Waltz No. 6 in D-Flat Major

Despite its name, to play the “Minute” Waltz in a minute would be ridiculous—not that it stops some showmen from trying! Truly musical performances last around two minutes, although this evergreen work remains the shortest of the waltzes Chopin published during his lifetime. Chopin marked it to be played molto vivace (very lively), and it’s the rippling effect of the opening four-note turning figure over the left hand’s bounding waltz rhythm that drives this miniature gem along. It’s in ternary form, meaning that the opening music is repeated almost exactly after a more sustained central section, the only difference being the final flamboyant descent across more than four octaves to bring down the curtain on the work. The title wasn’t Chopin’s but his publisher’s—for Chopin it was merely the first of three waltzes, Op. 64, which appeared in 1847. Its brevity and perfection, though, have made it ubiquitous not only in recital but also on radio and television, and it has even been adapted as a pop song.