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Waltzes by 25 Contemporary Composers for Piano: Piano (Solo) Album

$29.95 USD
$29.95 USD
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Waltzes by 25 Contemporary Composers for Piano Cover Image
Waltzes by 25 Contemporary Composers for Piano: Piano (Solo) Album

Waltzes by 25 Contemporary Composers for Piano: Piano (Solo) Album

Waltzes by John Cage, Philip Glass, Roger Sessions and Others

Item: 98-EP66735
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Description

"During the summer of 1976, both of us, via a telephone conversation, realized that we had written two waltzes for piano. The surprise itself caused us to ask, 'Do you think we should ask other friends to write waltzes and put the sum-total into a waltz collection?' This question led us directly to C. F. Peters Corporaion, whose enthusiasm for the project was encouraging. Following this meeting came our difficult job of selecting composers, knowing that neither of us could invite everyone we knew who would be interested.

The invitations went out, and within a few months the waltzes began to appear.

We hope that this collection will give everyone great pleasure in performing and listening.

This Collection of Waltzes is dedicated with love and affection to Evelyn Hinrichsen."

-- Robert Helps and Robert Moran (March 1978)

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Additional Details
Series: Edition Peters
Publisher: Edition Peters
ISBN10: 0-300-72913-8
ISBN13: 978-0-300-72913-9
UPC: 9790300729138
SKU: 98-EP66735

More about this title

About the Creator: Robert Helps and Robert Moran

Robert Helps and Robert Moran conceived this project in 1976 when a chance phone conversation revealed they'd each written waltzes for piano. Rather than keep the pieces isolated, they decided to invite fellow composers to contribute, turning a personal discovery into a collaborative anthology. Their vision resulted in this Peters edition collection, which they dedicated to Evelyn Hinrichsen as a gift to performers and listeners alike.

The collection represents a snapshot of late-twentieth-century compositional approaches to a classical dance form. By gathering 25 distinct voices responding to the waltz tradition, Helps and Moran created something rare: a book where stylistic diversity itself becomes the point, inviting pianists to experience how different composers interpret rhythm, harmony, and structure within a single framework.

Why we love this

This anthology sidesteps the predictable concert opener by offering 25 genuinely different responses to the waltz rather than a parade of romantic chestnuts. Each piece is substantial enough to stand alone but short enough to fit naturally into recitals, competitions, or informal performances without dominating the program.

What to expect

Opening this book feels like stepping into a room where composers from different eras and idioms are all dancing to the same three beats. Some waltzes shimmer and glide; others march, swing, or bend rhythm almost beyond recognition. The pleasure lies in discovering how a simple constraint generates wildly different musical personalities.

Who it's for

Pianists preparing recitals, competition programs, or studio recitals will find fresh material that goes beyond the expected Chopin and Brahms. Teachers searching for varied, digestible concert pieces that still carry substance will appreciate having so many proven options in one volume.

How to get the most out of it

  • Survey the collection before assigning specific pieces. Not every waltz moves in 3/4 or swings predictably; familiarizing yourself with the range of approaches helps you match repertoire to a student's abilities and musical interests.
  • Create mini-recitals pairing waltzes by different composers. Hearing contrasting approaches in sequence teaches pianists how form and tradition can bend without breaking.
  • Explore the accompaniment patterns within the book. Many of these pieces reimagine what a waltz bass line can be, and understanding those rhythmic innovations sharpens your interpretation.

How to use it

Use individual waltzes to build character-study recitals that trace how one form evolved across a generation. A carefully chosen sequence of three or four pieces can serve as an intermission set or a thematic suite within a larger concert, giving audiences a playful interlude without requiring elaborate programming notes.

Skills your students will build

  • Recognizing variations on traditional waltz rhythms and harmonic progressions
  • Adapting interpretive choices to radically different compositional styles
  • Sight-reading fluency across diverse pianistic textures and notational approaches
  • Developing independent artistic voice by studying how different composers solve the same formal problem

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