Valse

Frederic Chopin

This new waltz by Frederic Chopin was found in the Morgan Library & Museum in New York City and released as part of a story published by the New York Times on October 27, 2024. It was first recorded by Lang Lang at Steinway Hall. Check out the original <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/27/arts/music/chopin-waltz-discovery.html" target="_blank" title="Read the NYT article.">New York Times</a> article for more details about its initial discovery.

A type of advanced waltz accompaniment that requires the left hand to leap, often by an octave or more, down to a chord tone and up to chords.

Waltz Accompaniment with Leaps

A type of accompaniment pattern that primarily uses major and minor triads with simple or slow-moving rhythms.

Blocked Chord Accompaniment

Two notes played together, usually in one hand but sometimes in both, whose distance is the interval of a octave.

Blocked Octaves

Sharps, flats and naturals that do not appear in a key signature.

Accidentals

Notes whose lengths are equal to one-eighth the value of a whole note or half the value of a quarter note.

8th Notes

A technique that requires the player to pick up and move their hand to a new position; usually from a five finger scale to another.

Shifting Hand Positions

Two notes played in succession, usually in one hand but sometimes in both, whose distance is the interval of a 6th of any quality.

Melodic 6ths

Two notes played in succession, usually in one hand but sometimes in both, whose distance is the interval of a 7th of any quality.

Melodic 7ths

Fortississimo

Notes whose values are determined by a subdivision into three-note groupings instead of two or four.

Triplets

8th notes whose lengths are increased by half; equal to three 16th notes.

Dotted 8th Notes

Ornamentations that are notated in a smaller size than normal notes and played slightly before them.

Grace Notes

Indications that the notes they accompany are to be played with a single rapid alternation with the note above or below.

Mordents

Indications instructing the player to put special emphasis on notes.

Accents

A series of any amount or quality of blocked 3rd intervals that are played in one hand, and where both notes move up or down in parallel motion.

Parallel 3rds

A symbol indicating that a section should be repeated.

Repeat Sign

A type of articulation indicating the player to play smoothly and seamlessly, with the notes slightly overlapped.