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Béla Kéler: Golden Waltzes

Czechoslovak Chamber Duo

Pavel Burdych, violin & Zuzana Berešová, piano

  1. German Sentiment op.88
  2. On the Beautiful Rhine, op.83
  3. Under Italy´s Blue Sky
  4. The Last Jouyful Hours, op.100
  5. From Rhine to Danube, op.138
  6. Austro-Hungarian Waltz, op.91
12.00 €

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In his early stage of composing, Béla Kéler wrote aprox. 49 waltzes without opus number, mainly for piano. Since 1845 he wrote 27 waltzes for orchestra with opus number. Generally he transcribed them for violin and piano, piano solo, and piano at four hands. All waltzes have a fixed structure: Introduction, five independent dances and finale.

  1. The waltz German Sentiment, op. 88 was completed by Kéler at 29th of March 1870. It´s manuscript belongs to the collection of the Šariš museum at Bardejov. The first performance took place at 21st of March 1871 in Wiesbaden. 
  2. Kéler performed the waltz On the Beautiful Rhine, op. 83 for the first time at 28th of August 1868, after his return from Bartfeld. The waltz represents a memory on Kéler´s home town. The introducing notes of this waltz are engraved on Kéler´s gravestone in Wiesbaden. In its quality this composition was often compared to Johann Strauss´ waltz "The blue Danube". 
  3. It is unknown when the waltz Under Italy´´´ s Blue Sky was composed. Obviously this is one of Kéler´s last waltzes, which has not been printed and didn´t get an opus number. The single dances have uncommon names. In the finale "Addio Italia" the Neapolitan song "Santa Lucia" is quoted. 
  4. The waltz The Last Joyful Hours, op. 100 was finished by Kéler at 22nd of November 1872 and one month later was performed for the first time. In the introduction an imaginary clock strikes eleven times into the last hour of gambling in a casino of Wiesbaden, described in five dances. The work ends by quoting the German song "So good bye, you silent domicile". 
  5. Kéler finished the waltz From Rhine to Danube, op. 138 at 17th of March 1876. By German and Austrian motifs he gives an atmosphere of the two European rivers at which he worked. 
  6. The composition Austro-Hungarian Waltz, op. 91 was finished by Kéler at 25th of January 1871. In the introduction he presents Hungarian and Austrian folk-songs. During the waltz he uses motifs of Austrian and Hungarian nature in impressive contrast and ends with fragments of the Rákóczi march and the Emperor hymn by Haydn.