Waltzes, Volume II: Piano Book

Name: Waltzes, Volume II: Piano Book
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-K03987
Price: 9.95 USD
Availability: InStock

By Johann Strauss, Jr.

Level: Intermediate / Advanced

Item: 00-K03987

$9.95

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A collection of Intermediate / Advanced piano solos composed by Johann Strauss, Jr..

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Waltzes, Volume II: Piano Book comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.

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Series: Kalmus Edition

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 40

ISBN10: 0-7692-4142-5

ISBN13: 978-0-7692-4142-5

UPC: 029156167337

SKU: 00-K03987

More about this title

About the Composer: Johann Strauss, Jr.

Johann Strauss, Jr. (1825-1899) inherited his father's mantle as Vienna's preeminent waltz composer and expanded the genre far beyond the ballroom. His mastery of orchestration and melodic invention made him an international sensation, yet his brilliance translates remarkably well to solo piano, where the essential charm and structural sophistication of his writing shine through without orchestral padding.

Strauss composed nearly 500 works across multiple genres, but the waltz remains his signature. His pieces demand both technical facility and the ability to sustain long, singing melodic lines while managing elegant accompaniment patterns. For pianists, his music offers a gateway into Romantic-era composition that rewards careful attention to phrasing, rubato, and the expressive possibilities of the keyboard.

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Why we love this

Strauss's waltzes sit in that sweet spot where virtuosity and accessibility coexist. These intermediate-advanced pieces challenge pianists with sophisticated harmonic movement and ornamentation without requiring the extreme technical demands of later Romantic repertoire, making them ideal for building confidence in upper-intermediate students moving toward recital performance.

What to expect

Dancing without leaving the bench. Strauss's waltzes combine the lilting, buoyant character of the Viennese tradition with genuinely sophisticated harmonic and melodic writing. These pieces sparkle with confidence and charm while requiring serious musical maturity to perform convincingly.

Who it's for

Intermediate to advanced pianists ready to move beyond Baroque and Classical sonatas into Romantic repertoire with genuine performance appeal. This collection works well for students preparing for auditions, competitions, or recitals where elegant, audience-friendly music is valued.

How to get the most out of it

Shape each phrase as a singing line rather than a sequence of notes. Strauss wrote for the human voice first; let the melody breathe and lean into the natural rubato of waltz rhythm.
Manage the accompaniment pattern with subtle dynamic shading. The left hand should support without overwhelming; clarity and lightness matter more than volume.
Honor the three-beat pulse without rigidity. Authentic Viennese waltz performance allows for gentle give-and-take within the measure, which brings the music alive.
Listen carefully to the harmonic changes and let them guide your voicing. Strauss often shifts tonality or employs unexpected cadences; letting these surprises shape your touch adds sophistication to the performance.

How to use it

Include these waltzes on student recitals as standalone pieces or pair them with other Romantic-era salon music to create a thematic program. They work equally well as encores or opening numbers, offering teachers a resource that students enjoy learning and audiences enjoy hearing.