Valses Sentimentales: 7 Original Solos, w/CD.(Sound recording review)

Valses Sentimentales: 7 Original Solos, w/CD, by Eugenie Rocherolle. Hal Leonard Corporation, 2008. www.musicdispatch.com; (800) 637-2852; 32 pp.; $12.95. Intermediate.

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True to form, the Valses Sentimentales Eugenie Rocherolle has produced is a delicious series of waltzes that will certainly delight students and teachers alike. Reading through these pieces I could imagine myself sitting at a table in a sidewalk cafe in Paris. On the walls are student paintings created by the local artists. The pieces in this collection also capture the essence of the titles in an innocent and youthful way. Rocherolle has defined her craft well. Although each waltz consists of many sequences and repetitions, a hallmark of her compositional technique, there are subtle differences in each that create a distinctive style. For example, not all waltzes begin on the downbeat. There are interesting and varied figurations in the left-hand patterns that enhance the individual character of each waltz. "Le Long du Boulevard" presents the accompaniment in a light and detached manner creating a carefree and lighthearted atmosphere. In the middle ...