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How did a scandalous peasants’ dance evolve into the waltz? Donald begins a weeklong whirl around the world of ballroom dancing.

Donald Macleod takes a whirl around the world through the music of ballroom dancing, as we count down to BBC Radio 3’s Day of Dance on Friday 8th November. With the help of Hilary French, author of Ballroom: A People’s History of Dancing, Donald waltzes across Viennese ballrooms, foxtrots through New York clubs, tries the tango in the arrabales of Buenos Aires, sambas on the streets of Salvador and finally cha-cha-chas his way to Havana.

Today, we begin in 18th-century Vienna, with the emergence of a very scandalous peasants’ dance: the waltz.

Minute Waltz
Frédéric Chopin, composer
Lang Lang, piano

The Blue Danube
Johann Strauss, composer
The Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted by Eugene Ormandy

Roses from the South – Waltz Op. 388
Johann Strauss, composer
Hallé Orchestra, conducted by Bramwell Tovey

Swan Lake Waltz
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, composer
London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by André Previn

Waltz of the Flowers
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, composer
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Sir Simon Rattle

The Second Waltz
Dmitri Shostakovich, composer
Johann Strauss Orchestra, conducted by Andre Rieu

Skaters Waltz
Émile Waldteufel, composer
National Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Douglas Gamley

Moon River (instrumental)
Henry Mancini, composer
Johann Strauss Orchestra, conducted by André Rieu

Planetarium
Justin Hurwitz, composer

Produced by Alice McKee for BBC Audio Wales & West

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59 minutes

Last on

Mon 4 Nov 202416:00
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Frédéric Chopin

    "Minute" Waltz Op 64, No 1

    Performer: Lang Lang.
    • SONY : 88725449602.
    • SONY CLASSICS.
    • 19.

  • Johann Strauss II

    The Blue Danube

    Orchestra: Philadelphia Orchestra. Conductor: Eugene Ormandy.
    • RCA : G010000344368R.
    • RCA.
    • 1.

  • Johann Strauss II

    Rosen aus dem Suden, Op 388

    Orchestra: Hallé. Conductor: Bramwell Tovey.
    • Warner Classics : 5856332.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 2.

  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    Waltz from Swan Lake

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: André Previn.
    • WARNER CLASSICS : 94639324354.
    • WARNER CLASSICS.
    • 2.

  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    Waltz of the Flowers (The Nutcracker)

    Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle.
    • EMI : 6 46385-2.
    • EMI.
    • 10.

  • Dmitry Shostakovich

    Jazz Suite No 2 (Second Waltz)

    Orchestra: Johann Strauss Orchestra Of Vienna. Conductor: André Rieu.
    • PHILIPS : 5342662.
    • PHILIPS.
    • 17.

  • Émile Waldteufel

    Skaters Waltz

    Orchestra: National Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Douglas Gamley.
    • DECCA : 460 400-2.
    • DECCA.
    • 20.

  • Henry Mancini

    Moon River

    Orchestra: Johann Strauss Orchestra Of Vienna. Conductor: André Rieu.
    • POLYDOR : 044006525921.
    • POLYDOR.
    • 15.

  • Justin Hurwitz

    Planetarium

    Orchestra: Studio Orchestra.
    • Interscope.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Symphony No 3 in E flat major, Op 55, 'Eroica' (3rd mvt)

    Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker. Conductor: Claudio Abbado.
    • Beethoven: 9 Symphonies: Abbado, Berliner Philharmoniker.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 3.

Broadcast

  • Mon 4 Nov 202416:00
    BBC Radio 3

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