean it's a waltz: i.e. Call of the Champions, Ride of the Valkyries

[JMan]

I rephrase my question, isnt Days Between a waltzish type song.

[Kendal_Ozzel]

The waltz that keeps popping into my mind is Arnold's wonderful main titles from the wrongfully unreleased The Stepford Wives.

[pixie_twinkle]

The Fury, of course.

That's not a waltz. I can't imagine dancing to it!

[KingPin]

Just because it's in 3/4 times or equivalents doesn't mean it's a waltz: i.e. Call of the Champions, Ride of the Valkyries

For the record, Call of the Champions is in 3/2, and Ride of the Valkyries is in 9/8 (sorry, I'm getting picky again ). But those are great examples of triple time piece that aren't waltzes. And to add to your comment (and maybe to clarify this thread once and for all), most dictionaries define a waltz as having the two following qualities:

a) being in triple time, and
B) being a ballroom dance (either as the dance itself, or music written for the dance).

[JMan]

How about The Days Between?

[boom-tzzzz]

Although I immediately thought of loud and fast tracks - what's about "Remebering Petticoat Lane"??

could be a realy cute love-waltz

[Bowie]

I just think it's silly not to be able to call something Waltz-like. It seems that dictionaries define what a Waltz is, but not what a Waltz is not. I understand that not every piece in triple time is a Waltz, but triple-time cues that are highly danceable that have weak 2-3 beats, and particularly those that are lush with strings, I would call Waltz-like. That is, LIKE A WALTZ (BUT NOT ONE!).

[tpigeon]

The Ballroom Scene from Witches of Eastwick.I think it's a waltz...

K.M.

If it is, then it is the best Williams has written. It is one of his most gorgeously written and performed pieces of music.

Ted

[KingPin]

We already clarified in this thread that the Ballroom Scene in WoE is NOT a waltz. But I do agree that it is a gorgeous piece of music.

[pixie_twinkle]

I just think it's silly not to be able to call something Waltz-like. It seems that dictionaries define what a Waltz is, but not what a Waltz is not. I understand that not every piece in triple time is a Waltz, but triple-time cues that are highly danceable that have weak 2-3 beats, and particularly those that are lush with strings, I would call Waltz-like. That is, LIKE A WALTZ (BUT NOT ONE!).

Quite right! A piece can indeed be waltz-like without actually fitting all the criteria. For sure it SHOULD feel dance-like to even approach being called waltz-like. However the strict 3/4 meter need not always apply. Some 6/8 pieces are waltz-like, as are some more outlandish time signatures also. The second movement of Tchaikovsky's 6th Symphony is in 5/4 and has been described as a "fractured waltz", or a "peg-leg waltz". The waltz feel is certainly present, and the dance-like quality is there too. It's a lovely piece, and I think it may even be the first instance of a complex time signature in western music. If anyone knows of an earlier example please let me know.

[Docteur Qui]

The Fury, of course.

That's not a waltz. I can't imagine dancing to it!

I can. It's a "devil's dance", I always thought. Listening to the Main Titles and the Epilogue I can imagine it underscoring such a scene (horror and beauty combined).

[andrea]

"Aunt Marge's Waltz" no doubt

[Marcus]

"The Days Between" is a siciliana, and is in 6/8 and 3/4.
A waltz is traditionally in 3/4, but sometimes one can "phrase" a waltz in other meters.
"The Ballroom Scene" (which is magnificent!) is in 4/4 initially. The second half (from the B-theme and on) is in 3/8. The return of the A-theme is either duplets over three, or triplets over two, but the overall feel can be said to be that of a waltz (minus the initial thematic statements).