Piano Forum

Chopin wrote this wonderful Waltz when he was 19 years old.

I like to think that he wrote it in a fit of passion for somebody.

It seems to me that a tempo of mm=240 for the quarter note is about right. I've heard recordings as slow as mm=190 (way too slow, in my opinion).

In my head I hear the middle section as very playful, so that's the way I play it.

Many pianists accelerate on the last page; indeed, Rachmaninoff and Levitzki played the last page at nearly mm=300 or above. It's striking to hear, but mm=300 is beyond me.

Check out Dinu Lipatti's gorgeous recording.

I think the key to this Waltz is youthful passion.


remy