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I'm learning a Chopin's waltz at the moment, in Am, titled (like quite a few of his waltzes) "Valse Brillante". It is a moody, minor key piece - very far from what I would think of as a "brilliant" sound, so I find the title puzzling. If anyone could enlighten me as to the reason/history behind the title, I would be grateful.

Relatedly,in the Shirmer's Library edition I have, Chopin's waltzes have one of three titles: waltz, valse brillant, or grand valse brillant. I'm curious as to what the difference in title signifies.

The Grande Valse brillante is Chopin's Op. 18.

The one you're playing is the 2nd of his 3 'Valses brillantes', Op. 34.

I've no clue about the Op. 34, but the Op. 18 was supposedly Chopin's favorite (?). Hence the title.

"Brillante" refers to a style of composition, usually signifying a showy piece with lots of rapid finger work.

This style was very popular with 19th Century audiences.

There were hundreds and probably thousands of Grande Valses Brillante and Grande Sonatas Brillante written.

The Chopin Waltzes Nos. 1, 2, 4, and 5 are definitely 'Brillante'.

Why he called No.3 'Brillante' I have no idea.

Valse Grande Misérable might have been more fitting.


Mel

I think Chopin meant to say he was a brilliant composer.

The pieces marked 'brillante' are mostly only his firsts.. Maybe he was trying to make it big in the music scene back then.. Guess that worked

Hah! No kidding!

This piece always reminded me of a very poor, very old lady with a veil, in cold weather. Gorgeous melody, characteristic Chopin genius... but "Brilliante"?

thanks for the replies everyone! So "brillant" is primarily describing the style as being showy, with rapid finger work.

ecthelion, I also noticed that the "valse brillantes" tended to be the earlier waltzs, and the later ones merely titled "Waltz". I wonder why the switch from French to English. Was the "brillante" dropped because these later waltzes don't fit that style, or does one simply not use "Brilliant Waltz" in English?

Are you sure that the later waltzes are titled 'Waltz', in English rather than French? Because the titles can change with the publisher. It may be possible that the later ones were published in French as valses but your version might be English.

Could probably find out by checking out the original scores on IMSLP..

Most of the Waltzes in IMSLP are from the 1894 Schirmer (ed. Mikuli) edition, not, then, from original sources.

According to Groves the Schirmer edition is based largely on Kistner, one of three German collected editions appearing about 1880. The other two are Breitkopf & Härtel and Peters.

Regards,

The Chopin's First Editions Online website shows the title of Valse used in the original French, German and English editions for all eight waltzes published during Chopin's lifetime.

As mentioned earlier by dannylux, "Brillant" refers to the musical Style Brillant popular in the early 19th century that incorporated bravura, brilliance and technical display. Many of Chopin's earlier opus numbers reflect its influence, notably the three Rondos, the Variations Op. 2, the Variations Op. 12, the Grande Fantaisie on Polish Airs Op. 13 and the Krakowiak Op. 14.

Chopin drifted away from Style Brillant as his own pianistic idiom matured. I believe that the use of "Brillant" for the Op. 18 and Op. 34 waltzes but none of the subsequent ones illustrates that shift. And though Op. 34 No. 2 is elegiac, it was published as part of a set with the relatively brilliant No. 1 and No. 3.

Steven

This made my day.