Composition - - American Recorder Society
Waltz in Five
By Michel Marinier June 2020
 
S A T B
 
 
Waltz in Five is a short, moderately easy piece for recorder ensemble. The title refers both to the 5/4 meter and the fact that the predominantly 3-beat + 2-beat structure in the 5 beats per bar feels similar to the 1-2-3 of a waltz if one views the first three beats as one long first beat: (one-two-three) four five.

This piece was written with the desire to show that a melody in 5/4 could sound "normal" to a casual listener who might not even realize that an "unusual" meter is used.
-- Michel Marinier
 
 
Described as a waltz with a long first beat, this easy quartet would be a great way to start any playing session. It has some fun elements like the 5/4 meter, which the composer suggests is almost “normal”, though counting to 5 and resisting the urge to turn it into 4 or 6 will be a nice challenge to those new to odd meters. There are also a moment or two where lots of flats appear, allowing the opportunity to practice those finger patterns we don’t encounter enough. The music has a delightfully simple feel, with a benign gentleness that will be very pleasing to play and hear.
-- Glen Shannon
 
 
No. of Recorder Parts:
4
Difficulty:
Moderate
Occasion:
Any
Libraries:
New Music for Recorder
Date Added:
09/14/2020
Style:
Tonal/Melodic