Dreamwaltzes

''Dreamwaltzes'' is an orchestral composition by the American composer Steven Stucky. The work was commissioned by the Minnesota Orchestra for their annual Sommerfest series with support from the Jerome Foundation. The piece was completed in April 1986 and its world premiere was given by the Minnesota Orchestra under the direction of Leonard Slatkin on July 17, 1986. It is dedicated to the violinist Sonya Monosoff and Carl Pancaldo. Stucky, Steven (1986)
''Dreamwaltzes'': Program Note by the Composer
Retrieved June 16, 2016. The piece brought Stucky to prominence in the contemporary classical community and remains one of his most popular compositions.

Composition

''Dreamwaltzes'' is composed in a single movement and has a duration of approximately 15 minutes.

Background

Stucky described his initial inspiration for the piece in the score program notes, writing, "Since the management of the orchestra suggested that the new piece have some connection with the Viennese theme of the Sommerfest concerts, I found myself daydreaming about the waltz, and about Viennese composers like Schubert, Brahms, Mahler, and Berg, all of whom treated the waltz seriously in their music." He continued, "''Dreamwaltzes'' is a public version of those daydreams: an orchestral fantasy of about fifteen minutes, based closely on fragments of real Viennese waltz music."

''Dreamwaltzes'' quotes three such waltzes in successive episodes. The first waltz referenced is one of Johannes Brahms's ''Liebeslieder Waltzes'', Op. 52, No. 8. The second waltz is one of Brahms's Sixteen Waltzes, Op. 39, No. 6. The third waltz is from Richard Strauss's comic opera ''Der Rosenkavalier''. The composer wrote, "From time to time these originals float briefly to the surface. The three waltz episodes are surrounded by slower music forming an introduction, interludes, and a coda; this slower music, too, sometimes alludes to ''Rosenkavalier''." Stucky continued:

Instrumentation

The work is scored for an orchestra consisting of three flutes (2nd and 3rd doubling piccolo), three oboes (3rd doubling cor anglais), three clarinets (3rd doubling bass clarinet), two bassoons, contrabassoon, four horns, four trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, three percussionists, piano (doubling celesta), harp, and strings.

Reception

''Dreamwaltzes'' has been praised by music critics. Reviewing the West Coast premiere by André Previn and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Martin Bernheimer of the ''Los Angeles Times'' wrote, "Stucky stitched together some familiar hesitant phrases, a few instantly recognized fanfares, motivic fragments made quizzical by unfulfilled harmonic allusions. Sometimes the wittily quoted sources proved self-explanatory. Sometimes they remained coy about their identity. In any case, the 15-minute exercise emerged as a clever, affectionate collage that puts some old stylistic skeletons through provocative new paces." He added, "''Dreamwaltzes'' left little doubt that past-tense creativity, when applied with craft and imagination, can be amusing as well as engaging." Mark Kanny of the ''Pittsburgh Tribune-Review'' similarly wrote, "It takes a familiar approach, seeing elements of old music through a modern lens. Fragments of waltzes by Johannes Brahms and Richard Strauss exist in a modern sound world. The old harmonies don't hold. The instrumentation has a modern edge in place of romantic plush."

John Rockwell of ''The New York Times'' was more critical of the piece, however, remarking, "''Dreamwaltzes'' belongs to that already slightly tired notion of a look backwards from a modernist perspective - or, if you shuffle your categorical cards differently, a post-modernist perspective." Rockwell continued:

References

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Compositions by Steven Stucky
1986 compositions
Waltzes
Compositions for symphony orchestra
Music commissioned by the Minnesota Orchestra