Chopin: Waltz, Op. 34, No. 1 | Lang Lang, piano

His waltzes were not intended for dancing: Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849) composed the three Piano Waltzes, Op. 34, for the salons of Parisian high society under the title "Grande valses brillantes." Chinese star pianist Lang Lang performed Waltz No. 1 in A-flat major as an encore on January 28, 2010, in the Golden Hall of the Vienna Musikverein as part of his major three-day Vienna Concert.

The waltz is one of the oldest social dances of the modern bourgeois era. By the mid-19th century, this couple’s dance in triple meter had reached the height of its popularity. In the second half of the century, Johann Strauss II helped make the Viennese waltz famous around the world as a popular dance form. Frédéric Chopin, too, was captivated by the waltz during his time in Vienna. Yet his "Grande valses brillantes," Op. 34, were composed later, after he had settled in France. Unlike the orchestral waltzes associated with dancing, Chopin’s were written exclusively for solo piano — an innovative choice at the time. The three waltzes of Op. 34 were published as a set in 1838.

Chopin had written the three pieces not only to entertain the guests at Parisian artists’ salons, but to demonstrate his virtuosic skill to wealthy aristocrats — especially with Op. 34, No. 1, which he composed in 1835. He earned his living not only as a composer and a renowned piano virtuoso, but above all as a piano teacher. Chopin commanded such high fees for his lessons that he could afford to live lavish lifestyle in Paris, complete with servants and his own carriage. He dedicated the Waltz, Op. 34, No. 1 to his piano student Josefina von Thun-Hohenstein, who came from a Bohemian noble family.

The fast, virtuosic waltz in A-flat major requires a high degree of skill. The piano piece is technically demanding. The first theme flows like a stream, at times lyrically gentle, then again lively and swirling. The piece's middle section of the piece is contemplatively dreamy, before parts of the beginning return, with virtuoso runs and leaps alternating at impressive speed. The coda culminates in two striking final chords.

Chopin composed around 25 waltzes; many of them have been lost or were not intended for public release, having been given as gifts to various women in his life. In the spring of 2024, a manuscript of a previously unknown waltz, now called Walz in A minor, approximately 1:30 in length, was discovered in a New York library. Scholars believe it was composed by Chopin, based on its musical characteristics, the handwriting and the ink.

The world premiere of the piece was performed in 2024 by none other than the Chinese pianist Lang Lang. He had already recorded Op. 34 No. 1 for Sony in 2010 during the grand Vienna Concert in the Golden Hall of the Vienna Musikverein — in the city where the waltz became famous.

Text: Gaby Reucher

© 2010 Sony Classical International

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