"Chopsticks" (original name "The Celebrated Chop Waltz") is a simple, widely known waltz for the piano. Written in 1877, it is the only published piece by the British composer Euphemia Allen (under the pen name Arthur de Lulli).[1] Allen—whose brother, Mozart Allan, was a music publisher—was sixteen when she composed the piece, with arrangements for solo and duet.[2] The title "Chop Waltz" comes from Allen's specification that the melody be played in two-part harmony with both hands held in a vertical orientation, little fingers down and palms facing each other, striking the keys with a chopping motion.[2] The similar "The Coteletten Polka" also was first heard in 1877, with the piano collection Paraphrases elaborating on the theme by 1879.[2]
An equivalent of this rudimentary two-finger piano exercise was known in Russia in duple meter as "tati-tati" or the "Cutlet Polka". This version alternates the notes between the hands, rather than playing them at the same time in harmony.
In 1877, Alexander Borodin's daughter Gania played "The Coteletten Polka", with four bars of music similar to the beginning of de Lulli's work, though there is no hard evidence of a common source between the two pieces.[2] In 1878–1879, César Cui, Anatoly Lyadov, Borodin, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, and Nikolai Shcherbachov each wrote variations for piano duet on the theme, published together under the title Paraphrases.[3] A supplementary paraphrase by Franz Liszt was later appended to the collection. In Borodin's version, the first four bars begin in a similar way to de Lulli's, but are nevertheless distinct. According to Fuld's book World-Famous Music, no common origins for the "Chop Waltz" and the "Coteletten Polka" have yet been discovered.[2]
In cinema, music and television
Score, as published in 1877
"Chopsticks" was used as the introductory music to Edgar Kennedy's series of short comedies made at the RKO Studios, from 1931 until his death in 1948.[citation needed]
American composer and educator John Sylvanus Thompson published a set of variations on "Chopsticks" in 1941.[4]
In the 1946 William Wyler film The Best Years of Our Lives, composer Hoagy Carmichael performs a duet of "Chopsticks" with Harold Russell, a World War II Navy veteran who lost both of his hands in combat. He played the simple piece (including variations) with Hoagy taking the lower part. Mr. Russell's hooks that served as hands seemingly did not deter him from delivering a rendering of the tune, complete with a final glissando up the keyboard.[citation needed]
Liberace plays a virtuoso "Chopsticks" accompanied by full orchestra early in the 1955 film Sincerely Yours.[5]
The theme music for the television series My Three Sons (1960–1972), written by Frank De Vol, was based on "Chopsticks", though key changes were added and the meter was changed to 4/4.[citation needed]
In the 1972 Columbo episode "Etude in Black", Columbo plays chopsticks as a way to get under the skin of the pompous murderer/conductor Alex Benedict (John Cassavetes).[6]
In the stage musical adaption of The Lion King, "Chopsticks" can be heard in the song "Lioness' Hunt".[citation needed]
In the episode "Blind Faith" Season 2 Episode 5 of Quantum Leap first aired November 1, 1989 Scott Bakula leaps into a blind piano player on stage just in time for the encore performance. Bakula plays "Chopsticks" amusing the large audience in the music hall.[11]
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For a different piece of piano music often called Chopsticks in the UK see Flohwalzer Chopsticks source source source MIDI rendition Problems playing this file See media help Chopsticks original name The Celebrated Chop Waltz is a simple widely known waltz for the piano Written in 1877 it is the only published piece by the British composer Euphemia Allen under the pen name Arthur de Lulli 1 Allen whose brother Mozart Allan was a music publisher was sixteen when she composed the piece with arrangements for solo and duet 2 The title Chop Waltz comes from Allen s specification that the melody be played in two part harmony with both hands held in a vertical orientation little fingers down and palms facing each other striking the keys with a chopping motion 2 The similar The Coteletten Polka also was first heard in 1877 with the piano collection Paraphrases elaborating on the theme by 1879 2 Contents 1 Tati tati and Paraphrases 2 In cinema music and television 3 See also 4 Notes 5 References 6 Further readingTati tati and Paraphrases Edit Tati tati An equivalent of this rudimentary two finger piano exercise was known in Russia in duple meter as tati tati or the Cutlet Polka This version alternates the notes between the hands rather than playing them at the same time in harmony In 1877 Alexander Borodin s daughter Gania played The Coteletten Polka with four bars of music similar to the beginning of de Lulli s work though there is no hard evidence of a common source between the two pieces 2 In 1878 1879 Cesar Cui Anatoly Lyadov Borodin Nikolai Rimsky Korsakov and Nikolai Shcherbachov each wrote