Les Patineurs (waltz)

It was composed in 1882, inspired by the cercle des patineurs (rink of skaters) at the Bois de Boulogne in Paris.

The introduction to the waltz can be likened to the poise of a skater, and the rapid runs invoke scenes of a wintry atmosphere.

It was also played at Rose's "coming-out" ball in London in the last episode of season 4 of the TV show Downton Abbey, as well as in the episode "Secret Shopper" of the kids' TV show Fanboy & Chum Chum.

A music-box version is used in the Japanese film Himizu, the piece is hummed by Rabbit (voiced by Junius Matthews) while he is skating in Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too.

"The Skaters' Waltz" is used, briefly, towards the end of Paul Hindemith's 1925 parody Ouvertüre zum "Fliegenden Holländer", wie sie eine schlechte Kurkapelle morgens um 7 am Brunnen vom Blatt spielt, a very dissonant spoof of Wagner's overture to Der fliegende Holländer.

Rink of Skaters at the Bois de Boulogne (painted by Renoir , 1868)