how fast is tempo di valse?

[pianohenry]

I have a piece by Kohler called Valse Des Fleurs,

At the top, the instruction says "tempo di valse" but there is no tempo marking that says how fast that is.

how fast should this be played? (does anyone know the actual b.p.m. of this tempo.)

[pianowelsh]

Well..I think its a bit open to interpretation really. Its more of a character indication than a tempo marking really. You have to ask yourself what kind of waltz does he mean too - ie vienese waltz, parisienne waltz, hungarian etc - I would guess with Kohler it would most likely be Vienese...so would be perhaps quite lively.  To get a better feel for what the characteristics of this kind of waltz are you should listen to orchestral versions of Pieces by composers such as Strauss...Brahms etc etc This will colour your interpretation. There is some variation even by the most respected conductors in the genre but that just serves to illustrate that it is actually a very imprecise term.  Go for a lilting one in the bar feel and you shouldnt go far wrong at any speed.

[pianowelsh]

This one kinda died the death too didnt it! SAD SAD SAD that any remotely musical issues are dismissed so quickly on this forum. If its not about how fast or loud you can play ofr how difficult a piece is noone wants to know .... boo!

[maxy]

depends if it's a "vienese" or "slow" waltz.  Vienese = 180 steps a minute    "slow" = half that.

[counterpoint]

depends if it's a "vienese" or "slow" waltz.  Vienese = 180 steps a minute    "slow" = half that.

Really - all Viennese Waltzes are played quarter 180 

I think, there is no general Waltz tempo in terms of metronome, but the feeling of waltzing. Tempo di Valse means "In Waltz feeling"

Same would be "tempo di Blues" 

[cygnusdei]

Sorry if slightly off topic - but is there a musical term for the deliberate rhythmic distortion in the execution of waltzes, particularly orchestral ones? I find this highly disturbing. The distortion is something like this:

[counterpoint]

I would not play the second quarter this soon, but the third quarter can be played very late (the bar gets an additional pause between the second and third quarter)