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Frédéric Chopin

Waltz in A minor
Opus posth.

About
The Waltz in A minor was composed near the end of Chopin’s life, perhaps even as late as 1849, when he was very weak
and surely realised that he didn’t have much time left to live. It’s not a gloomy piece however, although the main mood
could be described as somewhat melancholy. Chopin adds two brighter and more extrovert middle sections to balance
the soft lyricism of the main theme.

The piece wasn’t published until well into the 20th century. It was discovered by the American pianist Byron Janis as late
as in the 1950s, together with another previously unknown Waltz in E-flat major (now known as Waltz no. 18), at Chateau
Thoiry near Paris, France. A few years later Janis repeated his discovery at the Yale University, where he found two other
versions of the same waltzes!

Preparatory Questions
Use the PS Practice Score when answering these questions.

1. The form could be described as A-B-A’-C-A’’, where A stands for the main theme and A’ and A’’ are sections where the
main theme returns, slightly changed. Write the letters in the empty boxes in the Practice Score.

2. Name the four chords played by the left hand in bars 1-4 ...........................................................................................

3. The melodic rhythm is very characteristic and quite repetitive. Write the number of a bar where the right hand plays:
a) two eighth notes and two quarter notes .............
b) two eighth notes and one half note ..............
c) How many bars can you find with either of these rhythms? .................

4. In which section(s) of the piece are these rhythms missing? .................

5. There is a change of key in the piece: In bar .............. the key changes into .................................... and in bar .............
the music returns to A minor.

Mastering the Piece Practice Plan

• A singing RH legato with beautiful phrasing Session 1: Bars 1-4, practicing layers separately
• Balanced, flowing bass/chord accompaniment Session 2: Bars 17-24
• Melodic trills, blending with the legato line Session 3: Adding bass notes/Section C, right hand
• A smooth and rhythmically correct E major arpeg- Session 4: Trills
gio in bar 21
Session 5: Pedal
• Clean pedaling

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Preparatory Exercises

Session 1: Bars 1-4, layers separately and in twos

Practice the three layers - melody, chords and bass notes - separately. Don't play the ornaments yet, nor use the pedal.

Start with a light thumb.

Play the three quick notes at the beginning of each bar in one impulse, using a round, gentle wrist motion.

˙
2

3
1

œ œ œ œ
1
œ
2
œ
1 &4 œ

This circling motion with a free, flexible wrist is one of the most important technical tools you will need for this piece.
Let the wrist drop, then move it to the right and up as you play the three eighth notes, creating a semi-circle.

For the six eighth notes in bar three, continue the movement to make a full circle with the wrist:

Drop wrist Float wrist

& go left Drop - and - float
& go right

œ œ œ œ œ #œ ˙
œ
5

& œ
1 3 1 2 3

Chopin's original slurring, separating bars 3 and 4, underlines the important eighth-note motif, but there is no need to lift
or make a gap at the barline - play these two bars with a continuous legato.

Identify the chords played by the LH, and play them as dotted half notes.

˙˙˙ ™™™ ˙˙ ™™™ ˙˙ ™™ ˙˙ ™™

? ˙ ˙™ ˙™
3
1 1 1
3 2 3
5 5 5

{
Add the RH melody. Try to phrase it beautifully, growing as the notes go up and tapering off at the fourth bar.
This time, play without the upbeat and start with the thumb on A, as in bar 25.

œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ #œ ˙
1 2

œ
1 3

& œ œ œ œ œ
5

œ
1 1 3

˙˙˙ ™™™ ˙˙ ™™™ ˙˙ ™™ ˙˙ ™™

˙ ˙™ ˙™
4
?
1 1 1 1
3 2 3 2
5 5 5 5

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LH bass notes: Place the fifth finger on the key and play a quick staccato. Feel how the light thrust into the key
creates a force in the opposite direction, lifting your hand up into the air.

? Œ Œ Œ Œ Œ Œ œ. Œ Œ
œ
œ >. >
5

œ
>. >.
5
5
5

œœ. œœ. œœ. œœ.

LH chords: Place firm fingers on the keys and play soft chords with a light, relaxed arm.

œœœ. œœœ. œœ. œœ.

? Œ
pp
Œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
6 Œ Œ
1 1 1 1
3 2 3 2
5 5 5 5

Finally practice the complete left hand part. You need to move really quickly to play this bass-chord accompaniment with
precision. Use the energy from the bass note thrust to quickly place the hand in position for the chords.

