The waltzes of Chopin's Op. 70 were not composed as a set. The earliest of them, No. 3 in D flat major, dates from 1829; No. 1, in G flat major, is from 1833. Eight years later, Chopin composed No. 2, in F minor. The three waltzes were assembled under one opus number and published in Berlin in 1855, six years after Chopin's death.

On the whole, Chopin's waltzes are harmonically simpler than his other works, and their triple meter is always clearly articulated. Also, Chopin rarely ventures from the ternary form (ABA) that is the basis for his dance-inspired works. We do not find the great expansions of formal structure that exist in some of the mazurkas or scherzos. However, we do find a few characteristics associated with Chopin's mazurkas and polonaises scattered throughout the waltzes.

The first theme of the Waltz in G flat major, Op. 70, No. 1 contains a rising arpeggio similar to some of the "rocket" gestures in the polonaises. After this, upward leaps produce a mazurka-like accent on the third beat of the measure, generated by both the very high register and the length of the note. The eight-measure first theme, which is heard twice, is really a four-measure idea with a slightly varied repetition that remains firmly in G flat major. The second theme of the A section, which develops the arpeggio figure of the first theme, is constructed along the same lines, although the harmonic center shifts to the dominant.

Chopin creates contrast in the B section through nearly every musical device except harmony. The section opens in G flat, resolving the dominant harmony of the preceding phrase and bringing us back to the tonic, but the melody could not be more different from those of the A section. Stepwise motion is the rule, the constant descent providing a foil to the rising leaps and arpeggios of the first section. Furthermore, repeated notes, dotted rhythms and a quiet dynamic leve create an atmosphere and inward intensity completely absent from the previous material.

Typically, the reprise of section A is truncated; in this case Chopin abandons the secondary theme entirely, settling for a literal repeat of both statements of the first theme and an abrupt close.

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On the whole, Chopin's waltzes are harmonically simpler than his other works and their triple meter is always clearly articulated. Also, he rarely ventures from the ternary form (ABA) that is the basis for his dance-movement pieces. The great expansions of formal structure that exist in some of the mazurkas or scherzos are not there, but there are a few characteristics associated with Chopin's mazurkas and polonaises scattered throughout the waltzes.

The waltzes of Chopin's Op. 70 were not composed as a set. The earliest of these, No. 3 in D flat major, dates from 1829; No. 1, in G flat major, is from 1833. Eight years later, Chopin composed No. 2, in F minor. These were assembled under one opus number and published in 1855, six years after Chopin's death.

The Waltz in F minor treads the borderline between waltz and mazurka. Both are traditionally in triple meter and ternary form, but in Op. 70, No. 2, Chopin deliberately moves toward the mazurka by including measures with prolonged notes on the first beat and accents on the third beat. Chopin's maturity becomes clear in the construction of the first theme, which is much less predictable than the main theme of earlier Op. 70, No. 1. Here Chopin creates a first theme that spins out over a span of 20 measures. After eight measures, what sounds like a return to the beginning transposed parallels the original for only four measures, after which forte descending scales take over. This eight-measure outburst represents the contrasting material of the A section. Chopin repeats this entire complex before moving on to the middle section of the waltz.

Whereas the first theme begins with a stepwise descent, the middle section opens with stepwise ascent and an upward thrusting arpeggio. Again, through varied repetition of an eight-measure theme Chopin creates a large thematic complex that happens twice, ending with a few repetitive measures featuring a new gesture that is the inversion of the first idea of the piece. These close on A flat major and serve as a bridge to the return of section A. The reprise of section A is literal, although the theme complex appears only once. Chopin follows this with a full return of section B; thus, the overall form of the piece is ABAB. In editions derived "from the manuscript," there is no return of either section; the piece has a simple binary format (AB).

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The waltzes of Chopin's Op. 70 were not composed as a set. The earliest of these, No. 3 in D flat major, dates from 1829; No. 1, in G flat major, is from 1833. Eight years later, Chopin composed No. 2, in F minor. The three waltzes were assembled under one opus number and published in Berlin in 1855, six years after Chopin's death.

On the whole, Chopin's waltzes are harmonically simpler than his other works and their triple meter is always clearly articulated. Also, in his waltzes, Chopin rarely ventures from the ternary form (ABA) that is the basis for his dance-movement pieces. We do not find the great expansions of formal structure that exist in some of the mazurkas or scherzos. However, we do hear a few characteristics associated with Chopin's mazurkas and polonaises scattered throughout his waltzes.

Chopin's Waltz in D flat major, Op. 70, No. 3, composed in 1829, is one of the composer's earliest essays in the genre. Only Op. 69, No. 2, and the Waltz in A flat major of 1827 precede it. Polyphony is at the heart of the D flat major Waltz. Over a typical accompaniment in the left hand Chopin writes a melody in the highest register further accompanied by a slithering chromatic line of running eighth notes. Both of these parts are to be played with the right hand. In the seventh measure, however, the stepwise melody shifts from the higher of the two lines to the lower, the top line leaping upward decoratively just before the end of the tune. Subtle voicing details such as this make Chopin's music both beautiful and difficult to perform. Chopin repeats the eight-measure first theme before moving on to a more aggressive contrasting idea that tends toward the dominant (A flat major).

In the middle section, Chopin abandons the persistent chords that articulated the triple meter throughout the A section. This, coupled with a move to G flat and a new melody that moves slowly in the left hand, creates a striking contrast to the first part of the piece. The quiet second half of section B looks back to the contrasting theme of section A, both in harmony and melodic figuration. Chopin rounds off the B section with a full return of its first melody, leading to a literal reprise of section A that closes the piece.

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Chopin's waltz collections are often assemblages of pieces not necessarily from the same period. For example, the Op. 34 trio came from 1831 (No. 2), 1835 (No. 1), and 1838. The three comprising the Op. 70 set were composed in 1829 (No. 3), 1833 (No. 1), and 1841. Surprisingly, though, they show less evolution of style and manner than one might expect.

The first waltz, in G flat major, is vigorous and buoyant, full of color and joy in the outer sections, while the central panel is reflective and nostalgic. The second, in F minor, features one of those Chopin themes that, while generally light in character, is tinged with beautiful melancholy. The brief middle section is brighter and offers effective contrast. The third waltz, the earliest effort here, is the most emotionally neutral of the trio. The main theme is attractive and graceful, demure and cool, while the middle section is livelier and somewhat playful. Each of the three waltzes in the Op. 70 set lasts under three minutes in typical performances.

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