Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-08-02
BIRTH OF THE WALTZ
THE DANCE HAD ITS ORIGIN glTtsgA
IN FRANCE OR GERMANY.

Gfeat eCanuHl IN Ihat COUNTY,
and For IL Time Had Fashionabls
Society In nm Uproar.
No exact date can be ascrlbed to the
Introduction of the waltz into England
from France. In 1900 Gilray published
with the note that this was intended
for a quiz upon the then foreign dance,
waltzing.' Again in 1910 the same art
list published another sketch, entitled
note, THE walse was at this time new
in England and just coming into fash
ion"
The fame, or, rather, notoriety, of the
new dance had, however, reached
England some years previously. DIR.
Burney had seen it danced in Paris in
1850 and was moved to write, How
uneasy an English mother would feel
to see her daughter so unfamlliarly
treated and still more to note the
obliging manner in which the free
dom is returned by the females"
Railies in his journal declares that
mo event ever produced so great a
sensation in English society as the in
PRODUCTION of the German waltz"
which he attributes to Baron Neu-
mann and others about the year 1911.
He relates how the mornings, which
had hitherto been dedicated to loung-
ing in the park, were now absorbed at
home in practiclng the figures of a
French quadrille or whirling chair
round the room to learn the step and
measure of the German waltz.
1t was danced at Almack's by a few
very bold spirits. notably Lord Palmer
ston, Nine. de Lieven, Princess Ester
hazy and Baron Neumann, and thus
became matter of exhibition, the
whole company standing on benches to
view the performance.
However, the antiwaltZing party took
the alarm and cried 1t down. Mothers
forbade it, and every ballroom became
n scene of feud and contention. How
profound was it's unpopularity in GER
tain quarters is proved by the pasqui-
nades leveled against it. The famous
seven lines commencing
What! The girl adore by another em-
braced!"
are commonly attributed to Byron,
though they were published anony-
mously in 1912, and some authorities
give Thomas Moore as the author. An
impromptu purporting to be addressed
by an indignant lover to his betrothed
and her partner echoes Byron's feel
ings:
You've brushed the bloom from the
peach,
From the rose its soft hue;
What you've touched you may take.
Pretty waltzer, adieu.
Another poet delivered himself of the
following diatribe:
How arts improve in this inspiring age!
Peers mount the box, and horses tread tho
stage.
While waltzing females, with unblushing
Disdain to dance but in mans en-
brace.
1.-THE waltz, however," continues
Raikes, struggled successfully through
all its difficulties. Flaurhault, who was
la fleur du pois' in Paris, came over
and with host of others drove the
prudes into their intrenchments. And
when the Emperor Alexander was seen
waltzing around the roof ut Almack's,
with his tight uniform and numerous
decorations, they surrendered at discre-
ton"
1t Is moot point whether the waltz
originated In France or Germany,
whether 1t came from the French La
Volta" or the German national dance,
the LANDER" According to French
authorities, La Volta was simply the
waltz trOis temps. Provence was Its
birthplace, and it was first introduced
at the court of Henry Ii. at Fontaine-
bleau In 1856 by the Comte de Saulte,
who Is said to have invented it, for
many called it La Volta de Saultc, and
the name is suitable both because of
the etymology of the word and the
character of the dance.
1t enjoyed Il great run throughout
France and even penetrated to Scot
land, where it met with furious opposi-
ton, one writer averring that It's i'm
portation into France had been effect
ed by the power Of witches. Mary Stu
art once exhibited her agility In this
dance, but she was careful not to re-
peat the experiment, and this was
about the last heard Of it.
The case for Gc'aitny- is that the
first waltz tune appel.cd III 1870 in n
popular song callel 80 du lieber Au-
gustln." From Gcrlnany the dance
made Its way to Vienna and was intro
duced into the opera, Willie by and by
1t found Its way to France, whence 1t
came to England-"the insidious waltz.
this imp of Germany, brought up In
France"
The waltz when first danced in Lon
don was slow movement. trois
temps, and the early English waltz
compositions We're very poor. Strauss
came to London in 1881 to play Mt AL
mnck's, and his waltz music created
perfect furore. 1t killed the old trois
temps waltz, and the deux temps
usurped its place. Now that the fasci-
nation Of the waltz is all powerful It is
difficult to realize the commotion Its in
PRODUCTION caused. London Globe.
Sldetra cLe,I