Play all chords with the soft and light touch that you practiced in exercise 6.

œœ. œœ. œœ. œœ.

œœœ. œœœ. â
. œœ.
? jâ ‰ ≠œ œ â
j ‰ œ œ j œ
œ
j œ œ. ‰ œ œ
œ. >. >
7

œ >
>.
1 1 1 1
3 2 3 5 2
5 5 5 5 5
5
5

{
Drop the bass and play the RH melody together with the repeated chords.
Keep the left hand as soft as possible, allowing the right hand to sing out.

œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ #œ ˙
2 2

œ
1

œ œ œ œ œ œ
5 3
1 1 3

& œ
1

8
œœœ. œœœ. œœ. œœ. œœ. œœ. œœ. œœ.
? Œ
pp
œ œ œ œ œ œ
Œ Œ Œ Œ
1 1 1 1
3 2 3 2
5 5 5 5

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Session 2: Bars 17-24

Use the same procedure to practice bars 17-20. Practice layers separately first, then combine 1) melody and chords
2) bass note and chords.

#œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ
3 4 3 2 4 3
1 2 3 1
1

9 &

Observe the hairpins and keep phrasing off elegantly. Let the wrist float up at the end of each slur. Besides making the
final note of each slur suitably light, the wrist lift also prepares the hand for playing the next group of notes.

œ #œ
3

œ œ œ œ œ œ
4 3

œ œ
1 3

&
1 2 3
10

œœ. #œœ. œœ. œœ. œœ. œœ. œœ. œœ.

11
? Œ œ œ Œ œ œ Œ œ œ Œ œ œ
1 1 1 1 1
2 3 2 2 2
5 5 5 5 5
Note the change
from B to G-sharp!

{
œ
œ #œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ
3 3 3

œ œ œ œ œ
3 1 4
1 4 3
1

&
3
1 2 3

œœ. .
œ œœ. œœ. œœ. œœ. œœ. œœ.
? Œ #œœ
12
œ Œ œ œ Œ œ œ Œ œ œ
1 1 1 1 1
2 3 2 2 2
5 5 5 5 5

œœ. #œœ. . œœ. œœ. œœ. . œœ.

? j≠œ œ j ≠œ j ≠œ œ œj ≠œ
œ
œ œ
œ
œ œ œ
œ >. œ >.
13

>. 5
1
2
5
1
3
5
5 1
2
5
>. 5
1
2
5
5 1
2
5

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The RH arpeggio in bar 21 will need some extra attention. Apart from a well-oiled arpeggio technique you need to be
confident about the rhythm. Do the following exercises with a metronome, feeling the beats strongly.

Close the lid and tap these rhythms with the indicated fingering:

Note the fingering - these are the

fingers you will use in the arpeggio.

& >>> >>> >>> ™™ >>>>>>>>>> >>>>> ™™ >>> >>>>> > ™™

3 3 3 5 5 5 3 5
1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3

> > > > > > > > >

14

count: 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3

“”
Open the lid and practice the arpeggio, still focusing on the beat:
3

#œ œ œ œ œ
3
1 1 3

œ œ
3 3 3

& œ œ œ Œ & œ œ œ
1 1 1

15 16
5
count: 1 2 3 count: 1 2 3

Play exercise 16 legato and really slowly with a very flexible arm, making slightly exaggerated movements (wrist up,
elbow out) to help the thumb reach the higher E.
When you play the fast quintuplet in exercise 14, be as elastic as before but make the movements much smaller. The
legato should still be there, but with an impression that the hand is just flying into position.

“”
Now try bars 21-24, omitting bass notes only.

{
#œ œ œ œ œ™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ
3

œ ˙
1 3 1 3 3 3
3 4

& œ#œ œ Œ
1

œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
5
#
17
? Œ œ œ Œ œ œ Œ œ œ Œ œ œ
1 1 1 1 1
2 3 2 2 2
5 5 5 5 5

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Session 3: Adding bass notes/Section C, right hand

{
Return to the opening bars, still omitting ornaments and pedal, but adding the complete accompaniment.
Hopefully, you will feel secure enough to be able to control the left hand skips and still phrase the melody carefully.

œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ #œ ˙ 5 1 2

œ œ œ œ œ œ
1 2 1 1 3 3

& œ
18
œœœ œœœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
? Œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ
œ 1
3
œ 1
2 5
1
3
5 1
2
5 5 5 5 5
5

{ {
Here are some bars from the A and A' sections that you haven't had a chance to practice yet.
Play them slowly, four times with the RH only and four times hands together.

