Robert Schumann, a German composer and influential music critic, praised Chopin's three Waltzes Op 34, noting their unique quality and improvisatory feel.
Compositional Technique
Chopin's first published waltz, the Grande valse brillante in E flat major Op 18, is one of the few that can actually be danced to, unlike his later 'dance poems'.
Historical Context
The waltz form, which originated from German and Austrian peasant dances, gained popularity in European ballrooms by the early 1800s.
Composer Biography
Chopin, a Polish composer, left Poland for Vienna, the 'Waltz City', before settling permanently in Paris.
Composition History
Only eight of Chopin's twenty waltzes were published during his lifetime; the rest were released posthumously.
Compositional Technique
Chopin intended his Waltz in A flat major Op 42, which begins with an eight-bar trill, to evoke the sound of a musical clock.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded in 1995 at the Performing Arts Center, Purchase College, State University of New York, and features a Bösendorfer Imperial Grand piano.
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