The Minute Waltz is a short, fast piano piece by Frédéric Chopin. It spins like a top, and it is over in under two minutes. Chopin wrote it in Paris in 1847. The “minute” in the name does not mean sixty seconds.
Quick facts
- Composer: Frédéric Chopin, who lived from 1810 to 1849
- Real title: Waltz in D flat major, Op. 64, No. 1
- Written: 1847
- For: piano alone
- Length: a little under 2 minutes
- Beat: three beats in a bar
Why it is called the Minute Waltz
“Minute” has two meanings in English. One is sixty seconds. The other, said “my-NOOT,” means tiny. A publisher gave the waltz its nickname because it is a small piece.
Most pianists take a little under two minutes to play it. A few have raced through it in close to one.
The little dog
In French, the piece has another nickname: the Little Dog Waltz. The story is that Chopin watched a small dog chase its own tail, and he wrote a waltz that goes around and around. The dog is said to have belonged to his friend, the writer George Sand.
Nobody can prove the story. The opening does sound like something spinning in a circle.
What to listen for
| Part | What happens |
|---|---|
| The spin | The right hand circles around a few notes, alone, and picks up speed |
| The waltz | The left hand joins with a low note and two chords in each bar: “oom-pah-pah” |
| The song | A slower, smoother tune in the middle |
| The spin again | The first part returns, and one long run down the keys ends the piece |
This plan, with the first part coming back at the end, is called ABA form. Read musical form for kids.
How a waltz works
A waltz has three beats in a bar, and the first beat is the strongest. In this waltz, the left hand keeps the three beats. The right hand runs so fast above it that the beats are hard to hear. Listen to the left hand alone, and the waltz appears.
Read dances in classical music.
For piano families
The Minute Waltz sounds easy when a fine pianist plays it. It is not a beginner’s piece. It asks for fast, even fingers in the right hand. On the Royal Conservatory lists, an easier Chopin waltz appears at Level 6. Ask a teacher when this one makes sense.
Things to do together
Time the waltz. Start a timer when the music starts. See how long the pianist takes.
Spin. Turn in a slow circle during the fast parts. Sway on the spot during the middle part.
Find the three. Count “1, 2, 3” along with the left hand.
Draw the dog. Draw what the dog does in the fast part and in the slow part.
Questions to ask
- Does the music sound like a dog chasing its tail? What else could it be?
- Where does the music slow down?
- How do you know when the first part has come back?
Words to know
- Waltz: a dance with three beats in a bar
- Nickname: a name that someone other than the composer gave to a piece
- Opus: a number that publishers give to a composer’s works. “Op.” is the short form
Print and play
Print a listening journal page. Read Chopin for kids and Chopin facts for kids, and print the Chopin fact sheet. For a slow piece by Chopin, read the Raindrop Prelude for kids. For what opus numbers mean, read what opus, K, and BWV numbers mean.
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This article is part of Classical music listening guides for kids: famous pieces, one at a time.
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Use it with your kids
Print a listening page, a practice chart, or a composer fact sheet. Or try a tool, such as the composer timeline or the piece picker.