œ œ œ #œ œ œ nœ ˙™
5

œ
5

œ œ œ
3 2 1

& œ
1 3 2

&
œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
19 20

? Œ œ œ Œ œ ? Œ œ œ Œ œ œ
1 1 1 1 1
3 2 2 3 2
5 5 5 5 5

{ {
Note the change
from B to D!

œ œ ˙ œ #œ œ #œ œ ˙
1 3

œ œ
2

& œ œ #œ
1 3
1 1 2 1

&
21
œœœ œœœ œœ œœ 22
#œœœ œœœ n œœ
? Œ Œ œ œ ? Œ Œ œ Œ
1 1 1 1
3 2 2 2
5 5 3 5

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Let's move on to section C, bars 33-40, starting with the RH. This section calls for a lot of flexiblility in all directions and is
very useful as a study in arm and wrist movement.
Make sure that you are still moving the wrist in circles and that the arm is free and elastic, ready to support the the fingers
on both black and white keys.

Use forearm rotation for this

"zig-zag" pattern (tilt the
Move the hand up
hand a little to the right and
and forward to Make a full circle with the wrist. back on every beat):
support the 5th finger.

œ# œ œ# œ œ# œ œ# œ œ œ œ # œ œ œ#œ œ#œ
5 5
1

œ
1 2 5

J
1 4
3 2 1

23 & 24 & 25 &

Extend the hand for these wide intervals, and again make sure that the wrist is free to move sideways.
Go into a comfortable, aligned position on the quarter notes.

œ œ #œ œ
3 2 1 4 3
œ #œ œ #œ œ
3 4 3

& #œ
2 1

26

Session 4: Trills
Now add the short trills embellishing the melody.
Practice them separately and slowly, with a light arm and firm fingertips.
Practice three different fingerings.

1 3 1 1 3 1

œ "# œ œ ‰ ™ œ "# œ œ œœœ

3 4 3 3 4 3

œ œ #œ ˙
5 1 3 1 2

& œœ
3
œœ
1 3

27 & 28

1 4 3 1 4 3

Try to make the notes of the trill very even. When playing it slowly, tilt the hand just a little to the right and back. When you
play the trill faster, this rotating movement will disappear or become so small that it can't be noticed.

3 4 3 4 3

œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ
‰™
3 4 3 3 4 3
œœ
29 & Œ

If there are notes in the trills that don't sound, the problem could be that the keys haven't been released in time.
Lift the fingers as quickly as possible to allow the key to be played again - most crucially the fingers that play the first note
of the trill (in exercise 28, for example, this would be the 3rd finger).

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Add the trills to the passages practiced earlier. Play the trills before the beat.

{
They don't need to be very fast - focus on evenness and try to blend the trills smoothly with the legato line.

œ
œ #œ #œ œ œ œœœœœ œ #œ œ œ œ
3 4 3 4
œœ
3 3
œœ
œœœœœ
3 1 4 3 3 4 3
1
œœ
1 4

&
3
1 2 3

30
œœ #œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
? Œ œ œ Œ œ œ Œ œ œ Œ œ œ
1 1 1 1 1
2 3 2 2 2
5 5 5 5 5

{
œ # œ œ # œ œ œ # œ œ œ #œ œ #œ
m
232 1 5 3 1 4
4 3 4

œ œ #œ œ #œ œ #œ œ
1

œ
2

œ#œ œ#œ
3 2 1 4 3 3 2 1 4 3

& #œ
#œœœ
31
œœ # œœ œœ œœ œœ # œœ œœ
? Œ œ Œ œ œ Œ œ œ Œ œ œ
1 1 1 1
3 2 2 2
5 5 5 5

{ {
Add these bars from the A'' section. Play the longer trill with the same kind of smooth, calm effortlessness.

œ œ#œ œ œ nœ ˙
1

œ œ œ œ œ#œ œ œ
3 2 5

œ
4 2
3 4

& ‰
3

#œ ˙
4

&
2 2 1

3 5

#œœœ
32
œœ œœ 33
œ n œœ œ
? Œ œ Œœ ? Œ œ œ Œ œ
1 1 1 1
3 2 5 2
5 5 5

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Session 5: Pedal
Finally, add the pedal. Remember that the pedal markings are suggestions that can be adjusted according to instrument,
acoustics and personal preferences.

