Chopin - Waltz № 5 in A-flat major, Op. 42

Waltz in A-flat major, Op. 42, is a lively waltz composed by Frédéric Chopin in 1840.

Though none of Chopin's works were actually intended to be danced to, this waltz does appear to be appropriate for use in the ballroom. It is often considered to be one of the finest and most perfect of Chopin's many waltzes.

The piece begins with an eight-bar introductory trill on the dominant, calling for the dance to begin. The opening melody of the work is light and in duple time, it is accompanied with a 3/4 left hand accompaniment. This waltz contains many virtuosic passages and a mesmerizing coda, making it a favourite for every audience. It is often considered one of Chopin's most important waltzes but is also one of the most challenging to play.

Frederic Francois Chopin (22 February or 1 March 1810 - 17 October 1849) was a Polish composer, virtuoso pianist, and music teacher of French - Polish parentage. He was one of the great masters of Romantic music and has been called "the poet of the piano".

Chopin was born in Zelazowa Wola, a village in the Duchy of Warsaw. A renowned child-prodigy pianist and composer, he grew up in Warsaw and completed his musical education there. Following the Russian suppression of the Polish November 1830 Uprising, he settled in Paris as part of the Polish Great Emigration. He supported himself as a composer and piano teacher, giving few public performances.

From 1837 to 1847 he carried on a relationship with the French woman writer George Sand. For most of his life, Chopin suffered from poor health; he died in Paris in 1849 at the age of 39. The vast majority of Chopin's works are exclusively for solo piano, the most notable exceptions being his two piano concertos.

His compositions are technically demanding but emphasize nuance and expressive depth. Chopin invented the musical form known as the instrumental ballade and made major innovations to the piano sonata, mazurka, waltz, nocturne, polonaise, etude, impromptu, scherzo, and prelude.

Creative Commons license: Public Domain.