Waltz Kings: Felix Godin - Valse Octobre (1913) (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 "Valse 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.

October, the month of warm colours of Autumn in the Northern Hemisphere, and fresh scents of Spring in the Southern Hemisphere. The waltz begins with an introduction based on the spritely tune of the Trio. The main tune is a warm, mellow melody, repeated throughout the waltz.

[suviolin]

You gave the spotlight to you right hand here (1st time). You showed more than just a pair of hands in Decembre (rare for your solo videos). I wonder what you will show next week. 😼 Looking forward to it.

[AdamRamet]

nice performance, good singing melody line and good variation in dynamics and rubato! :)

[JamesZ]

You are amazing my good sir! You found another piece of the set, how do you do it?~