In the Practice Score, the pedal changes every time there is a risk that eighth notes in the RH could cause a blur. You
are encouraged to experiment with longer pedals and let your own ears be the judge!
An advanced option would be to make full pedal changes only on the first beat of every bar, and just flutter the pedal or
use half changes to clear the treble while you keep the bass notes ringing.

œœœ œœœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
? œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ
œ
34

œ 1 1 1 5 1

ø ø ø ø ø ø ø ø
2 5 3 2
3 5
5 5 5 5

°
5

{
œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ 5 1 3 1

œ #œ ˙
2

œ œ œ œ œ œ
3 3
œœ
1 2 1 1

& œ
35 p
œœœ œœœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
? œ œ œ œ œ œ
Œ œ œ
œ 1 œ 1 1 1

ø ø ø ø ø ø ø ø
5 2
3 2 5 3
5 5 5 5 5

°
5

In the B section, the melody goes up to a higher register, which lessens the risk of blurring. Full bar pedals help with the
crescendos in bars 17 and 21, and pedal changes on the third beat in the remaining bars works well with the change of
melodic rhythm.

œœ #œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
? œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
36
œ œ œ œ

ø ø ø ø ø ø
5 1 5
5 1 1 1 1
2 5 2
2 3 2

°
5 5 5 5 5

{
œ œ œ œœœœœ œ #œ œ œ œ
3 4 3 4

#œ #œ œœ
3 3 4
œœ
œ œœœœœ
1 3 3 4
3 3
œœ
1 1 4 3

&
1 2 3

mf œœ #œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
?
37
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ
ø ø ø ø ø ø
1 1 5 1 1 5 1
5 2 3 2 5 2 2

°
5 5 5 5 5

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A special effect can be added in bar 32, by observing the quarter rest. Changing the pedal while holding the B in the right

{
hand will create a kind of subito p that will make listeners sit up in their chairs!

œ #œ œ #œ œ ˙ hold œ
2 1 3 1

#œ
1 3

Œ
2 1

&
#œœœ œœœ n œœ release
#œœœ
p crescendo f
? œ Œ
38

œ œ œ
ø ø ø ø
1 1 1
2 5 5

°
5 3 2 3
5 5

The longer pedals can be used in the C section as well:

{
œ # œ œ # œ œ œ #mœ œ œ #œ œ #œ
232 1 5 3
4 1 4 3 4

œ œ #œ œ #œ œ #œ œ
1 4

œ
2
3
œ#œ œ#œ
3 3

& #œ
2 1

#œœœ
f œœ # œœ œœ œœ œœ # œœ œœ
?
39
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ
ø ø ø ø ø
1 1 1 1
3 2 2 2

°
5 5 5 5

Finally, practice the last four bars

1) hands separately
2) hands together, without pedal

{
3) hands together, with pedal.
œ œ œœ œ

œ œ œ œ œ
5

œ Ÿœ
5

#œ œ œ #œ ˙
34

œ œ #œ œ œ
& ‰
1 4 4 2
2 1

mf œœ œœ œ n œœ œ
40
? œ œ Œ œ œ œ
5
œ Œ
œ œ œ
1

ø ø ø ø ø
1 5 3 1 1 5 1
3 4 5 5 2 5

°
5 5

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Waltz
Opus Posth. in A Minor
Frédéric Chopin
PS Practice Score

{
Allegretto
Play the trills before
Play the three quick notes at the beginning of each
the beat, with a light
bar in one impulse, using a round, gentle wrist motion.
arm & firm fingers.

œ œ œ
2

œ œ œ ˙ œ #œ ˙
5

3 œ
1 3 1 2

&4 œ œ œ œ œ
3 3
œœ
œ
1 1
1

p
œœœ œœœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
œ œ
Light thumb on

?3 Œ
the upbeat.
œ œ œ œ œ
4 œ
œ œ

{
° ø ø ø ø ø ø ø ø
1 LH chords 1 1 5 1
2 5 2
3 5 3
5 light & soft. 5 5 5
5

5
œ œ ˙ œ œ œ 5

&œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ œ œ
1 2

œ
1 1 3 1 1

œœ œœ œœ œœ
pp
œœœ œœœ œœ œœœ œœœ
œ œ œ œ
?
œ œ œ œ Œ
œ œ
ø ø ø ø ø ø ø ø ø
Note the change

°
from B to D!

