Waltz in E flat major, Op. 18 "Grande valse brillante"

The waltz opens with a short fanfare of rising chords, a call to the dance floor. Then the main tune arrives over the steady one-two-three bounce of the left hand, light and quick, with little decorations that spin around the melody. A second waltz tune follows, more flowing, and the music keeps trading between these ideas. Listen for the way the opening call comes back to frame the piece, and for the quicker, sparkling runs near the close, which push the dance to a bright finish. Because it is played with orchestra here, notice how the strings take over the swirling melody while winds and brass add color to the bounce.

Chopin wrote the waltz in the early 1830s, soon after settling in Paris, and it was published in 1834, one of the few waltzes he allowed into print during his life. Unlike the dance music played at balls, it was meant to be listened to, with polish and playful flourishes that suit a concert. It became one of his most loved short works. Orchestral versions were made later by other musicians, so the sound you hear in a concert hall depends on whose arrangement is used.