Ringeltanz (Ring Dance) by Niels Gade - Boys’ Merry Go Round

Niels Gade (1817–1890) was the leading figure in 19th-century Danish music. Ringeltanz is the fourth movement of his popular collection, Fantasystykker (Fantasy Pieces), Op. 36, published in 1854.

At the time Gade wrote Fantasystykker, he had returned to Copenhagen from Leipzig. These pieces were intended for the burgeoning "house music" market—works that were sophisticated enough for the concert hall but accessible enough for talented amateur pianists to play in their parlors. Ringeltanz remains a staple in intermediate piano pedagogy today because of its melodic appeal and rhythmic vitality.