Ravel originally conceived of his choreographic poem La Valse (The Waltz) as a tribute to Johann Strauss and a sort of apotheosis of the Viennese waltz. But this is a waltz far removed from the urbane gaiety of old Vienna. A masterpiece of lush and brilliant orchestration, it is a work of considerable emotional depth in which the initial series of elegant waltzes are transformed into what Ravel describes as a fantastic and fatal whirling loading to a powerful, turbulent climax.
Now musicians, music students, conductors -- any music lover -- can study La Valse in this high-quality edition, reproduced from the authoritative Durand original.