{
Keep shaping the phrases with subtle crescendos and diminuendos, following the rise and fall of the melodic line.

10
œ ˙ œ œ œ œ #œ ˙ œ œ ˙
œ œ œ œ
5

œ œ
1 3 1 2

œ œ
3
œœ
1 3 1 1

&
œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœœ œœœ œœ œœ
? œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ
ø ø ø ø ø ø ø ø ø ø ø
œ œ

{
Stronger, more

œ #œ œ œ nœ ˙™
energetic.

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
™™ #œ
3 4 3
œœ
#œ
5 3
15
œ
3 2 1 3 1 4
2 1

&
œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ #œœ
™™
œ œ
mf
œœ œœ
?
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ
ø ø ø ø ø Note the change
ø ø
from B to G-sharp!
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“”

{
Practice the arpeggio slowly, very legato
and with big arm movements.When you
play in tempo, keep the arm as free as
before but make the movements smaller.

œ #œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ™ œ
3 4 3
19
œœ
œ œ œ œ œ œ
3 4 3 1 3
3 3
œœ
œ #œ œ
1 4 3 3 1 1

&
1 2 3

5
œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
? œ œ œ œ œ # œ
œ œ œ
ø ø ø ø ø
<“>

{
œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ
™™ ™™ œ œ œ œ
˙
3 4 3 4
œœ
4
22
œœ
3 3

Œ
1 1

&
œœ œœ œœœ œœœ
™™ ™™
p
? œœ œœ œœ œœ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ
ø ø ø ø ø ø ø

{
26
œ ˙ œ œ œ œ #œ ˙ œ œ ˙
œ œ œ œ œ œ
5 1 3 1 2 3

œ œ œœ
1 3 1 1

&
œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœœ œœœ œœ œœ
? œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ
œ œ
ø ø ø ø ø ø ø ø ø ø ø

{
Keep the wrist and arm flexible and elastic, ready to support
the fingers on both black and white keys.

œ # œ œ # œ œ œ #mœ œ œ #œ œ #œ
Use more arm weight for an emphatic crescendo. 232 1 5

#œ œ ˙
3
4

œ #œ œ
1 3 1
31 2 2

#œ
1 3
2 1 Hold.

&
#œœœ œœœ n œœ
#œœœ
f
œœ # œœ œœ
Brighter, more outgoing.

? œ
Release
Œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ
ø ø ø ø ø ø ø
œ
Change pedal
to leave the
right hand B
sounding alone.

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Extend the hand for the wide intervals, then go into a

œ # œ œ # œ œ œ #mœ œ œ #œ œ #œ
comfortable, aligned position on the quarter notes. 232 1
1 5 3
14 34 4

œ œ #œ œ œ #œ œ #œ œ
35 4 2

œ#œ œ#œ
3 3
1 3

& #œ
2

œœ œœ
#œœœ
# œœ œœ œœ # œœ œœ
? œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ
ø ø ø ø ø ø
œ œ

{
™
œ œ œ
14

œ ™ œ œ
œ œ #œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ ˙
39
nœ œ œ œ
3 2 1 4
œ#œ
3

& #œ œ
1 1

œœ œœ œœ œœ
p
œœ œœ œœœ œœœ
œ œ œ œ Œ ™™
? # œ n œ œ œ œ
œ
ø ø ø
œ œ

{
œ
° ø ø ø ø ø ø
44
œ œ œ #œ ˙ œ ˙ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ
1 3 1 2

œ
3

œ œ
1

&
œœ œœ œœœ œœœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
? œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ
ø ø ø ø ø ø ø ø ø
œ

{
mœ #œ œ œ nœ
1 5

œ œ ˙
48 343 2

&œ Œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ ˙ Œ
1 2

œ pp œœœ œœœ œœ œœ
?œ œ Œ œ œ #œœœ œœœ œœ œœ
œ œ
œ œ œ
œ
ø ° ø ø ø ø ø ø ø

{
Last words are important! Taking some time here adds
weight to the final phrase. Start the eighth note run slowly, œ œ œ œœ

-œ -œ -œ
emphasizing each note; then go forward in the next bar. Slow down slightly.
5

œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ Ÿœ
5

#œ œ œ #œ ˙
34

&‰ Œ
1 4 4 2
2 1

mf
œœ œ œ n œœ œ
œœ
rubato
?œ œ œ œ
Œ œ Œ
œ œ œ Œ
ø ø ø ° ø ø ø
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