Waltz Kings: Felix Godin - Juin Charmante (Charming June) (1910) (Piano)

For more pieces by Felix Godin, check out this playlist:

Johann Strauss Jr was not the only Waltz King. There were many others, who composed mainly waltzes and other dance music, or were famous because of their waltz compositions. This series features the other waltz kings.

Felix Godin, a pseudonym of Henry Albert Brown (c1864-1925), was an English composer of light music. He is largely forgotten, now remembered only for his "/wwwValse Septembre", a piece of music supposedly played on the doomed Titanic, and made famous in the 1997 "Titanic" movie.

Godin never equalled the success of that waltz, though he tried often enough - most notably in similarly French titled waltzes such as Juin Charmant (1910), Valse Décembre, Valse d’Avril, Valse Ravissante and Valse Mai (1912), as well as such later examples as A True Lover’s Knot (1920) and Anticipation (1922).

Although an English composer, he assumed a French pseudonym, and his compositions had mostly French titles, because it was apparently fashionable to be French at that time. He composed a series of waltzes based on each month of the year.

June is probably the last of his calendar waltzes. I have recorded and posted eight of them. World cat does not list anymore, so I am not sure if Godin wrote any more for the missing months

Charming June begins with a quiet, sleepy introduction based on the main waltz theme. Then the main waltz launches in, with a minor key second theme. The trio or the middle section is a jaunty little dance. The final section is a reprise of the main waltz.