Der Flohwalzer

The Flea Waltz is a popular piano piece. There are no clear-cut version of the work in musical notation. The basic version is easy to learn even for non- pianists because of their memorability and manageable even for inexperienced hands fingering. The special popularity of the piece is probably due to the fact that it even with minimal training effort possible to be able to play more consistent and with both hands rhythmically and tonally non-irritating loose piece on the piano.

As with many folk music, the composer is unknown. In a parody of a musicological treatise Eric Baumann claimed jokingly, it came from a Ferdinand Loh (F. Loh → flea).

A version with orchestra has recorded under the title of Lesson One Russ Conway.

Construction

The Flea Waltz is in the key of G flat major and is despite its name is actually not a waltz, but is in a 2/4- or 4/4-time, is so rhythmically a polka or a gallop. The second four bars are a harmonic variation of the first four bars in the dominant. This eight-bar scheme remains in the numerous variations that have evolved largely preserved, being mainly played with reversals. The simple melodic and harmonic structure also makes it possible to add one or more melodic parts in Quodlibet method, by a second player.

The " Chopsticks " world

The Flea Waltz is known in many countries under different names. Here is an overview:

  • Belgium: Valse de Puce ( " Chopsticks " )
  • Bulgaria: Котешки марш, Koteschki march ( "cat walk " )
  • China:小偷 进行曲Xiǎotōu jìnxíngqǔ: ( "March of Thieves" )
  • Denmark: Prinsessegaten romp ( "Princess bipod " )
  • Finland: Kissanpolkka ( "Cat Polka" )
  • France: Côtelettes ( " chops " )
  • UK: Chopsticks ( " Chopsticks" )
  • Japan :猫 踏ん じゃっ たNeko Funjatta ( " I stepped on the cat " )
  • Korea: 고양이 춤 Koyangi Chum ( "cat dance " )
  • Mallorca: Polca de los Tontos ( "Polka of Fools " )
  • Mexico: Los Changuitos ( "little monkey " )
  • Netherlands: Vlooien - Mars ( " flea March" )
  • Norway: Loppevals ( " Chopsticks " )
  • Russia: Собачий вальс, Sobatschi Wals ( "Dog Waltz " )
  • Sweden: Kalle Johansson
  • Switzerland: Chop Waltz
  • Slovakia: Somársky pochod ( " donkey march " )
  • Spain: Chocolatera ( " chocolate pot " )
  • Hungary: Szamár - Induló ( " donkey march " )

Notes and audio samples

  • Notes to the flea waltz ( with spreading ) (PDF file)
  • Preview on these notes ( midi file)
Waltz (music) Galop Dominant (music) Variation (music) Inversion (music)
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