tempo di valse
In Depth
Tempo di valse means in waltz tempo — a lilting triple meter (3/4 time) with a characteristic ONE-two-three emphasis pattern. The tempo is moderate to fast, typically between 100 and 180 BPM for the dotted half note, depending on the style of waltz. The waltz tempo has a distinctive lilt created by a strong downbeat followed by two lighter beats. Viennese waltzes (Strauss) tend to be faster and more energetic, while slower waltzes have a more romantic, swaying character. The instruction appears in non-waltz pieces when the composer wants a passage to adopt a waltz-like feel temporarily.
At the height of waltz mania in 1820s Vienna, there were over 400 dance halls in the city — roughly one for every 500 residents.