Waltz Op. 64 No. 2: opening chords and form

Form

A1–32

B33–64

C65–96

B97–128

A129–160

B161–192

A themeB Più mosso, V⁷ and iC Più lento, D♭ majorB Più mosso returnsA theme returnsB C♯ minor to the end

Bars 1–4 in C♯ minor

bar 1C♯mi

bar 2D♯7V⁷/V

bar 3G♯7V⁷

bar 4C♯susi(sus)C♯mi

Sections

A (1–32): the theme

Bars 1–4 run i, V⁷/V, V⁷, i, and Chopin holds E in the bass through bars 5–7 while the edition prints the chord roots. The first half stops on V⁷ at bar 15, and bar 26 starts a chain of dominants, C♯⁷, F♯⁷, B⁷, E⁷, which closes V, V⁷, i in bars 31–32.

B (33–64): Più mosso

V⁷ and i alternate under running eighths, and bars 45–48 climb a scale over the Neapolitan ♭II, D major, before closing V⁷, i.

C (65–96): Più lento, D♭ major

D♭ major here is C♯ major respelled, and Chopin's bass climbs by half step, D♭, D, E♭ in bars 67–69 and E♭, E, F in bars 71–73, while the edition prints the chord roots. Bars 77–80 close vii°⁷/V, V, V⁷, I, and bars 94–96 leave the right hand alone until V⁷ of C♯ minor at bar 97.

B (161–192): C♯ minor

After the D♭ section the waltz stays in C♯ minor, and this B ends ♭II at bar 189, V⁷ at bar 191, and i at bar 192.

Study edition

Partial analysis: opening bars and a short note on each section. The full breakdown of every section is in the study edition of Waltz in C♯ minor.

Its place in the learning order is in Chopin for intermediate and returning adults, its level beside every other Chopin piece is in every Chopin piece by difficulty, and the left-hand pattern under it is measured in Chopin’s left-hand patterns, ranked by stretch.