VERY IMPORTANT. What's the musical structure of a waltz?

Question

righht,, i know its ABACA. and theres some kinda modulation. and theres an intro and a coda as well. but other than that im lost. ive done an intro and A section but i dont know whether to modulate to the dominant or relative minor for the B section. or is it up to me? :/

help please

composition due in tomorrow!

cheers felllaas x

Answer 1

It depands on the model on which you are required to write the Waltz. I would suggest taking a Chopin waltz for piano, and check how he creates the form and modulates each of them. You can also take Strauss as a model. Of course if you didn't get any directions, you can always write in ABA form with a simple modulation on B. Does that help?

Answer 2

A beauty of composing is that you can break any rule you want to as long as you like the way it sounds.  Theory professors sometimes get annoyed if you do though.

There are several forms that are called 'waltz' - probably the most famous is the Viennese Waltz but there are others.

Most people hear formal music in three and immediately think 'waltz' - to have what is a stereotypical waltz feel, you'll want to be in 3/4.  You can, however, do whatever you'd like.

The Viennese Waltz is in ternary form - ABA, and has a "boom - tap - tap" (I - V - V) rhythm and bass line.  The chord structure is simplistic with the same chord is often multi-measure.  Tempo would be quarter=120+  Many slow waltzes drop to as low as mm=60 and are done in 6.

As waltzes are relatively short and intended as a dance, there's no need to modulate at all unless you want to.  If you do, it would be more expected to go to the V than the vi.  Don't forget to get back to I at the end of the B section since you're doing ABA.

Remember that a waltz is intended as a dance accompaniment and not a virtuoso performance.  Some of the greatest waltzes of all time are very simple in composition and serve mostly to hold the beat steady for the dancers.

ABACA is a rondo.

Add, for Jay:  3/4 time means that the quarter note (1/4) is the unit of measure (the "beat") and that there are 3 of them in each measure (bar).  That's all.  Similarly, in 4/4 - the quarter note is the unit of measure and there are 4 of them in each bar.  Guess how many quarter notes are in a measure of 12/4 - yep, 12.  That's all the time signature does.  ÃƒÂ¢Ã‚˜Âº  easy enough.  Wanna have fun with a waltz - write it in 9/4.  More fun, one of the minor modes like Dorian.  ÃƒÂ¢Ã‚˜Âº

Answer 3

I think it's

A, BB

A, BB

...

and so on.

Answer 4

A waltz is written in three-four time which means that the first note is twice as long as the second two in each bar.