Aufforderung zum Tanze, Op. 65/ J. 260 (L'Invitation a la Valse; Invitation to the Dance)

AUFFORDERUNG ZUM TANZE (L'INVITATION A LA VALSE; INVITATION TO THE DANCE), Op. 65/ J. 260, an early example of program music by Carl Maria von Weber (1786-1826), was originally heard in its 1819 version for solo piano.  Dedicating it to his wife, to whom he had only been married a few months, he described a narrative in which a man attending a ball tries to solicit a lady to dance with him.  At first, she eludes him, but eventually accepts the invitation.  Hector Berlioz scored the work for full orchestra in 1841.  Listeners will frequently begin to applaud after the false ending, thinking that the piece has concluded. Instrumentation: 1+Picc.2.2.4: 4.2+Crnt(2).3.0: Timp: Hp(2): Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set). Reprint edition.