Brahms Waltzes, Op. 39

[frida1]

Sorry about the very vague question:I am playing this set of waltzes.  I love Brahms, but I'm having a little trouble getting acquainted with these.  Any general tips for how to play them or how they should sound?

[whynot]

I love this set! and I don't think it gets played enough.  I performed it recently.  Well, most of them-- I cut a few that I thought were not as special as the others (gasp).  And I ended with the Ab major (is that #15?).  I had trouble connecting with many of them for a while.  I ended up "dressing" them in my head, actually.  I invented a different ball gown for each one, and sort of choreographed the whole set in costume.  #2 E maj was baby blue, #3  G#m was a soft, clingy yellow, and #4 Em "gypsy" was blood-red, off-the-shoulder.  I don't know why I remember!  Must have been a vivid learning experience.  I did a different tempo for each waltz, and some I let come to a close with a real pause, while others I allowed to be interrupted by the next one.  Well, you get the idea.  Another thing I played with was opposites:  trying the extreme opposite of what my first instincts were-- in tempo, pedaling, even voicing-- just to make myself really hear them with fresh ears.  I didn't keep most of those interpretations! it was just a brainstorm thing that helped me get unstuck.  The only other tip I'd offer is to learn the C# major first!  And maybe to start #1 with a lot of vigor, kind of regal at the opening like you're announcing the start of the dance, then the B section can be more charming.     

Anyway, best of luck!
       

[frida1]

Thanks for the very interesting and useful reply!

[anda]

how they should sound?

they should sound like waltzes, and that's the main problem too much brahms and too little dance music in that score...

[whynot]

I think the score is full of dance music.  It's stylized, not written necessarily to be literally danced to, although you could waltz to several of them.  And since he grew up playing in dance halls (well, that's one way to put it), I think Brahms had a strong, albeit broad, sense of all that dance music might be.