Minute Waltz

The piece is given the tempo marking Molto vivace. Although it has long been known as the "Minute" Waltz, its nickname was intended to mean "small" in the sense of a "miniature" waltz, given by its publisher. Chopin did not intend for this waltz to be played in one minute. A typical performance of the work will last between 1+1⁄2 and 2+1⁄2 minutes

He knew that but he was at the piano now and he had taken up a bet.

When he performed the piece tonight he would play it so fast it would be over in sixty seconds.

He had practiced with a timer and speeded up metronome and he had hit the first piano key as the stage lights highlighted him for the sellout audience.

This was a solo performance and though he had the sheet music in front of him, he took no notice, because he knew the notes by heart and would play them all over sixty seconds.

This is what the audience had come for, some did not believe he could do it but his fingers were flying and the audience was captivated but the music and the speed.

Chopin's "Minute Waltz" competed in sixty seconds.

The notes were flying and his timer was counting down.

An alarm would sound at the end but he was concentrating on getting the notes right and playing them fas enough to finish.

He had no doubt that he could do it, but for the audience is was a different matter.

His hands and fingers were a blur to them.

They could not believe the speed of his playing, and all the notes were there, in the right order, just faster than they had ever heard them before.

Could he do it they wondered.

They had set their timers on their phones and smartwatches.

He was well aware that when you were waiting for something or someone minutes could seem like hours, but when you were on a deadline minutes turned very quickly into seconds.

He knew he could do it.

He had to do it.

He was under the spotlight.

No one wanted him to fail, they wanted him to succeed.

He knew it had to be played at almost 420 quarter notes per minute to complete it within sixty seconds.

This was one of those things, like riding a bike or falling asleep, where he knew he would fail if he thought about it. His fingers knew what to play and he was almost on autopilot.

The timer was running down, the notes were being played.

The audience knew he could do it and were preparing to give him a standing ovation.

He didn't know how much he had played, or how many more notes he had to play, he let his fingers dance over the keyboard, sending the notes through ether to the delight of the audience, until he hit the final notes with a flourish. Three seconds later the timer sounded and the audience rose and gave him a standing ovation.