Valses nobles et sentimentales (Schubert)

Franz Schubert wrote two collections of waltzes for piano solo, the 34 Valses Sentimentales (Op. 50, D. 779) and the 12 Valses Nobles (Op. 77, D. 969).

Composition History and Background

Schubert's piano music was slow in taking its place in the standard repertoire of piano literature. Until the early 20th century his vast piano solo production was often criticized for being salon music; good for inexperienced girls, but not to be taken too seriously.

Schubert can partly be blamed for that "perception" problem. In his own day the problem presented itself primarily as "financial", however Schubert was continuously low on money, and his multiple endeavors to create lucrative theater productions had all ended in failure. In those instances he had been successful in getting some of his more "serious" piano sonatas published, however they didn't sell. What did sell, were the countless small dance compositions which never tired his compatriots. Especially during the last years of his life his friends were successful in convincing Schubert to publish more of these - some of which he had only composed as a diversion at the schubertiades, or to please friends. These sets of waltzes fall into this category of work.

The Valses Sentimentales were written in 1823, and the Valses Nobles are believed to be written in 1827, the year before Schubert's death, although the manuscript is undated.

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