…from Pianisms.

This is my second attempt at writing for solo piano. I began this piece in the summer of 2025.

Errant Waltz is, as one might suspect, in 3/4 time, with a main theme very much in the traditional waltz rhymical pattern — but with a twist. A traditional waltz puts 3-beat measures in groups of 4, usually with a specific and recognizable cadence. Here, the last measure of the group of 4 is short a beat, with the resultant four measures in a 3-3-3-2 format. (Since it is quite unlikely that anyone will actually be waltzing to this piece, the errant rhythm is just for fun!)

Historically, musical waltzes have few traditional overall structures — they simply provide a rhythm to dance to. Simple forms such as binary (sometimes “rounded”) are common. I use an extended ABA form. The piece’s introduction can be traced to another piece in the Pianisms collection, Rondo-B’out, which ends with a quiet repeated chordal cluster. Here, the clusters start a great deal smaller, eventually adding some loud single-note strikes for dramatic effect (more on that later). The first waltz theme, which starts measure 34, also harks back to the main theme of Rondo-B’out, with a prominently-placed jump of a 5th early on. It then leans into the 4th (2-beat) measure using strong clusters which complete the melodic phrasing of each 4-measure group.

Although the piece starts and ends in D major, it doesn’t stay there long, hence the lack of a key signature.

The second waltz theme uses a pretty-much intact quote of the traditional Irish waltz Sí Bheag, Sí Mhór, attributed to blind harpist and singer Turlough O’Carolan (1670–1738) which, in turn, uses the tune of “The Bonnie Cuckoo”. (Click here for one performance of the waltz.) The full melodic quote is actually 16 measures, and my “errant” 2-beat measure appears only in the 2nd half of that. Overall, my setting of the melody is much freer, tonally, and uses a gradual increase in density through three repetitions. The original tune’s second half uses a sequence of downward 5ths, which, here, eventually reveal a strong connection to the introduction’s emphatic note hits. That serves to transition back to the first waltz, followed by a coda closing the piece.

I really wrote this piece organically — I had no long vision, only some “pianistic” ideas about how to vary and extend the motifs as they appeared. This approach to composition work causes me to lean heavily on my confidence as a composer to generate ideas which end up fitting together, and reflecting a final structure that makes sense. As always, you’ll need to tell me whether that worked!

[The export below is current as of October 28, 2025.]