Johann Strauss II - Kaiser-Walzer (Emperor Waltz), Op. 437

Strauss often played in the glittering Imperial balls, conducting the orchestra and playing the first violin at the same time.   The majestic launch of this fascinating waltz presents the backdrop of the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the hegemony of the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph in 1888. Johann Strauss II was Music Director of the Dance Hesperides of the Imperial Court from 1863 to 1872 and composed on occasion for the celebration of an imperial anniversary. The ingenuity of the melody of the Emperor Waltz, which was originally orchestrated for a full orchestra, is such that it was easily adapted for the four or five instruments of a chamber ensemble by the Austrian composer Arnold Schoenberg in 1925. This waltz is a tender and somewhat melancholic work, which at times turns its gaze nostalgically to the old Vienna. The waltz praises the majesty and dignity of the old monarch, who was fully devoted to his people. It begins with a majestic, magnificent march, which soon re
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Chopin - Waltzes, Op. 70

At Chopin's time, the composition of a "waltz concerto" was not new - composers like Mozart had helped shape this form. However, the elements, introduced by Chopin, was new. He turned the waltz into a musical genre of exceptional subtlety and kindness, dominated by the piano. The composer was still a teenager when he composed his first work in this form and continued to compose waltzes almost until the end of his life. 


Waltz in G-flat major, Op. 70, No.1

In this waltz, the melody is full of vibrancy. Then a slow dreamy musical idea is presented and the rhythm changes abruptly. But the new mood doesn't last long. The first melody returns, now like a coda, completing the work serenely.




Waltz in F minor, Op. 70, No. 2

Although this waltz is particularly lively, the prevailing mood is melancholy. The two melodies on which the work is based are the first in minor tonality and the second in major and are interpreted twice. The waltz is calmly completed in a major tonality.



Waltz in D-flat major, Op. 70, No. 3

In this work the expressive melody shows no sudden contrasts - the rhythm remains the same and the dynamics of the work are limited. Although this particular work is not clearly a waltz directly connected to the ballroom, the triple meter is permanently present, relaxed and distinctive.


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