Valse Triste

Jean Sibelius

General Info

Year: 1903 / 1911 / 1939 /
Duration: c. 6:00
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Orchestra
Publisher: BOVACO Music, through C.L. Barnhouse
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $70.00 | Score Only (print) - $9.00

For availability information, see Discussion tab, above.

Instrumentation

Condensed Score
C (or D-flat) Piccolo
C (or D-flat) Flute
Oboe
Bassoon I-II
E-flat Soprano Clarinet (or Flute)
B-flat Soprano Clarinet Solo-I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet (div.)
E-flat Alto Saxophone
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Cornet I-II
B-flat Trumpet (div.)
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion, including:

Bass Drum
Crash Cymbal
Snare Drum
Triangle

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Valse triste (Sad Waltz), Op. 44, No. 1, is a short orchestral work by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. It was originally part of the incidental music he composed for his brother-in-law Arvid Järnefelt's 1903 play Kuolema (Death), but is far better known as a separate concert piece.

Sibelius wrote six pieces for the 2 December 1903 production of Kuolema. The first was titled Tempo di valse lente - Poco risoluto. In 1904 he revised the piece, which was performed in Helsinki on 25 April of that year as Valse triste. It was an instant hit with the public, took on a life of its own, and remains one of Sibelius's signature pieces.

- Program note from Wikipedia

Media

(Needed - please join the WRP if you can help.)

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Columbus (Ohio) State Community College Concert Band (Thomas Lloyd, conductor) - 12 March 2008

Works for Winds by This Composer

Andante Festivo (arr. Thurston) (1922/1930/1999)
Be Still My Soul (arr. Swearingen) (1900/2016)
Finlandia (tr. Cailliet) (1900/1939)
Finlandia (tr. Hindsley) (1900/1971)
Finlandia (arr. Kuikka) (1900/1967)
Finlandia (tr. McAlister; ed. Reed) (1900/2004)
Finlandia (arr. Molenaar) (1900/1964)
Finlandia (arr. Page) (1900/1928)
Finlandia (tr. Winterbottom) (1900/1908(?))
Onward, Ye Peoples! (arr. Goldman) (1940)
Overture in F Minor (trans. Ambrose) (1889/1988/2018)
Petite Suite (arr. Fransman) (1891/1988)
Preludio (ed. Corporon) (2010)
Swan of Tuonela (tr. Hartman) (1895/2023)
Tiera (1899/c. 2011)
Valse Triste (arr. Schyns) (1903/1911/2007)
Valse Triste (arr. Winterbottom) (1903/1911/1939/)

Resources

Sibelius, J.; Winterbottom, F. (1939). Valse triste [score]. Boosey & Hawkes, London.
"Valse triste (Sibelius)". Wikipedia. Accessed 12 July 2023