# Invitation to Dance - first symphonic poem



## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

Another thread of wisdom from my recently-finished book about C.M von Weber.

I suppose most of you know his concert waltz - Invitation to Dance. Originally written for piano, orchestrated later by Berlioz. Did you know that it had program?

Translation by me:



> Introduction paints meeting of two young people on the ball. He invites her to dance, she kindly refuses. But he insists and she agrees. Questions and answers between them are portrayed by dialogue between voices in low and high registers.
> Then the main action begins, it's full of coquetry, confessions, banter and spells. Then the opening dialogue is repeated, the moment of parting approeaches. The girl thanks and leaves... silence


So we have one-movement piano piece with full, authorised program. Orchestrated later and not by original author, but what does it change? It became first one-movement symphonic program piece before first "real" symphonic poem was written.

Carl Maria von Weber and Hector Berlioz together are authors of first symphonic poem in history. And it's a marvelous poem, listen and imagine the events from the program:


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

I always FELT like that was the program! I can't number how many times I've had that picture in my mind when I listened to it! That's so cool that my intuition proved true! It's one of my favorite pieces by Weber actually.


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