Chopin frequently gave waltz manuscripts as gifts to close companions and high-born acquaintances, sometimes even penning multiple copies of the same piece.
Composer Biography
As a teenager, Frédéric Chopin initially considered the waltz a "trifle," expressing astonishment that waltzes were regarded as serious "works" in Vienna.
Composition History
Chopin withheld more than half of the waltzes he composed from publication, a practice he did not apply to any other genre.
Composition History
The famous nickname 'Minute Waltz' for Op. 64 No. 1 was not given by Chopin, who disliked descriptive titles, but it conveys the idea that the waltz unfolds as if lasting only a minute.
Compositional Technique
Chopin's waltzes exist in an unusually high number of variant versions because he rarely reproduced a work literally when preparing a new manuscript, often modifying details or adding/deleting sections.
Compositional Technique
Chopin's waltzes often feature intellectual play, such as harmonic and melodic instability, pervasive chromaticism, and themes that sound duple despite being in triple time.
Performer Biography
Stephen Hough, the pianist on this recording, was awarded a prestigious MacArthur Fellowship in 2001 for his unique contributions to contemporary life.
