Chopsticks (music)
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"Chopsticks" (original name "The Celebrated Chop Waltz") is a simple, extremely well-known waltz for the piano. It was written in 1877 by the British composer Euphemia Allen under the pseudonym "Arthur de Lull" (alternatively, Lulli). Allen, who was the sister of a music publisher, was supposedly only sixteen when she composed the piece, with arrangements for solo and duet. The title Chop Waltz comes from Allen's specification that the melody be played in two-part harmony with both hands held sideways, little fingers down, striking the keys with a chopping motion. This name suggests the piece should be played in 3/4 (waltz) metre, although it is also commonly heard with the stresses as in 6/8 time.
An equivalent of this rudimentary two-finger piano exercise was known in Russia in duple meter as "tati-tati" or the "Cutlet Polka". This version alternates the notes between the hands, as follows—
—rather than playing them at the same time in harmony. A group of Russian composers—Alexander Borodin, César Cui, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Anatoly Lyadov, and Nikolai Vladimirovich Shcherbachov (with a modest addition by Franz Liszt)—composed four-hand piano music on this theme for Borodin's daughter Gania. (Modest Mussorgsky did not participate, thinking that the composition would be meaningless.) The original edition of this collection dates from 1879 under the title Paraphrases; over the next several years it was expanded to a set of 24 variations and 17 other pieces.
In the highly praised 1946 William Wyler film The Best Years of Our Lives, a story chronicling the difficulties facing returning servicemen from overseas, the famous song composer Hoagy Carmichael performs a duet of "Chopsticks" with Harold Russell, a World War II Navy veteran who lost both of his hands in combat and won an Academy Award for his sensitive portrayal of Homer Parrish. He played the simple piece (including variations) with Hoagy taking the lower part. Mr. Russell's hooks that served as hands seemingly did not deter him from delivering a superb rendition of the tune, complete with a final glissando up the keyboard.
In the UK, although the piece of music described above is well-known, it is not usually known as "Chopsticks". The piece of music known as "Chopsticks" in the UK is a different piano piece. See link below to Der Flohwalzer (the Flea Waltz).
[edit] Cultural references
- In the 1946 Bugs Bunny short Rhapsody Rabbit, the mouse plays "Chopsticks" on Bugs' piano at one point.
- In the 1955 film The Seven Year Itch, Marilyn Monroe plays a naive seductress who starts a relationship with a "home alone" married man by proudly showing him that she can play "Chopsticks".
- In 1955 the jazz pianist Herbie Nichols recorded his own "Blue Chopsticks", whose brief introductory passage makes reference to "Chopsticks".
- In the 1960 film Tormented, Sandy plays "Chopsticks". In the Mystery Science Theater 3000 version, Joel and the bots sing it when the main character first sits down to the piano.
- Chapter 18 in The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (1963).
- The theme to the television series My Three Sons was written by Frank De Vol, entirely based on a popular variation of "Chopsticks". Another series that used the melody was the early 1980s series Square Pegs, as its opening theme.
- The 1969/1970 film Lost in the Desert opens with a small boy, Dirkie Hayes, playing "Chopsticks" as a duet with his father, who is a concert pianist.
- The 1975 film Lisztomania by Ken Russell parodies a modern day rock concert in which the character of Franz Liszt humorously mixes music from "Chopsticks" and the overture to Richard Wagner's Rienzi.
- The 1978 Manfred Mann's Earth Band cover of Blinded by the Light features the melody in the instrumental bridge.
- The 1988 film Big famously features the piece being played on a giant foot-operated piano, preceded by "Heart and Soul".
- The 1989 song "Jennifer Taught Me (Derwin's Revenge)" from the album 3 Feet High And Rising by De La Soul includes a performance of "Chopsticks" at the end.
- During the 1990s, "Chopsticks" was the soundtrack of a famous Brazilian TV advertisement. In Brazil, "Chopsticks" is usually known as "Danoninho's Song".
- "Chopsticks" was played in the fifth episode of the second season of the TV series Quantum Leap by Scott Bakula as blind pianist Andrew Ross.
- The 1994 Liz Phair song "Chopsticks", from the album Whip-Smart, features lyrics sung over the "Chopsticks" piano melody.
- In the late 1990s animated TV series Histeria!, the character Cho-Cho had "Chopsticks" as her theme music.
- In 2003, Britney Spears thought MTV's VJ Quddus how to play Chopsticks on TRL's Spankin' New Summer Music Week.
- In 2004 film Jersey Girl, "Chopsticks" is heard while Ollie is on the phone with Arthur, who wants to move back to New York City.
- A remix of the song by Sonic Dimension entitled Chopstix appears on the dance games Pump it Up Pro and Pump it Up NX2.
- In an episode of Frasier, Martin and Sherry have a fight precipitated by the decision of whether or not to eat with chopsticks. When Martin demands that she not mention chopsticks again, she goes to the piano and plays "Chopsticks".
- In the movie The Shift (starring Wayne Dyer; formerly Ambition to Meaning), its intro is played by the janitor to bring David back to childhood memories.
- In an episode of That '70s Show titled "Burning Down The House", Michael Kelso plays "Chopsticks" on the piano during Jackie Burkhart's formal dinner party and messes up.
- In the computer game The Sims, when you let your character play on the grand piano, "Chopsticks" is the first song they learn.
[edit] See also
- Der Flohwalzer (the Flea Waltz).
[edit] External links
- Chopsticks waltz
- Tati-tati
