Castillon, 6 Valses humoristiques (1871)

Alexis de Castillon followed one of the familiar trajectories for a 19th century musician. From an aristocratic family, he was intended for law or the military but resisted and went into music instead. He studied at the Paris Conservatoire under Massé and Franck; among his friends was Saint-Saëns. Generally in poor health, he died young.


In de Castillon's 6 Valses humoristiques (1871), no. 1, the principal strain offers the rising line from ^5 in stark simplicity (beamed line), including V9 (boxed):

The design is ABCDAE, where E is a coda whose final phrase is recalls the opening with the melody in the left hand:

In no. 2, scale degree ^6, along with the occasional V9, is motivic. Here is the opening. The main motive is circled, a dominant ninth with direct resolution is in the first box, and a ^6-^8 figure in the cadence is in the third box.

At the end, a reprise of the first strain turns into one of those distilling or unraveling codas that are so common in 19th century instrumental repertoires. Here ^6 is the main attraction.