The year 1951 was a fairly productive one for Leroy Anderson, yielding a number of popular works that included Plink, Plank, Plunk!, The Phantom Regiment, Blue Tango, China Doll, the song version of Sleigh Ride, and this delightful piece, Belle of the Ball. Like most of the composer's efforts, it is light, effervescent, and devoid of conflict or disharmony. Anderson looked upon the piece as a modern-day American revival -- or revitalization -- of the Viennese waltz tradition. Having said that, the main theme sounds rather unlike a Strauss waltz, but the voice of Tchaikovsky is evident in its playful, fantasy-like character. The melody is rhythmic and comes in short groups of notes, beginning with two notes, then three, then expanding further; the music skates along elegantly. The middle section features a delightful variation on the theme, in which Anderson's gentle belled sonorities impart a playful innocence. ~ Robert Cummings, Rovi
