Waltz No. 2 | Florescence by NUS Guitar Ensemble

“Waltz No. 2” was performed by NUS Guitar Ensemble for Florescence, recorded in NUS UTown PR1, Singapore, on 12 October 2025.

Waltz No. 2, composed by Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich after 1956, is part of the eight-movement Suite for Variety Orchestra No. 1 - a dance collection that blends classical craft with popular idioms. After being misnamed for years, this piece became internationally famous in 1999, played in the opening credits of Stanley Kubrick’s “Eyes Wide Shut”. Waltz No. 2 has since been used often in figure-skating programmes, ballroom competitions and orchestral galas, symbolising “Russian elegance with an edge”. Adopting a rounded ternary form, this piece introduces the piece’s main motifs, then a warmer, lyrical melody in the middle that evokes nostalgic romance. The main themes later re-enter grandly, bringing the piece to a festive and impactful close. Elegant and faintly sardonic, the waltz is contrasted by heavy accents and chromatic twists, complemented by the glockenspiel’s bright timbre. This combination suggests celebration and parody while reflecting the uneasy duality of Soviet “light” music: officially cheerful, but emotionally ambiguous.

Composed by Dmitri Shostakovich
Arranged by Tan Han Siang
Conducted by Wong Jun An, Justin

Video and Audio by Member Cai Tianxiang

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NUS Guitar Ensemble (GENUS) is a student-run guitar ensemble located in the National University of Singapore, and a member of NUS Centre For the Arts. With an over 40-year-long history, the group boasts a wide repertoire ranging from major classical works to Japanese anime themes. In accordance with the Niibori method, GENUS utilises a set of guitars with varying pitches to produce an orchestral effect. For more information on us and our family of Niibori guitars, do check out our social media: NUSGuitarEnsemble on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Find videos from all of our past concerts on our YouTube channel! ✨

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