Anne Lederman’s “Angan Waltz” is a beautiful instrumental piece built around the warmth of her fiddle. There are no vocals here, yet the recording has plenty to say. The fiddle carries a gentle sadness, while the piano, bass, and guitar provide a soft, intimate setting. Emily Stamm plays piano, Joseph Phillips plays bass, and Lederman performs on fiddle and tenor resonator guitar. Each instrument has its own space, which gives the arrangement an easy, natural flow. The piano is particularly lovely in the quieter moments, while the bass provides a subtle foundation. Lederman’s fiddle remains the heart of the piece, with a tone that can sound both tender and haunting.
The story behind “Angan Waltz” makes the piece even more meaningful. Lederman wrote it for the Blyth Festival’s 2023 production of Michael Healey’s Drawer Boy. The play follows two elderly Ontario farmers, Angus and Morgan, whose lives are connected by secrets from the past. A young actor from the city also enters their world as he prepares for a role that requires him to learn about farming. Lederman created the piece to capture the life the two men shared. You can hear that sense of reflection in the music. “Angan Waltz” gives its melody plenty of room, allowing the fiddle to carry the feeling while the piano, bass, and guitar quietly support it. Nothing needs to be overstated. The beauty comes from the way the instruments work together and from the emotion held inside the melody.
For me, the fiddle is the highlight of the recording. Its sound has a lovely ache that lingers after the piece ends. I also really enjoy the simplicity of the arrangement, especially the gentle piano and bass passages. “Angan Waltz” is the first single from Lederman’s upcoming sixth solo album, In the Kitchen Again, which is due in November 2026. The album brings together original tunes written over the past 30 years, drawing from her long connection with Canadian fiddle traditions and her many years as a composer and performer.
If “Angan Waltz” connects with you, make sure to follow Anne Lederman online and keep an eye out for In the Kitchen Again. Adding the track to your playlist is also a good way to come back to its quiet fiddle, warm piano, and delicate arrangement whenever you want something calm and reflective. This is a lovely introduction to the next chapter of Lederman’s work, and there is plenty more to look forward to from an artist who has spent decades creating and sharing music.
