The Lovers' Waltz: A Song History

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"The Lovers' Waltz" is an original waltz in D major by the Hudson Valley musicians Jay Ungar and Molly Mason, who, according to the Traditional Tune Archive, composed it in 1985; the archive also notes its appearance in print in Matthiesen's The Waltz Book of 1992.[1] The duo's own biography suggests it may be the pair's best-known composition and the title piece of an album of romantic fiddle music.[2] Ungar, who married Mason in 1991, wrote "Ashokan Farewell," which Ken Burns chose as the main theme of his PBS documentary The Civil War.[2]

Wood engraving of two women in long dresses standing under an overhanging rock ledge beside a waterfall, small figures below.

Winslow Homer, Under the Falls, Catskill Mountains, wood engraving, 1872. A waterfall in the Catskill Mountains, the region named in the title of the tunebook Catskill Mountain Waltzes and Airs, where this waltz is printed; the engraving has no connection to the tune.

That album, The Lovers' Waltz, came out on Angel Records in 1997, with the two composers credited for the title track.[3] When NPR's All Things Considered spoke with the couple in January 1997, the record was presented as a gathering of music they had played at weddings.[4] Ungar and Mason also printed the tune on page 38 of their tunebook Catskill Mountain Waltzes and Airs.[5]

Mountain dulcimer players can find it in DAD tuning in Melanie Johnston's 22 Selections From Jay Ungar & Molly Mason's Book "Catskill Mountain Waltzes And Airs", where it is one of just three pieces credited to both composers; the licensed download bundles the tablature with separate song files and a computer-made audio version of each tune.[6]

Our book that contains the song "The Lovers' Waltz"

Sources

  1. Traditional Tune Archive: "Lover's Waltz (2)".
  2. Jay Ungar & Molly Mason: "About".
  3. AllMusic: "The Lovers' Waltz – Jay Ungar & Molly Mason".
  4. KALW / NPR All Things Considered: "Jay & Molly".
  5. Jay Ungar & Molly Mason store: "Catskill Mountain Waltzes and Airs".
  6. Melanie Johnston: "22 Selections From Jay Ungar & Molly Mason's Book 'Catskill Mountain Waltzes And Airs'".
  7. Image: Winslow Homer, Under the Falls, Catskill Mountains, wood engraving, 1872. The Cleveland Museum of Art.

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