Chopin’s waltzes were – contrary to, say, those by Schubert – no longer conceived for dancing or for the ballroom. These pieces assumed the form and function of idealized concert waltzes, which Chopin enjoyed performing in the elegant and exclusive art-loving salons of Paris. A particularly eloquent example is the “Grande Valse brillante” op. 18 which, with its multiplicity of charming melodic ideas and moods – now gently rocking, now overwhelming, now again triumphantly jubilant – became one of Chopin’s most popular waltzes. The medium level of difficulty allows even less proficient pianists to become familiar with the “brilliant” side of Chopin through this waltz.
