Annotation:Victoria Waltz

Back to Victoria Waltz

---

VICTORIA WALTZ. AKA - "Victoria," "Victoria Valse." AKA and see “Exhibition Waltz,” "Mrs. Kenny," "Speaking (The).” English, Waltz. D Major (‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, ‘D’ parts) & G Major (‘E’, ‘F’ parts). Standard tuning (fiddle). AABCCDDEEFF. “Victoria Waltz” is the name of a fashionable 19th century dance, to which a number of waltz tunes were employed as the vehicle for the steps. Thus, the name “Victoria Waltz” as an alternate title sometimes became attached to the tune as well. Sligo fiddler Michael Coleman (1889-1945) recorded a version in Chicago in the 1930's when on tour for Keith's Theaters, and another version was played by Donegal fiddler Johnny Doherty (who was recorded in 1953 in the field by Peter Kennedy). As "The Speaking or Exhibition Waltz' it was recorded by the Orkney group the Jimmy Garson Trio(recorded by Peter Kennedy, 1955), and the title "Speaking Waltz" was also used by Borders fiddler Tom Hughes. See also note for “Annotation:Kelso Hiring Fair."

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: Kennedy (Fiddler’s Tune-Book: Slip Jigs and Waltzes), 1999; No. 189, p. 51. Laybourn (Köhler's Violin Repository, Book 1), 1881; p. 42.

Recorded sources: Folktrax FTX-154, Michael Coleman - "Stack of Barley & Wheat" (78 reissue recordings).

See also listing at:
Hear/see the tune played by Luke Daniels & Seamie O'Dowd on youtube.com [1] (as "The Speaking Waltz")

---