From the mid-19th century to the early 20th century, one magical and captivating dance style ruled the ballrooms of Europe – the waltz. The best composers of that time created heavenly and romantic music for the waltz rhythm, which originated in Germany, and made it synonymous with fairy tales, balls, and magnificent dance performances that were the foundation for the development of ballroom dancing culture. Although the waltz is no longer a popular dance style today, the magic of the melodies inspired by it is still alive, and the various waltz compositions continue to evoke emotions and enjoyment among all music lovers. To help you enjoy some of the greatest waltzes ever created, we’ve gathered our top 10 picks and brought them to you, along with the stories behind them, so you can both enjoy and learn.
The most famous waltz music of all and one of the most beloved classical tunes of all time is the pinnacle of the works of Johann Strauss II, one of the greatest composers of the 19th century, who is also known as the "King of the Waltzes." He composed this piece, whose full title is "On the Beautiful Blue Danube," in 1866, and it was first performed in 1867. Since then, it has become an integral part of the international canon. In 1968, renowned director Stanley Kubrick incorporated the Blue Danube Waltz into his successful film "2001: A Space Odyssey," cementing its place in pop culture, and it has since become associated with science fiction films.
This stirring and soulful waltz is one of the most famous and beloved compositions by 20th-century Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich. It was included in his "Suite for Variety Orchestra," which gained fame after 1956, but experts believe that it was originally written for the soundtrack of the Soviet film "The First Echelon," which was created in 1955 and dealt with a group of men who came to settle the lands of Kazakhstan. This waltz has enjoyed renewed popularity in recent years thanks to repeated performances by popular Dutch conductor André Rieu and his orchestra.
The greatest composer of Russia and one of the most important creators of the Romantic era of the 19th century wrote and composed some of the most famous ballet works of all time, with Swan Lake being perhaps the most prominent among them. The waltz that Tchaikovsky included in this piece – which tells the story of Princess Odette, who is transformed into a swan by an evil sorcerer’s curse – appears both in the first and third acts, and it is undoubtedly a sweeping and wonderful piece.
The operetta "The Merry Widow" by Hungarian composer Franz Lehár premiered in 1905 and cleverly satirized the politics, ideals, and money of Central European nobility in the years before World War I. This operetta was a huge success, and new productions of it continue to be staged around the world to this day, with the delicate and classical waltz from it shining in the third act, where a violin and cello intertwine in a warm and wonderful embrace.
The Hungarian composer of German origin Franz Liszt composed no fewer than four waltzes which he called "Mephisto Waltzes" – all of them dedicated to the German folklore character Mephistopheles, a demon enslaved to serve the devil. Of these four pieces, the most famous is the first, composed between 1859-1862, characterized by passion, sensuality, and notable drama, making it a particular favorite to perform at various concerts.
With its light bass movement and irresistibly uplifting melody, this sweeping waltz music – from another of Tchaikovsky’s classic masterpieces – is one of the most catchy and prominent tunes from the late Romantic era. It appears in the first act of the ballet, which Tchaikovsky composed in 1889, when the main character, Princess Aurora, is introduced to her four suitors, just before she becomes the Sleeping Beauty later in the story.
After the Blue Danube mentioned earlier, it can be said that "Voices of Spring" is yet another one of the most famous tunes composed by the "King of the Waltzes," Johann Strauss. As its name implies – this piece, composed in 1886, joyfully celebrates the arrival of spring, and humorous lyrics were even written for it by French poet Richard Genée, along with dance movements for a ballet performance inspired by it.
Although the French composer of Jewish descent, Émile Waldteufel, is not one of the most recognized names, if there is one of his works that has stood the test of time, it is "The Skaters’ Waltz," which he composed in 1892, inspired by skaters in the Bois de Boulogne forest in Paris. This piece, which evokes images of snow and various winter activities, remains one of the favorite tunes for competitors in figure skating competitions.
The collection of Slavonic Dances composed by Czech composer Antonín Dvořák between 1878 and 1886 included no fewer than 16 orchestral pieces, but the most famous of them is this wonderful waltz, No. 2 in the series. It is a slow, melancholic, heavenly, and beautiful waltz, representing the composer’s introspection and self-reflection; the cheerful section in the middle of the piece may give us a bit of a breather, but it is woven between many tense and anxious segments that maintain the atmosphere of contemplation that this piece exudes.