variations for piano duet on the theme published together under the title Paraphrases 3 A supplementary paraphrase by Franz Liszt was later appended to the collection In Borodin s version the first four bars begin in a similar way to de Lulli s but are nevertheless distinct According to Fuld s book World Famous Music no common origins for the Chop Waltz and the Coteletten Polka have yet been discovered 2 In cinema music and television Edit Score as published in 1877 Chopsticks was used as the introductory music to Edgar Kennedy s series of short comedies made at the RKO Studios from 1931 until his death in 1948 citation needed American composer and educator John Sylvanus Thompson published a set of variations on Chopsticks in 1941 4 The first three Pooch the Pup cartoons used Chopsticks as their opening music citation needed In the 1946 William Wyler film The Best Years of Our Lives composer Hoagy Carmichael performs a duet of Chopsticks with Harold Russell a World War II Navy veteran who lost both of his hands in combat He played the simple piece including variations with Hoagy taking the lower part Mr Russell s hooks that served as hands seemingly did not deter him from delivering a rendering of the tune complete with a final glissando up the keyboard citation needed While the 1946 Bugs Bunny short cartoon Rhapsody Rabbit mostly features Liszt s Hungarian Rhapsody No 2 at one point a mouse briefly plays the opening bars of Chopsticks citation needed Liberace plays a virtuoso Chopsticks accompanied by full orchestra early in the 1955 film Sincerely Yours 5 The theme music for the television series My Three Sons 1960 1972 written by Frank De Vol was based on Chopsticks though key changes were added and the meter was changed to 4 4 citation needed In the 1955 Billy Wilder film The Seven Year Itch Tom Ewell played this together with Marilyn Monroe and tried to kiss her only to fail citation needed In the 1955 season 4 episode of I Love Lucy Ethel s Home Town Chopsticks is played by Fred Mertz William Frawley citation needed In the 1972 Columbo episode Etude in Black Columbo plays chopsticks as a way to get under the skin of the pompous murderer conductor Alex Benedict John Cassavetes 6 Chopsticks accompanied the sequence in the 1972 ABC Saturday Superstar Movie Popeye Meets the Man Who Hated Laughter in which Beetle Bailey s comrade Sergeant Snorkel piled a variety of food on top of a secret message he planned to eat Dagwood sandwich style 7 A simplified version of the tune is featured in the Manfred Mann s Earth Band version of the song Blinded by the Light 8 9 10 originally by Bruce Springsteen The Springsteen version did not contain the tune Chopsticks is the second song played by Tom Hanks and Robert Loggia in the famous piano scene at FAO Schwarz in the 1988 film Big citation needed In the stage musical adaption of The Lion King Chopsticks can be heard in the song Lioness Hunt citation needed In the episode Blind Faith Season 2 Episode 5 of Quantum Leap first aired November 1 1989 Scott Bakula leaps into a blind piano player on stage just in time for the encore performance Bakula plays Chopsticks amusing the large audience in the music hall 11 The character Ryan Sinclair plays chopsticks in The Haunting of Villa Diodati an episode of Doctor Who anachronistically set in 1816 citation needed The melody is quoted in Hoyt Curtin s theme to the 1960s Hanna Barbera animated sitcom The Jetsons citation needed In the film Lisztomania 1975 the theme is a recurring joke each time Franz Liszt plays it in public citation needed The melody is the basis of J pop group NiziU s 2021 single Chopstick citation needed See also Edit Heart and Soul 1938 song by Hoagy Carmichael with lyrics by Frank Loesser with a similarly simple fingeringNotes Edit Allen 1877 a b c d e Fuld 2000 pp 170 171 Various 1879 Thompson 1941 Sincerely Yours IMDb That s My Specialty Homicide Columbo on YouTube Retrieved 2022 06 11 The Phantom in Popeye Meets The Man Who Hated Laughter 1972 on YouTube What is Chopsticks and why does it have so many variations Classic FM Retrieved 9 May 2023 The story behind the song Blinded By The Light by Manfred Mann s Earth Band Louder The Meaning of Blinded by the Light by Manfred Mann s Earth Band American Songwriter Retrieved 9 May 2023 Quantum Leap Blind Faith February 6 1964 TV Episode 1989 IMDb IMDb References EditAllen Euphemia 1877 The Celebrated Chop Waltz Scores at the International Music Score Library Project Fuld James J 2000 The Book of World famous Music Classical Popular and Folk Courier Corporation ISBN 978 0 486 41475 1 Thompson John Sylvanus Chopsticks with Variations Scores at the International Music Score Library Project Various 1879 Paraphrases by Borodin Cui Liadov Liszt Rimsky Korsakov and Shcherbachov Scores at the International Music Score Library ProjectFurther reading EditFrankenstein Alfred V March 1932 Chopsticks a musicological mystery The American Mercury p 373 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Chopsticks waltz amp oldid 1153913049, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
