La passeggiata dell’oca means “Walk of the Goose” in Italian, though the former simply sounds a lot more elegant, which is why it was chosen. It is not usual that a goose is a particularly elegant creature on the ground. In flight, perhaps. However, at best, a goose waddles when Earthbound. This piece showcases that waddle in its rhythmic format with its tendency to a jaunty, staccato waltz.

The scene is a lone goose, foraging on a warm, summer day on a lazy hillside, adorned with wildflowers and buzzing insects. He creeps along, finding all sorts of goodies to munch—occasionally stopping to sniff the air and pose. At times, his energy piques, and he stumbles about in a part run to find a new patch to roam.

On his adventures, he spots a plump, lazy, circling bug that he thinks will suit him for a snack. This is portrayed in the music by a seemingly out-of-place, rushed, galloping phrase, followed by what seems like a very sudden, assuming return to the place it left off, as the goose loses his focus on the bug and returns to ordinary grazing. After the chase, our feathered friend finds himself mighty drowsy, and the next musical section portrays a subtle Brahms “Lullaby” hint, if one listens for it.

Near the end, in the ad. lib. cadenza, our friend is waking up, feeling refreshed, and he’s preparing himself to take wing to find a new spot for adventures. This requires quite a bit of flapping and skipping about to gain momentum. Then, the piece closes with a simple musical sigh, as life goes on in the meadow without its waddling visitor.